Minnows in a lake

I’d like to keep some crappie minnows alive at my dock. I have one of those yellow/white floating bucket things. I see some people sink the bucket with a rock, and some leave it floating while tied under the dock. Is one way better for their longevity?

Sinking it will keep the sun from cooking the minnows and will allow cooler, more oxygenated water to flow to them.

Sinking it will also help keep coon and mink from robbing it.

Just keep in mind that a lot of minnows in a small pail will use a lot of oxygen, probably more than that yellow bucket will let in. Might be better off with a cooler with five or more gallons of water and a bubbler. It you have power get a cheap aquarium air pump. My two cents but probably keep better than in a lake in that yellow bucket. Your going to have turtles, otters, and mink trying to get them.

The water is cool enough right now to not have to sink them, but come summer munchy’s right sinking them will help alot.

I actually use a small minnow trap. Since you can trap minnows from the lake you can actually keep those minnows alive a bit better by using one of those and throwing it out further.

Andrew Pansch wrote:

I actually use a small minnow trap. Since you can trap minnows from the lake you can actually keep those minnows alive a bit better by using one of those and throwing it out further.

I was thinking about this too because air wouldn’t be a problem. Do you plug the holes or do they simply not escape?

When we go to Ontario we need to tie shut the bait bucket lid with wire or those snarky otters get in there and eat the minnows.

Sinking also allows oxygenated water to flow through and replace the water faster. When it’s floating you have holes on one side above the water, so water won’t flow in the other side. When the water is glass and calm you won’t get much water exchange at all if it is floating.

Piggy back question, if I took a 5-6 gallon bucket, drilled holes, covered, and sunk a little bit how well would that do for rainbows and fatheads(not dumb enough to think shiners)?

I tried to keep a bunch of crappie minnows alive in 4 gallons of water. Used an aerator and changed half of the water 5 days a week. In the end I lost enough each day that it wasn’t worth it. For walleye season I need a better plan or it’s artificials only.

Drill enough holes and it should work.