Keeping Shiners alive

[infamusc]

My biggest issue last years was keeping my shiners alive. Here were my steps to trying to have healthy shiners. I grabbed my 8 quart insulated frabil bucket, went to that fancy Rt44 bait shop, bought 2 dozen shiners with their water and went fishing on Highland. 4 Hours later they were dying at a fast rate. Now repeat 3 times. I tried substituting pond water, I added 2 bubblers, I did not feed them. I don't know why they keep dying. So now I'm thinking it may be the bucket, to small for 2 dozen? who knows , any input will help thanks .

[eiderz]

It's important that the bait shop water be chilled, otherwise the bait is shocked when you add cold water to your bucket. If your bait shop keeps the water at or near room temp, bring your bucket half full of cold pond water and only add half a bucket of theirs. Keep the bucket in an unheated area, like the truck bed, on the way to the lake. When you drill your first hole replace half the water with lake water. Usually keeps them going if it's a warm temp shock thing.

On the other hand even insulated buckets ice over if left unattended outside the shanty. If the water freezes beyond a surface skim it will shock the bait. If you think this may be the problem put the bucket next to a heater and let it warm up, the shiners may surprise you and come back to life. I keep an eye on my bait at all times, constantly moving the bucket to keep it cold, but not frozen.

[Tbone9]

That's why I gave up on shiners and use anything but. Suckers are my first choice.

[mr.clean]

I'm in agreement with Eiderz's comments but have a few questions to ask you. Do you use up all of your bait purchase each trip or bring home unused bait and try to save it until next trip. Depending on where you would store the bait at home you maybe having the same issues Eiderz mentioned in his post. Also if you change/add water to your bait bucket and use water from a faucet connected to a public water system do not fill the bait bucket directly from the faucet. Instead take a separate bucket fill from faucet and let bucket sit a day or more so gas from chlorine added to public water can vent off to atmosphere chlorine in high amounts will kill the baitfish. If you clean your bait bucket between trips be careful what products you are using to due the cleaning, dish washing soap can leave deposit/residue that is harmful to fish same with ammonia and bleach. So rinse out the bucket several times before putting new baitfish in or return fish from one bucket back to your bait bucket. Some bait species are harder to keep alive then others good luck hope my comments are of some help.
Steve

[Tom G]

If there are only have a few bait left over at the end of the day, I'll toss them on the ice for the seagulls. If I have a lot of bait left, I change the water before I leave, and put the bucket in my garage with an electric aerator running.

The shinners will last until the next weekend. If the following weekend I still have bait left, onto the ice for the seagulls.

Bait is only a few bucks, and I'll buy more.

[octanehi5]

You can always salt your dead baits,and use them again,not so much on a tip up but works jigging, Keeping the bait you buy at close to the temp you bought them at,also airate them.Its good to know the water temp at which they are stored,before you put them in 33 degree water.the closer they are to the temp your fishing in the better.keeping them in as close to freezing temps as you can

[infamusc]

Thank you for all the replies. I learned to acclimate the bait and use pond water for when I leave. Im also convinced my well water kills them too.

[BWB-ice]

If you're using water from the tap I suggest you go to any pet shop and purchase water treatment.  Its a couple of bucks and should be added to any water for fish...its a declorinator and treatment.
The temp is the other issue which I think most people have already covered.
I have a 10 gallon tank in my garage that I keep all winter long and have 1-2 dozen fish in it all season (which I obviouosly re-stock) that stay alive for weeks.
Good luck!!!

[Ramp 23]

Everyone made good points. I would also like to add that some tackle shops really know how to keep their bait healthy & start with good quality fish, & some or most do not. One tackle shop I go to if I change the water once a day & keep a small airator running they last 7 days. Other tackle shops they dont make it thru the first day. I would try buying from other tackle shops.

[BIGCREW]

I have no problem with keeping bait all winter long,I don't have any problems with bait dieing off on the ice or at home,I keep them in a large cooler with a bubbler I don't change the water until I think it needs to be changed and I always acclimate my bait,if I am going fishing I take the bait out of the cooler and put them in my bait bucket and put them outside with a bubbler the night before then when I get to the lake I put a little water from the lake in the bucket to acclimate them and there fine when I get home I do the same thing,the number one thing that kills most bait is the drastic change in water temp,it may not kill them instantly but it will over time,if the temp change is to much to quick they will die on you no doubt so keep that in mind just remember one thing a lakes water temp does not rise or fall 10-15 deg over night drastically changing water temps are the main reason why most bait dies

[Tmuskie]

I use two 5 gallon buckets and an aerator. I use one to get my bait from the shop and add water if needed when I get home. The second I use with clean water and put the bait in that one. I alternate the buckets and change the water every 2 to 3 days as needed.
I store my bait on my breezeway or in the basement depending on the temperature. A few die of but most do well.

[livetoicefish90]

Octanehi- I was wondering how you salt your dead bait?? I use just the heads to jog and it's very productive sometimes just a small prices of meat works to but would salting it help and create more of a scent also? Would love to know how to salt them and what salt to use, thanks for the help!!

[octanehi5]

Add sea salt to your water they ingest it and die,put them in a sealable plastic bag with a mix of water and salt,freeze them, not only do they put out there sent they have the salted sent. They work good while jigging, not so well on tip ups were live bait works better, it depends on what you are fishing for. Pike guys use a lot of dead bait.As a few of us on here target Walleye, were and how you fish for them depends on the lake your on.