This years bait trapping thread

[Bout-Time]

Dont think fiberglass insulation is the way to go, think I read (years ago) about it being bad. I havent made my own filters, so I cant say for certain though. I would think activated charcoal and cheese cloth layers would suffice. IMO

I would think you would have freeze up issues on the deck without a heat source of some kind.

[Conley1993]

I ended up getting a small pond pump at Lowe's and attached it to a 3/8" tube that runs from the bottom of the freezer up into a tupperware container that I drilled holes into so it filters out like a waterfall (sort of). I put some pillow stuffing inside of the tupperware and it seems to work good. I will know more once I pull my trap tomorrow and load it full of shiners. If anyone has any other suggestions for filters I would love to hear them. I got my design from an old post by Builditrite, so thanks a lot!


Does anyone on here use water from the tap to fill their tanks with and if so what do you put in the water to make it livable for the bait or do you just let it sit for a few days before putting bait in?

[Bout-Time]

I use half unchlorinated tap water and half pond water from the bait pond.

[Conley1993]

After doing some more research I think I am going to use your idea and get some of the charcoal and rig it up in PVC drilled with holes. As for the water, I think I am just going to get some de-chlorinator from walmart and add it to municipal water I get from the hose each time I change water out. Thanks for the ideas.

[Bout-Time]

Hope it works out good!

[Keptafew]

So I have a question for you guys. I picked up a chest freezer and have been reading older posts about what I need for an aerator/filter. I think I'm going with a small pond pump to a homemade waterfall system filtered out with either fiberglass insulation or pillow stuffing. How often do you tend to change out the insulation or stuffing? Also, I plan on keeping the freezer outside on my deck here in South Portland. Do you think I will have big issues with the water/filter freezing and would you recommend I throw a light source inside? I'm only using it for shiners so they should be a lot more durable then smelts.

 I store my bait in an unheated boathouse and chest freezer at times it does start to freeze up but I purchased a bird bath heater and it does the trick for me on the really cold spells

[Seamonkey84]

I just want to chime in and emphasize the importance of understanding the biological aspect of the filtration as well.  The filter floss and carbon will keep the water clear but does not clean the water as far as waste products.  The waste products of fish and rotting organics (food, poop and dead fish) produce ammonia which is poisonous. That ammonia has to be kept to a minimum to keep the fish alive. the biogical method may not be ideal for bait tanks, but you would have to allow a small amount of fish to first dirty up the tank/filter slowly and allow ammonia consuming bacteria to grow, which requires surface area like gravel or porous bio-media to grow on. More practical for a bait tank wound be to use chemical resins like zeolite ammonia removed from pet stores (found in fish department) to absorbs initial spike in ammonia when you first introduce fish. In the case of a bait tank where your keeping it cold and feeding is kept to a minmum, it's the initial spike in ammonia when you first introduce the fish that usually causes the most losses. Then as the fish purge their system of their last meals, the production will decrease. Further spikes in ammonia will be proportional to a mount you feed and/or dead fish that haven't been removed.
Good thing about the ammonia absorber is it changes color as it becomes saturated so you know when to change it, and it can usually be recharged by soaking it in a saltwater brine solution. Just get a good amount to start with if you planning on dumping in lots of fish at once. I recommend having a filter bag for the ammonia absorber separate from the carbon, that way if you want to recharge it you can. Carbon it self should be changed every 3-4 weeks depending on how much you use.

Also, make sure to dechlorinate you water with a proper water conditioner (found in pet stores) as most cities are now adding chloramine instead of regular chlorine, so just letting the water to sit out and age to remove chlorine no longer works. Don't use insulation foam, but cotton batting should be fine but it does clog quickly so check and replace often. Get some testing strips, as ph tends to drop as it get dirty, then do *partial* water changes to slowly bring it back up or maintain it close to neutral (or what ever pH your usually fishing spot is). Quick changes in pH and/or temperature makes for dead bait.

[9huskies]

I found ammonia is the big killer of bait. There are test kits but observing the fish's behavior tells just as much. When the water is healthy the fish are mostly at the bottom of the tank. Ammonia settles to the bottom of the tank and the fish hang out near the surface when there is too much ammonia. When doing partial water changes siphon or drain water from the bottom of the tank to remove ammonia. I change about 1/3 of the water. When you pour or scoop water from the top the ammonia stays where it is. Check your tank daily, remove dead fish as soon as you see them and change water when needed. You should have few problems.

[nbourque]

I just picked up a 100 gallon tank and was wondering if any of you guys use a canister filter?

[Dags Bait Maine]

I found ammonia is the big killer of bait. There are test kits but observing the fish's behavior tells just as much. When the water is healthy the fish are mostly at the bottom of the tank. Ammonia settles to the bottom of the tank and the fish hang out near the surface when there is too much ammonia. When doing partial water changes siphon or drain water from the bottom of the tank to remove ammonia. I change about 1/3 of the water. When you pour or scoop water from the top the ammonia stays where it is. Check your tank daily, remove dead fish as soon as you see them and change water when needed. You should have few problems.

Ammonia does not settle to the bottom or stratify in any way. Ammonia dissolves in equal solution with the water. Assuming that the tank is an open system the surface water would have negligibly less ammonia due to it gassing off with the atmosphere. Yes, the detritus settling to the bottom will create ammonia when the bacteria break it down.
      I would not concern myself with extracting water from the bottom of the tank unless you can remove any solids this way. Like 9Huskies said removing dead bait will go a long way though.

-Dylan

[Dags Bait Maine]

I've pulled in about 5-700 in the past week with one homemade cloverleaf trap.  I've got mine in a really small skanky looking pond in a somewhat swampy area. I've true trapping in bigger ponds without luck.
If there are no predators (other than the odd beaver or so) shiners can multiply like crazy. I've read that in warmer climates 300 fish can turn into over 10,000 in less than a year. Hopefully someone can verify that.

I know that they can spawn up to three time a year. Assume half of them are female and sexualy mature. The fecundity would only have to be 67 eggs if all females successfully spawned three times, and all eggs were to hatch and survive until the end of the year.

-Dylan

[SirCranksalot]

I wonder what I'm doing wrong. Is it better to set the trap near the bottom or near the top? Do I need to find deep water pools at this time of year? If so, how deep? Is no flow better than flow----I have set thim in a creek and in a pond but no luck either place.

Thx for any help you can offer.

[Bout-Time]

Usually I dont do well in a current, I put my traps halfway down the water column. (usually 6ft)

[MAINETROUTWHISPERER]

What are people using to lable your traps?

[gamefisher]

What are people using to lable your traps?

Black sharpie.

[MAINETROUTWHISPERER]

Black sharpie.

What do you write on though? And do you attach it to the basket or line?

[gamefisher]

What do you write on though? And do you attach it to the basket or line?

On the outer ring of the trap itself.  You could also use a luggage tag.

[Bout-Time]

What do you write on though? And do you attach it to the basket or line?

I cut tags out of old milk jugs, and write on it with a sharpie.

Attach it to my stick and boom.

[9huskies]

I put a business card in a ziplock bag and leave it in the trap.

[MAINETROUTWHISPERER]

Milk jug thing is prob what I should do. One of my traps is very cheap and doesn't have a thick ring to write on.

[zorchester21]

I went to walmart and made some metal dog tags to mark my traps.

[Conley1993]

I bought a bunch of the copper trapping tags online from Larry Finch. Cheap and really useful. Attach them to my trail cameras, tree stands, and even have one on my keychain.

[cjg]

I bought a bunch of the copper trapping tags online from Larry Finch. Cheap and really useful. Attach them to my trail cameras, tree stands, and even have one on my keychain.

Might want to find the right size tag for your treestand

You must obtain verbal or written permission of the landowner (or representative) to erect or use a portable or permanent ladder or observation stand and the ladder or observation stand must be plainly labeled with a 2-inch by 4-inch tag identifying the name and address of the person or persons authorized by the landowner to use the observation stand or ladder.

[9huskies]

I bought a bunch of the copper trapping tags online from Larry Finch. Cheap and really useful. Attach them to my trail cameras, tree stands, and even have one on my keychain.

I would remove the tag from the keychain. If you lose the keys and the wrong person finds them he has your name and address.

[ice cracker]

I would remove the tag from the keychain. If you lose the keys and the wrong person finds them he has your name and address.

Or someone will find his keys and return them.

[cjg]

I would remove the tag from the keychain. If you lose the keys and the wrong person finds them he has your name and address.

Good point, we had my wife's Mustang stolen out of the driveway after losing a set of keys with our address on them at the mall.

[lobsterman]

ive had my keys returned in my town to me 2 times do to a tag on the key ring,my bait traps i just laminate a bunch of my cards cut down to just name and adress

[SirCranksalot]

A bit off topic, but in Canada we have this:
http://www.waramps.ca/ways-we-help/key-tags/

Maybe you Muricans have similar?

[MAINETROUTWHISPERER]

Where's the best place to look for shiners? Not asking for specific locations, buf I have little experience in bait trapping. I've got a fire pond I'm trying out now. Picking the bucket up later today, though I'm not sure there will be anything in it.

[GasBlaster]

Where's the best place to look for shiners? Not asking for specific locations, buf I have little experience in bait trapping. I've got a fire pond I'm trying out now. Picking the bucket up later today, though I'm not sure there will be anything in it.

I think you'll be pleasantly surprised ..