Author Topic: Keeping minnows alive  (Read 23329 times)

Offline panfishpappa101

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Keeping minnows alive
« on: Dec 20, 2010, 07:30 PM »
i have a half dozen shiner minnows that i need to keep alive until the weekend. How do u keep them alive without an aerator?
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Offline MN Bassfisher

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Re: Keeping minnows alive
« Reply #1 on: Dec 21, 2010, 12:56 AM »
I grabbed an old cooler, filled it with water, punched a whole in the top. Bought an aerator for like $7, plugged it into an outlet in my garage, and fed the hose through the hole into the cooler. They are much livelier in there than my styrofoam bucket (they did live for like a week and a half in there so far though). I have suckers, shiners, and crappie minnows and not one has died on me yet since I made this cheap move.

Offline panfishpappa101

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Re: Keeping minnows alive
« Reply #2 on: Dec 21, 2010, 09:15 AM »
well where would u get an aerator?
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Offline WYeyes

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Re: Keeping minnows alive
« Reply #3 on: Dec 21, 2010, 09:18 AM »
Just an air pump and a air stone. Can get them at any pet store, Walmart, ect

Offline MN Bassfisher

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Re: Keeping minnows alive
« Reply #4 on: Dec 21, 2010, 10:18 AM »
Walmart has some cheap ones, Pet stores, etc.

Offline panfishpappa101

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Re: Keeping minnows alive
« Reply #5 on: Dec 21, 2010, 10:47 AM »
thanx
The fishing is always better on the other side of the lake

Offline scavengerj

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Re: Keeping minnows alive
« Reply #6 on: Dec 21, 2010, 10:51 AM »
Try adding some ice cubes to the water. The lower water temp will slow their metabolism which in turns lowers their energy and air requirements. It won't hurt unless their is a big difference in the Ph of the water. But even then, with it melting slowly they should be able to adjust over time without any effects.
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Offline Waynesburgjay

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Re: Keeping minnows alive
« Reply #7 on: Dec 24, 2010, 05:36 AM »
An aerator is less than 10 bucks at wal-mart.  You might be able to do without it if you use a styrofoam container and keep the water real cold, almost freezing.

Offline panfishpappa101

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Re: Keeping minnows alive
« Reply #8 on: Dec 24, 2010, 12:51 PM »
yeah there still alive ill use them on sunday
The fishing is always better on the other side of the lake

Offline Perfect Hook Set

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Re: Keeping minnows alive
« Reply #9 on: Dec 24, 2010, 01:05 PM »
Sometimes getting extra water from the baitshop in a separate bucket and transferring them to the fresh water after a day or two may help.
Keeping them in a refrigerator will help
Someone told me a cap full or so of peroxide will help oxygenate the water



This is a good idea as well
Just an air pump and a air stone. Can get them at any pet store, Walmart, ect
Next time you go to cwood let me know how many fish you didnt catch.
     

Offline Since

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Re: Keeping minnows alive
« Reply #10 on: Dec 27, 2010, 09:52 AM »
cheap air pump and stone but for that few minnows just used a styrofoam cooler/bucket (styrofoam really does make a difference, seems to loss less oxygen, not sure but works better than a bare bucket), keep them really cold and change the water every other day. Also, if you get one that dies take him out as soon as ya can. they will last quite awhile that way

Offline TheDL

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Re: Keeping minnows alive
« Reply #11 on: Jan 26, 2011, 10:54 AM »
i was having the same problem - dug up an old air pump...didn't use a air stone at all...just drilled a bunch of holes in the tube and pinched the end shut with a zip tie.  sunk the tube with a rock and an elastic.  DIY at it's finest, made a huge difference - minnows are lively and none have died yet.

also, keep the bucket in insulated garage, works well.

if you don't have a pump....do you have a straw and spare time?  LOL ;)
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Offline MattR

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Re: Keeping minnows alive
« Reply #12 on: Jan 27, 2011, 12:12 AM »
I fish with crappie minnows (small fatheads). I keep them in a 5 gallon pail and just change water daily. No basement and no air pump or straws used to keep them alive. Fresh cold well water is the key. I have some in the pail that I bought about 2 weeks ago and still alive and swimming. Shiners probably need the air pump since they are not as hardy of a minnow.

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Offline Beets

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Re: Keeping minnows alive
« Reply #13 on: Jan 27, 2011, 10:34 AM »
I've kept minnows alive for weeks by changing the water regularly and a little fish food. Does anyone feed theirs? What?
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Offline TheDL

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Re: Keeping minnows alive
« Reply #14 on: Feb 03, 2011, 03:00 PM »
I've kept minnows alive for weeks by changing the water regularly and a little fish food. Does anyone feed theirs? What?

good question Beets...I was wondering the same thing.  I'm too cheap to buy fish food....will bread crumbs work?

I've also found recently that using water from your fishing hole (I bring a full bucket back with me) to change out old water helps a lot!  My city water would smell funny and froth up (aerator) in the bucket...the lake water doesn't at all.  Makes me wonder what I'm drinking ???
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Offline Perfect Hook Set

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Re: Keeping minnows alive
« Reply #15 on: Feb 03, 2011, 05:36 PM »
LoL

Our water once smelled bad and tasted funny.
We called the city and they said something to the effect that they were cleaning local reservoirs or some holding water.
The chemical they were using i guess in low does supposedly is not harmful

this was many months ago and I cannot remember the name of the chemical but, I did a quick search on it and it did have some side effects!

You could always bring an extra bucket to your baitshop and if they are nice enough u can get some water from them...

If you have a whine cellar (colder temps)  hook up a small fish tank and toss your left overs in there until the next outing


Next time you go to cwood let me know how many fish you didnt catch.
     

Offline Derag2

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Re: Keeping minnows alive
« Reply #16 on: Feb 06, 2011, 09:06 AM »
Styrofoam cooler and a air pump change out some of the water every couple days... had them in there for a few weeks....

Offline sawmillr

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Re: Keeping minnows alive
« Reply #17 on: Feb 26, 2011, 04:18 PM »
Been keeping mine in the root cellar in the basement,change half the water everyday(learned that on here)add ice cubes when i change the water,have them in one of those orange water coolers and i just set the lid on.Stays between 35 and 40 in there this time of year. :icefish:

Offline hunter19301

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Re: Keeping minnows alive
« Reply #18 on: Nov 26, 2013, 09:35 AM »
I realize I'm late to the game on this post but thought I'd add my 2 cents anyway.

My key last year was using the "minnow slime" drops.  This is the blue minnow water treatment, think I bought it at Franks but not sure.  Was about $5 for a bottle that will last years.  Had to travel a lot last winter and using these drops allowed minnows to last in a bucket for several weeks without a bubbler!!  Also seemed much more lively when I got back on the ice after being gone for 2+ weeks. 

Always like fresh minnows but hate to throw them out if you don't have to!!

Offline Perfect Hook Set

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Re: Keeping minnows alive
« Reply #19 on: Dec 14, 2013, 01:40 PM »
I am not sure how well this will work for ice fishing but:

This summer I had minnows two dozen that werent going very quick.
1: I wasnt fishing that much through the week
2: I only had one line out with a minnow that wasnt drawing much attention

Basically what i did was dumped most of the water out from the bucket (in the grass) and replaced it with water from the the lake I was fishing.
I did this each time and they lasted a lot longer then usual
Next time you go to cwood let me know how many fish you didnt catch.
     

Offline 1moslab

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Re: Keeping minnows alive
« Reply #20 on: Dec 21, 2013, 07:34 AM »
cold water ,water changes ,no food,cold water

Offline Weekdayflier

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Re: Keeping minnows alive
« Reply #21 on: Feb 08, 2015, 11:34 AM »
Found this thread from a while back that has some great info. I just wanted to add one question to it.
How long does bait need before they need to be fed? What do you even feed them, fish food?
I've got a dozen shiners left over and can't use them til next Sunday so I figured I might as well keep them alive. I'm buying an aerotor today, just wasn't sure if they should be fed or not.

Offline 1moslab

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Re: Keeping minnows alive
« Reply #22 on: Feb 09, 2015, 01:17 PM »
I don't feed mine all winter they are fine.if you feed them you have to do more water changes.

Offline Kevin23

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Re: Keeping minnows alive
« Reply #23 on: Feb 13, 2015, 01:11 PM »
Found this thread from a while back that has some great info. I just wanted to add one question to it.
How long does bait need before they need to be fed? What do you even feed them, fish food?
I've got a dozen shiners left over and can't use them til next Sunday so I figured I might as well keep them alive. I'm buying an aerotor today, just wasn't sure if they should be fed or not.

They can go 3-4 weeks just fine, then they start to get sluggish. Fish food or a piece of bread or some of your morning scrambled eggs would be fine... they aren't exactly $50 tropical fish. When I hold chubs (which I am going to do next year again!) I just toss a little scrambled eggs in the bin every weekend.
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Offline 1moslab

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Re: Keeping minnows alive
« Reply #24 on: Feb 14, 2015, 05:35 AM »
Mine don't get sluggish at all .i would look at water quality or temp .

 



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