Left Over Bait

[xjjesterx]

Ok since I'm a rookie and find myself leaving the ice with more left-over bait than fish, what's the best way to save waxies, mousies, spikes etc, and for how long?

I'm figuring I can save a little money by not pitching my left overs.

Please chime in with your thoughts.

[spartaman12]

dump em down the hole and let the fish go on a frenzy

[Buck762]

If the temperature is below freezing, i leave my waxies and mousies in my garage.  I also use the fridge, and they last a long time.  I have a heavily aireated aquarium that i keep my leftover shiners in, and they can live for weeks.  Really save me money in the long run

[Gibby]

I leave mine in the butter compartment in fridge, should hold you a couple of weeks. Wife will remind you if they have over stayed their life span.

Gibby:)

[hauler]

I always set mine in the window sill.

[DR.SPECKLER]

I also keep my larva in the fridge as far as the minnows without a valid recipt for them they are not worth keeping any more reciept is valid for seven days.I have a minnow tank full of shiners right now but they are now illegal because of the reicept expired

[fishybill]

don't put waxies in the fridge.

Hauler is right keep them on a window sill where its "cool" and they will last all year.
You'll have to periodically pick out the dead ones.  I've had the same pack of 500 all winter.
Still probably have 200 or so.  Also have a few dozen mousies and spikes that I bought back in December. 

I don't bother to keep minnows anymore.

[djkruszewski]

i keep any left over minnows in the same minnow bucket that they were in on the ice.  i do change about half the water every 2-3 days.  you will lose a few of them, just pick them out and you should have enough to use the next time you head out.  spikes do well in the fridge at 34-38 degrees.  i have purchased 1000 spikes back in early december and still have a few left.  i did order more this week to carry me over until early march.  mousies, not really sure on what temps work well with those.  waxworms do well at 50-55 degrees, if they start to turn brown or black, you might have to get them a little colder.  good luck on your saving your bait quest!

[hauler]

With minnows I try to keep a good ammount of icicles in there to keep a fresh cool supply of water.

[carver1]

I keep waxies/spikes in the fridge. If I am not going back out the next day or 2 I freeze my minnows and use dead minnows in the future....

[zwalleye]

I leave mine in the butter compartment in fridge, should hold you a couple of weeks. Wife will remind you if they have over stayed their life span.

Gibby:)

I second that.......  The wife gets a little funny about that after a while.

[chezmoose]

I leave mine in the butter compartment in fridge, should hold you a couple of weeks. Wife will remind you if they have over stayed their life span.

I don't mind the waxworms or spikes in the fridge near as much as the crawlers in the summer. They  have a tendency to escape! That creeps me out... (the wife)

[swampbuckster]

The most lively waxxies I buy are sold at store temperature. They go dormant when kept in a fridge or below freezing. Don't keep them cold too long though, they will freeze up and die. But keeping them at room temp or a little above freezing, they'll stay active as the day you buy them. (Alot of stores sell them in coolers, and alot of times, they are dead before you buy them. That's why they are so mushy sometimes.) A wax worm should be moving/crawling around as much as a nightcrawler does.

[c2223]

My house is 55, I just leave them on the counter, my minnows go into the sump pump, fresh water around the clock!

[jayswimmer09]

in my garage. away from all heat sources. never any problems!

[walleyesteve]

Be carefull with city water, let it sit for 12hrs for the chlorine to evaporate, softened well water will kill'm too. 10 deg temp change will shock shinners, let the water temp stabilize before adding new water. Make sure to remove the dead ones they skank the water up fast. The colder the water the better, cold water has higher oxygen level. Airators are a must, garage sale 110vlt aquarium pump are my choice.

[Rumrunner]

Well...when on the ice.....I keep the waxies in between my cheek and gum...you know, so they dont freeze. 

[swampbuckster]

That works well there, Rum, but I can only fit about 6 of them at a time.    Anything more then that, and they seem to want to burst under all that pressure.