Bait kept in blue water. Does it make a difference?

[Scientist]

I have noticed recently that almost all the bait shops in my area started using “blue water” to help keep their bait alive. If I am correct then they are using a chemical called malachite green in a solution of formalin to control disease and fungus. (I know the chemical is called malachite green but it is actually blue in color) Has anyone seen an increase in game fish catches due to livelier bait or a decrease in the amount of fish caught?

[Howyahittinem1]

I can't say I see a difference this time of year but in the warmer months the blue( commenly called Better Bait) seems to keep bait alive longer, especially when you are dealing with herring.  Salt also helps!  Shiners seem to stay good in clean, cold water this time of year. 

[KingKool]

I have noticed recently that almost all the bait shops in my area started using “blue water” to help keep their bait alive. If I am correct then they are using a chemical called malachite green in a solution of formalin to control disease and fungus. (I know the chemical is called malachite green but it is actually blue in color) Has anyone seen an increase in game fish catches due to livelier bait or a decrease in the amount of fish caught?

In my experience it doesnt matter when the water is warmer...but ice fishing or right after ice out i ALWAYS had problems with the bait in blue water going into shock when it hits the cold water......i rather drive further and get good bait. If u do buy that bait i would suggest slowly getting the water colder by putting ice in it or something.

[KingKool]

also...im just saying this with past experience since it happened every time...but i would figure if they kept their tanks cold it wouldnt make a difference...

[MikeThePike]

I haven't really noticed much of a difference in catches but the bait from the blue water does seem to die off easier over the winter. I hate when the shiners have been in that blue water and actually start turning blue. At that point I end up just freezing them to use for cut bait cuz I never do any good with them.

[Coldfinger]

To keep shiners from going into shock I always bring a cup with me. Just pour some of the cooler lake water in the bait bucket to slowly adjust the temperature down.

[Scientist]

The reason I posted this question is because I have noticed a distinct difference, at least this ice fishing season, between catches in certain types of fish. Pickerel and Pike did not seem to mind. I have not seen this difference in open water fishing. The day I purchased the bait it came with the blue water, got to the lake drilled a few holes, acclimated the them to the lake water by slowly adding lake water to the shiners, and then started fishing. At the end of the day brought the bait home and transferred the shiners via net to another buck filled with clean de-chlorinated freshwater that was the same temp as the original water. Place an aerator and kept them in the garage. The next time I went fishing I had strikes all day long, unlike the day I bought the bait. The next four trips I bought bait had the same results on the day they were bought and then the follow up trip with the same bait had the same results. Just wanted to see if anyone else experienced this or it is just me.

[radzicto]

Hey Scientist, try posting the same guestion on the main board. You might get a better response from the bigger audience. I don't bait fish often, but the blue .vs. clean water postulation seems to make sense to me.

[steelchaser]

Scientist I have also noticed that when fishing Herring in the summer that sits in blue vs. Herring that sits in a non clorinated type water, I always do better with the non clorinated water type bait. JMO... I will drive out of my way to get Herring that are NOT in blue water.

[AJ Flag]

Maybe we are all looking way too much into it and the blue water is really just for affect to make the bait look pretty and make us want to buy it haha

[Scientist]

Maybe we are all looking way too much into it and the blue water is really just for affect to make the bait look pretty and make us want to buy it haha

You just have to stay away from the green ones they aren't quite ripe yet 

[AJ Flag]

lol Excellent Point!!! we don't want unripened or expired bait, just doesn't work quite the same.

[Jig4M]

I don't know if the "blue water' makes a difference in how much you catch. If the fish are turned on you're going to catch fish. As far as the bait staying alive longer it definitely makes a difference if you don't use an aerator.