Keeping minnows alive.

Looking for ideas on how to keep left over minnows alive. Always seem to lose a few each day. Our local bait shop will be out of minnows this time of the year, so we buy when we can and try to keep them alive. Any ideas?

I have a system I keep in my garage for storing minnows. I cut lower third off of a plastic 55 gallon drum. Drilled a small hole an inch off of the bottom and got a threaded valve that I screwed and epoxied in there. When I built my garage I put in a few drains so from the valve I run a small hose to the drain. I have a small 120 volt aerator to keep it oxygenated and it all works great. Replace water about once a week or so. Whenever you remember.

I keep mine in Aerobait buckets. Change water everyotherday whether it needs it or not. If you don’t have a bucket or cooler with airator, put a pinch of cow salt in the water. It puts a protective slime back on them. Keep the water as cool as possible. This slows them down so they don’t beat themselves to death when ever you open the lid to check on them. As a last resort, dump the minnows and go to crawlers if you need to use live bait.

Fatheads should live for weeks this time of year. Keep them as cold as possible without freezing them. Don’t keep to many together in a bucket. Split them up if you have a bunch. I use “morton canning salt” everyday in my minnow tanks and that keeps the water from getting any algae/bacteria in it. Shiners are a little tougher to keep alive, I think…..change water and aerators if possible. Hope this helps a little.

How much salt do you use? Is there a rough ratio of salt / water? I’m thinking this would be good to use during the summer also with chubs, suckers, bullheads, etc.???

I use a couple of tablespoons per tank a day, but you have seen how big my tanks are…..and I continually have fresh water coming in, so it gets diluted. You could probably put a teaspoon in a big minnow bucket….It’s not real fussy. Just don’t make “salted minnows”. experiment a little bit. I think the biggest thing is to not overcrowd them and to keep them cool. I have had minnows stay alive for a month or so in the winter time in a bucket. Fresh water every couple of days is good too.

This time of year it shouldn’t be a problem keeping them alive. For the summer time try the new minow bag that Tamer group just came out with. Tamer company is the same company that makes the yellow leech bags.

First time I had heard about using salt. I’ll have to experiment a little. Might be over crowding them a bit. Thanks!

I have an old frig. in the basement that I keep beer, pop and maybe a minow bucket or two in. If you split them up into a couple buckets they will last a long time. I try changing the water once a week but forget about them once in a while. I’ve gone two weeks before with out losing any minnows. Keep’um cold and you should be good.

Whatsa