8 replies to this topic

[fishin addiction]

I was thinking of starting a bait tank for minnows and maybe some crays. I have a 10 gallon tank with all the stuff I need ( pump, filter etc)
I was wondering if anyone knew if I would have to chill the water and what to feed them I was thinking either regular fish food or bread.
Any help would be appreciated

[usernamehere]

bait tank, as in breeding them, or just keeping them alive to use them next time you are fishing?

 

If you want to breed them, its probably more trouble than its worth (and you need 2 tanks).

If you just want to keep them alive, regular bread/goldfish flakes will be fine.

 

I found that I can always set a minnow trap for them if I want to use them for bait. If there are fish that feeds on minnows to be caught, there are minnows around for me to trap.

[fishin addiction]

Just to keep them alive. I have one of those pull nets and I can catch a bunch when they are around. I just want to keep some so when I go out I don't have to hit the bait store every time I want to fish with minnows

[usernamehere]

ya, if its just keeping them alive, a bare tank, a pump and some bread will do. I dont know if water temperature matters, but iv kept them at room temperature for 2 months before, and they were fine.

I dont know if minnows will do well together with crayfish.

[FishingNoob]

There are a lot of invasive crayfish species, so I would be really apprehensive before keeping crayfish for bait. Sounds like a good way to get fined in my opinion.

[fishin addiction]

If I took the crayfish from the same body of water I used them in I don't see a problem. I would have to read the regs again but I am pretty sure there is a possession limit on them so you can be fined if you had too many

[usernamehere]

Same water is ok, butyou cant use them in a different body of water. This applies to some baitfish as well

[staffman]

Crayfish cannot be legally transported on land so you would have to live on the lake to keep them. I believe that the possession limit is 36. Many lake Erie perch fishermen keep minnows alive in tanks, as long as they don't exceed the legal limit of 120. Some , like me , let them die and using pickling salt preserve them for use later.

[FishingNoob]

Crayfish cannot be legally transported on land so you would have to live on the lake to keep them. I believe that the possession limit is 36. Many lake Erie perch fishermen keep minnows alive in tanks, as long as they don't exceed the legal limit of 120. Some , like me , let them die and using pickling salt preserve them for use later.

That's what I do, salt em for later use.