Minnow Buckets

Just got done throwing away another styrofoam minnow bucket. Can anyone point me towards a bucket that will last through ice fishing?

Tried the five gallon bucket liner kind? pretty tuff. I never have used mine for minnows though…

Putz,
It’s the lutefisk breath that does it. That stuff will just eat up styrofoam. And, this is the season, so, go figure ……
Regards, Swede

Putz,

Use 1 of those small 6 pack igloo coolers, I use it for minnows in the winter and leeches in the summer.

Good one, Swede. I guess we all have our crosses to bear.

Tim, is that the two piece Igloo or one with the lid on hinges?

I echo the cooler option for a minnow bucket. I use one with a hinged lid – I wanted something to keep the water from sloshing around in the portable while I’m pulling it out. Be careful you don’t get it too close to the heater. I kind of melted the side of my cooler last winter – it happens pretty quick to.

I use the two piece ones, when really, really cold you just pound it on the top and pull it off to get it open. Bob and I have wore a couple of these out over the years. Not just from bait! LOL

What from Pepsi’s??? Lord knows we cqan’t talk about SOAKERS on here!

I also do the cooler thing. I like the 2 piece cooler because unlike the hinged top cooler, the 2 piece will not spill water everywhere on your way to your honey hole! The only problem I had with the cooler was, when I left minnows in the cooler and left the cover on tight, many of them would die. I now just leave it cracked open a bit and just like always……change water often.

Good point Muskyman. Do you think it would help if I drilled holes in the top? Mayby wouldn’t spill as much as a flip over lid but still give them air?

One year mu fishing buddy broke the middle lid out of my frabill kool keeper. That was the best thing that ever happened. It works way better now.

I gave up on styro along time ago. I use a Frabil gallon minnow bucket. I actually found it on the highway…someone must have lost it. I like it a lot has a little trap door on it and everything.

Ok go back to the garbage and get the styro ones back out. Can’t find it huh? Well go get another new one and then check a grocery store with a bakery dept and pick up a plastic pail from creme filling for donuts. (Pick up a couple dozen donuts while you are there too. I like the choc creme filled) They are around a 2 gallon size. The foam pail fits inside nice and you then silicone it in place around the rim so water can’t leak between it and the plastic. The pails have a nice snap on lid that stays on even when dumped out of the sled behind the ATV or snowmobile. Painted it black and it soaks up the sun and the water doesn’t freeze. Going on 7+ years now with the same “cheap” styrofaom bucket for me.

Good idea Sarge. I have some silicone left over from a project. Do you get rid of the styrofoam lid and just use the plastic one?

Yep no styro lid.

I use a clean 5 gallon bucket with a lid, i only fill up the bucket with about 2 gallons of water or so, and I have one of them battery operated bubble machines from wal mart. I made a small hole in the lid, slide the tube through all the way down to the bottom and then I turn it on. I then use some painters putty, glazing compound that stays pretty flexible in cold weather to seal up the hole. still trying to find a rubber type object that would work. then when I am done fishing for the weekend, I bring the minnows into the house and change the water out in them every day, the minnows seem to last about 3 weeks, depending on where i get them from.

shane

Dont they still make the styrofoam ones that will fit inside a 5 gallon bucket. There also was on that would fit inside a coffee can.
Have you ever tryed putting minnows in a pop bottle or small jar for when you really want to get portable. I have even stuck a few in a plastic baggie. Thsi works well when you want to get away from the guys but cant take the bucket or even when you just want to hope out on the ice and catch just a couple quick fish. Remember to remove the baggie before you are done fishing.

Shane, I leave mine in garage, next to the garage door so they stay good and cold, put an old fish tank bubbler in there. I change the water when I go out on the next trip, but i’ve had minnows in my garage for 3 weeks now, still swimming around.

I got a Frabil lined minnow bucket. Inside is a styrofoam liner and the outside is just a regular plastic bucket. Last year i left it in the garage and the aeriator killed and i was choppin through the ice and cut a big gash in the liner It works preety good though.

Last year I started using an old insulated water jug. Got tired of my minnow bucket tipping over on the sled and losing all the water and minnows. Just remember to loosen the lid or open the drinking spout to give them air when you get home.

hey ritt,

I really have a problem with that suggestion. I don’t have a garage!! i live in the mobile home and have a small shed that usually has a ton of stuff in it. I have however came up with a new idea. i have a 150 quart cooler that i have a areator in. that way i take what i need in my 5 gallon bucket and come home and dump them into the cooler. however, I have found that i can’t seem to keep the water from freezing up, so i need to get a tank heater just to keep the ice off of them. but thanks for the idea.

shane

good point, I guess that would pose a problem . An old trick my grandpa used to use. he would take an old scrap of insulation he had laying around, wrap it around his cooler, and duct tape it so it stayed around the cooler. If I remebmer correctly, it used to work???

Well, the insulation would certainly help, but in sub zero temperature i dont know.

I am thinking that i am going to steal a water tank heater from my dad on the farm. I don’t think that he will miss it and if he does, he has enough money to go and buy another one!!! and then i will return it after ice fishing, when i bring my shack back to the farm, I will stash it in the one place that he didn’t look, my ice fishing bucket. ha ha ha

shane

The Frabill Min-O-Life minnow cooler with built in aerator is just an awesome ice fishing minnow bucket. I have kept 3 dozen fragile lake shiners alive all day without a problem. It is approx 14-16 inches long and 8 inches wide and 6 to 8 inches deep.
Chris Beeksma

Well Sarge, I bought a $2 styrofoam bucket (should have kept the old like you said) and cut it down to fit a 1.5 gallon ice cream pail. Used duct tape instead of silicone but drilled a hole in the bottom to let water out in case it leaks. The maiden voyage is tomorrow so we will see. I’ll paint it black later. Thanks for the tip.

You’ll be happy and making a bigger one soon.

I think the 5-gallon pail with the styrofoam liner is the best option. Gander Mtn. has the styrofoam buckets that fit perfectly in a 5-gallon pail for about $6. I keep that in the garage or the basement & the minnows last for weeks. Just change the water every few days. An aerator helps a lot too. I have an Aqualife aerator/lid that fits on the 5-gallon pail. I also use an old electric aquarium aerator & air stone for those longer times between trips. Like mentioned earlier, I also like to carry a smaller bucket for those short trips close to home or even a few in a zip-lock bag. When I’m jiggin’ I only use the heads any way. Freezing a few fatheads in a small zip-lock bag works great for those short evening walleye trips. – Vern

Here is a picture of the one I use. The pail is about 12″ high. You can see how the styrofaom fits nicely inside. The plastic lid snaps on tight and you get no spills. The optional minnow agitation device covered with fur may not work for you.

yeah, but i am sure that you are able to tell what kind of minnow your aggitater has eaten out of your minnow bucket!!! that is a sign of a die hard fisherman. I prefer to use the battery type, that way i know that my minnows will all be accounted for. well maybe the furry one is good for getting rid of the dead ones. ha haha

shane