Keeping Smelts Alive

[MooseBrook]

I don’t deal much in shiners but I know when I was younger I used to buy them to fish for the day and keep the leftovers in a 5 gallon pail in my basement for a week or two without doing anything to them and use them again the next time I would go. In my experience smelts will die if you hit a bump too hard on the ride home.

[nbourque]

Smelts aren’t the easiest baitfish to keep alive but I’ve found using well water and keeping them outside with lots of aeration does a pretty good job of keeping them alive for a day or two.

[jacksmelt71]

I had 2 dozen shiners in a bag blown up all last week sitting in a cooler outside. Half the water was frozen, hadn't touched them, and all but 3 were alive.  Smelts would have all been dead Tuesday.  My bait guy did say to quarantine any new smelts for a few days before adding them to a batch already "seasoned)

i just dump my bait pail of new smelt in directly to my tank and they dont shock. might lose a few to hook injury but they climatize pretty good. having the tank in a unheated garage i.m.o is better than trying to cool a tank in a cool cellar or heated garage. the closer you keep the water to near freezing the better with smelts. shiners and suckers it isnt as hard.

[MooseBrook]

As an update, I bought some Better Bait and changed out my water for water that by passed my softener. Things are going very well now. Not getting any foam on top of the water at all. Losing a smelt here and there but nothing like I was. More and more I read it seems like water from a softener is no good for keeping fish alive. I think the Better Bait definitely helps as well.

[MarkNFish]

Thanks for the update and glad you're seeing some success.  I've always used water that passed through my softener and have had no problems, but maybe I've just been lucky.  It might also have something to do with the level of treatment in the softener.

I rigged up a filter system last weekend similar in design to what JackSmelt described, but on a smaller scale.  So far so good. 

I've got so much energy invested in the little guys that I almost hate to use them...almost

[MooseBrook]

I know what you mean. I got all set up to keep bait about two years ago when it was really scarce in my area. Definitely not saving any money doing it. Kind of fun now though.

[jacksmelt71]

Thanks for the update and glad you're seeing some success.  I've always used water that passed through my softener and have had no problems, but maybe I've just been lucky.  It might also have something to do with the level of treatment in the softener.

I rigged up a filter system last weekend similar in design to what JackSmelt described, but on a smaller scale.  So far so good. 

I've got so much energy invested in the little guys that I almost hate to use them...almost

  with the price of bait , it will pay off in the long term. i keep my tank going year round and have had the same pump in there for over 20 yrs. may need to get another old freezer soon as the rust is taking over the outside of the tank. the bigger the surface area the water falls over the better it is to filter/break down ammonia. a small pond heater works great for those really cold nights to keep your tank from freezing up. ive had mine on for 2 days now with 4 doz. smelt and 3 dozen dace in there. everyones happy.

[MarkNFish]

  with the price of bait , it will pay off in the long term. i keep my tank going year round and have had the same pump in there for over 20 yrs. may need to get another old freezer soon as the rust is taking over the outside of the tank. the bigger the surface area the water falls over the better it is to filter/break down ammonia. a small pond heater works great for those really cold nights to keep your tank from freezing up. ive had mine on for 2 days now with 4 doz. smelt and 3 dozen dace in there. everyones happy.

I have a much smaller system than yours and rigged-up the filter so I won't have to change the water as often. 

It's not only the price of bait, but the availability of good bait - particularly smelt.  Nothing worse than paying $12 a dozen for spines with eyes that die when you put them on a hook

[jacksmelt71]

thats why i catch my own. big bait=big fish!