bait bucket freezing

[Papa Sly]

Been having a peoblem with my bait bucket freezing even with aerator running on these cold days. Any suggestions?

[Doeslayer]

I use a cooler helps keep insulated.... But unless you have a powerhead keeping it moving it's gonna happen

[Papa Sly]

Tried Engle 13 QT cooler with aerator but froze up in 20* today!

[Unclegillhunter]

Tried Engle 13 QT cooler with aerator but froze up in 20* today!

Good to know. I was looking at that cooler if it freezes at that temp I am glad I didn't drop the cash.
Keep it safe! JDL

[mono_mono]

A simple/small Iglo or Coleman cooler from Wal-Mart. If there is a better way, someone chime in please

[Kobey]

If it's so cold that my bait bucket is freezing, I'll have a heater in my shanty, so I just keep the bucket in there.

[Ice Scratcher]

I use a 2 gallon igloo, with the screw on lid..

Keep that in a five gallon with a lid while in the car or traveling.. Need to modify the handle on the cooler to be able to close the lid on the five gallon..

I change the water before I leave, and when I get back..

Never use an aerator, and my minnows live till I use them, sometimes a couple weeks (water changes vary depending on number of shiners)...

I've seen a lot of buckets with slush on top, they all have aerators running (pumping cold air into the cooler)....

Good luck!

<°)))>{

[pmaloney86]

I use a 2 gallon igloo, with the screw on lid..

Keep that in a five gallon with a lid while in the car or traveling.. Need to modify the handle on the cooler to be able to close the lid on the five gallon..

I change the water before I leave, and when I get back..

Never use an aerator, and my minnows live till I use them, sometimes a couple weeks (water changes vary depending on number of shiners)...

I've seen a lot of buckets with slush on top, they all have aerators running (pumping cold air into the cooler)....

Good luck!

<°)))>{

Agreed.  I see no use for an aerator unless you are trying to keep a lot of bait in a tank.  If you need one I'd guess you have too many shiners in too small of a bucket.

If you are going to go the changing the water route I'd make sure that you don't have high levels of chlorine in your water.  I recently did a full water change (after moving homes) on my bait tank and killed a majority of my leftover bait.  I went out and got some water conditioner for a fish tank so I should be good going forward.

You could also get more flags so you are going into the bucket and moving the water around more frequently    Just busting chops.

[slamminsam]

If it's so cold that my bait bucket is freezing, I'll have a heater in my shanty, so I just keep the bucket in there.

X2....when that cold, I bring into shelter, usually helps.  I also went to thrift shop and bought a insulated water cooler...separate some out and it works pretty good (that way I can keep some out by the tip downs and some in the bigger bucket in shelter).

[Mountain Maggot]

You didn’t mention if your bucket is insulated or not but under the presumption it is, you might put the bucket inside if a cooler.  Make sure the cooler is not sitting in the garage in the cold before you use it.

I take the cheap styrofoam bait buckets and put them inside of a Coleman 5 gallon water jug.  As you catch panfish, such makes a good bucket to prevent them from freezing as well.

MM

[Dinosaur1]

Mono I tried the igloo cooler and it did indeed keep the minnows alive. However, the water splashing around inside got around the seal and I couldn't get the lid off till I got home and thawed it out. Then I could see the minnow were okay.

[Ice Scratcher]

Mono I tried the igloo cooler and it did indeed keep the minnows alive. However, the water splashing around inside got around the seal and I couldn't get the lid off till I got home and thawed it out. Then I could see the minnow were okay.

Bees wax, chap stick, or petroleum jelly, little on the threads fixes that..

<°)))>{

[superstockbigblock]

X2 on chapstick,  works well

[vaughan]

If you use a small minor bucket just put it in a black plastic bag and the problem goes away