Transporting Minnows

[Chris Raymond]

Have any of you found the perfect minnow bucket yet?  I'm still looking.  I've probably tried four or five coolers over the last couple of years alone.  I still haven't found one that doesn't leak when the water starts sloshing around during transport.  When I hand carry, it's not a problem, but when I put the cooler in my sled and pull my sled out (by foot or dragged behind an ATV or snowmobile) they leak water onto my other gear fairly bad.  Have I just not found the right cooler yet?  What do you guys use?

[backwoodswalker]

Chris;
I usually use a igloo 3 gallon water cooler I found at St. Vinnies for a buck. It is like those you use for camping. Top screws off for access to minnies and you can drain water out the spigot on bottom. I even drilled a hole in top to put my aerator tube in and siliconed around it. No leaks anywhere, works great. Looking for a gallon one for smaller trips.  Good luck  be safe   Steve

[rchaze60]

i have a aerated frabill minnow bucket and what I do to keep this happing is put one of those plastic shopping bags (the ones you get from the store) over the top and then put the cover over it and it seems to work fine  for me, you might want to try that and see if it works for you

[Jack Magnum]

Chris;
I usually use a igloo 3 gallon water cooler I found at St. Vinnies for a buck. It is like those you use for camping. Top screws off for access to minnies and you can drain water out the spigot on bottom. I even drilled a hole in top to put my aerator tube in and siliconed around it. No leaks anywhere, works great. Looking for a gallon one for smaller trips.  Good luck  be safe   Steve

DITTO

[jibbs]

i use the aerated frabill 6 gallon bucket. i love the fact you can keep giving those guys air throughout the day. however, if it did flip over the water would keep coming out. however, i love that baby and it works great when it comes to keeping bait alive. i do transport it on my atv and i am just very careful when driving around.

[GAMBELL]

Chris,

Buy some foam door weather stripping and put it aroung the rim and bungy the lid on.  I did that with my old cooler and it worked great. 

[Mainehazmt]

Chris;
I usually use a igloo 3 gallon water cooler I found at St. Vinnies for a buck. It is like those you use for camping. Top screws off for access to minnies and you can drain water out the spigot on bottom. I even drilled a hole in top to put my aerator tube in and siliconed around it. No leaks anywhere, works great. Looking for a gallon one for smaller trips.  Good luck  be safe   Steve

same here   but replaced the spigot for an adapter to my aerator that way don't have to pull the line everytime I open the top   before I got the adapter I drilled a hole for the airline thru the top

[WHITETAIL111]

First off minnows don't need a ton of water to be transported.  I use the styrofoam buckets that have the wire cage around the styrofoam bucket.  You can fill the bucket only half full of water for transport and then put water in the bucket once you reach your site.  I usually acclimate the minnows by putting some snow or ice into the bucket seeing the temp of the water from the tackle shop is usually a bit warmer than the water out on the ice.  The best thing I've found though is to get the larger size ziploc bags (1-2 gallon size)....put the bag into the bucket and then pour the minnows into the bag.  Again, only a small amount of water (1/2 the bucket) is needed for transport.  Zip up the bag put the top back on your styrofoam bucket and the minnows/water are totally incased in the ziploc bag.  Once you get to your site you can either leave the minnows in the ziploc bag for the day or you can pour the minnows and water back into the bucket for the day.  Either way keep the bag for transport back or for trash.  Hope this helps?

[Mainehazmt]

I use the airator transporting them to help keep the ice from freezing   gets cold up here  lol   plus after catching them I also airate them on the way home have had great results that way

[ice dawg]

I just use a Styrofoam minnow bucket that is made to fit a 5 gallon bucket. That way any spillage is contained in the bucket.

[zamboni]

I just use a Styrofoam minnow bucket that is made to fit a 5 gallon bucket. That way any spillage is contained in the bucket.

Exactly

[captain54]

Use a plastic 6 gallon bucket(with lid) with one of those big styrafoam 5 gallon minnow liners inside.Fill it about half full of water,have tipped over a few times but as long as outer plastic lid is snap,minnows and water stay in the bucket.

[Hoodoo]

Use a plastic 6 gallon bucket(with lid) with one of those big styrafoam 5 gallon minnow liners inside.Fill it about half full of water,have tipped over a few times but as long as outer plastic lid is snap,minnows and water stay in the bucket.

That sounds like the ticket!!!  then you have a good seat. Thanks Capt.

[Chris Raymond]

Thanks for the ideas guys.  I've always tried to use six pack sized coolers in the past.  May have to look at one of these Igloos or something comparable.  Thanks again.

[1MOFISH]

we use the old drywall mud  plastic buckets for minnows and bringing fish home dont slop up the car they do freeze but we change water on ice during the day and just before leaving p/s you need to clean your buckets using rock salt? we found that dirty buckets kill delicate shiners nothing kills creek bait pour creeks are really polluted    mo

[esox13]

I use the Frabill Sit-n-Fish:"6-gallon outer plastic pail Comfortable padded seat/lid that snaps on and off Removable, 10-qt insulated foam bait bucket Tight-fitting lid keeps sloshing and spills to a minimum Foam construction holds water at right temperature"