The past two times I have been out, my bait has only lasted a couple of hours before they start getting red and dying quickly once put on the line. I have a 20 gal. super bait tank and have been taking 3 dozen baits with me.

Am I getting bad bait or is something wrong with my tank or is it just the heat? I don't remember having this big of a problem in the past.

Are you cooling down the water or are you filling it straight form the surface of the lake? If the latter, then that's your problem. If you can keep the water between 65-70 degrees you'll have a much easier time.

I have a 20gal tank as well and have been carring up to 4 doz lately and have had no problem keeping them good all day.

This time of year I fill it up and put in a little defoamer and 3/4 bag of ice from the get go and add the other 1/4 within an hour and good to go with 0 problems.

I have been getting mine at the Oakwood bait store.

Sounds like hot water.

I'm going to start using pure oxygen. Just got my cylinder and stone. I believe using it and adding ice will be the trick. I'm going to leave all the pumps off - that way the scales will fall straight to the bottom and stay there instead of circulating through the water and winding up in the herring's gills. I'm gonna install the oxygen tank on the boat today.

Saturday I had 3 dozen in my 18 gal well, cooled it down to start and added some during the day. No casualties in 6 hrs. You can pick up a cheap floating aquarium thermometer at Walmart to monitor the temperature.

thanks for the feedback everyone. I got my bait and water from Hammonds last weekend. Didn't put in ice until around 930am (got the bait at 5am). I'll add the ice as soon as I get the water next time out.

thanks again.

Make sure you close your valve from the bilge pump. A few times I've been shooting across the lake, stop and open up to get a bait and the water be clear and warm from the lake water coming in.

I have a 48 gal bait tank. I get great bait from Oakwood Bait and Tackle. I had been adding about a bag of ice but the ice melts rather fast when poured into the water. I have found an inexpensive and very effective way to cool the tank. I put a gallon jug of water (not quite full) in the freezer overnight and when I place it in the tank it keeps the bait cool the entire time we are fishing. With the hot weather might be a good idea to take an extra jug along. Give it a try, works great. Thanks

Woody English
fourseasonsfishing.com
706-207-7756

Great idea Woody, I've been filling old water bottles with lake water and floating them in the baitwell,. I'll try the bigger bottle.

I have a Cheap 20gl Keepalive bait tank and it holds pretty well, all you need is salt and some ice. I usually carry 5-10 bottles freezed up of 1 liter water. Give me a hollar if you need a bottle or 2 when your on the lake.

thanks simon. appreciate the info!

I am lost on this one.. Do you have to buy oxygen tanks to pump into the water?

Corey, I know you have always wanted to play Sea Hunt so get a double set of tanks and share the other one with the herring. LOL

Since we're talking about bait issues...

I'm not having any trouble keeping them alive, 'cause I learned the hard way to keep 'em cool. Although, alive and right peppy can be two different things, so I'm sure I have room for improvement.

How bad is the foam for the BB? I couldn't even see the bait last trip out, after the foam started building.

I, too, use the frozen water bottles right away, and will consider using bigger ones. I also use the recirculation feature, non-stop. I use a digital aquarium thermometer, and so far, so good, but it may not stand the test of time... it hasn't gotten soaked, yet.

Also, I've been using rock salt, since I had some at the house already, but I'm almost out. What's the best salt to use, how much, and where's the best value for purchasing?

Lastly, I keep bait in my livewell, which is black plastic. The dark color makes it difficult to see what's in there. Anyone found a solution for this (like a paint to use)?

All kidding aside the pure oxygen is the way to go from the few people I have known that use it, they love it.

Charles John at oakwood has these tiny lights that go inside the tank and they work really well. As to the foam I hate it and it for sure robs the oxygen from the water, this is why I use a small squirt of defoamer and it illiminates the foaming all together.

Home Depot is about the best place to buy salt. 40lb yellow bag, no iron

Clay,
Is that called rock salt? saw some there last year it was for de-icing, did not buy any. Ive been using ice cream salt from Wal mart. Also use well water ice. I even fill the plastic bottles with well water. Would county water in the bottles be OK?
A plastic grocery bag half full of well water ice and take 4 bottles for a half day. With the cheap aqaurium thermometer has the "green zone" between about 70 and 80 degrese.The one Capt Clay recomended last year also from Wally's.

I fill my water bottles with lake water & freeze it.

Guys a couple of points here to watch for, Add your Ice when you fill your tank at the bait store, ask the attendant what temp they keep there bait at and stay as close to within 5 degrees as you can. Much over that will cause your blue backs to go into shock and soon die. You all have seen this when you hook your lively bait from the 70 degree tank water and place it in the 80/85 degree lake water and it goes stiff as a board, but as soon as it is lowered to the cooler depths it springs back alive, not so if you dump a whole bag on them in your tank. I agree with Jimpal 65 to 70 should be within the 5 degree variance at most bait stores. As Dan said ¾ bag when you fill your tank and later in the day as the temp starts rise add about ¼ bag at a time, another full bag in a 20 or 30 gal tank will cause your bait to go into shock.
I like to use frozen 1 gal milk jugs, I use tap water to fill and add a ¼ tea spoon full of bait saver incase the top comes off. The solid jug will keep the Ice in your cooler frozen longer as well as decrease the temp of your tank water at a slower rate reducing the chance of shock to your bait.
I talked will Allen Silver yesterday and he mentioned they had gotten the oxygen systems in at Oakwood bait and he was installing one in his boat. He said the system was around $200 and cost about $8 to re fill the tank. I cant remember how long he said you can run off a tank but it was much longer than I get off the medical tanks I have been using for several years. If you can afford the investment it is the way to go. I get about 6 hours out of mine but I only turn it on when the bait starts to get a little sluggish. But be very careful with this, use extreme caution when you open your bait tank door, have your net in your hand ready to catch the ones that will try to jump out of the tank, It’s like bluebacks on steroids. It will make a big difference in your summertime catch rate.

When I add ice I add it to the sump side of the tank so the bait side doesn't change temp real fast. I also keeps the stress lower.

Thanks for the post about oxygen Capt. Larry. I do believe it's the trick myself. Not only with herring, but with ALL bait at ALL times of the year. Water temp is very important, but I believe that oxygen is absolutely just as important to have extremely lively bait.

Just so you know. With 2,000 lbs of pressure in the tank, with the tank ran on 1/32, I SHOULD get 100-120 hours of use. That number will drastically change if I decide I'm going to jack the regulator up, which I do believe I will to more like 3/16 or so - boys, she throws some sho nuff bubbles out then - millions of tiny ones.

I'll run it hard and post back the results.

Corey, You sure will have one of the best rigged boats on the water! The Ox will be a giant + in the bait situation. You guys who haven't seen Corey's boat, it wants for nothing, and is very well set up.

Would never work for me a 2000 psi tank is half the size of my boat> LOL

Be careful lighting your cigars around the bait tank!

I have heard it is not a good idea to open the lid with a cigarette either.

Just make sure you do it on the 4th. Puff away baby.

Oxygen is non flammable and I have no idea where you guys are coming from. Please explain how a cigar or a cigarette can cause an oxygen bottle to flame. I look forward to hearing this one.

Quit breathing that oxygen in.....you're going to explode!!!!!!

Thst's great info. Thanks

LOL

Corey, Maybe they got the idea from NCIS. I saw an episode where a doctor administered oxygen to a (dead) patient and then lit a cigarette as a fuse. The patient then blew up from the inside out. lol. I think 90% of the population thinks oxygen is explosive.

Thanks for the info. re: salt and defoamer. 40 pounds of salt will last me a really long time. Maybe TimberGhost should buy 40 pounds at a time and sell 5 pound bags. I'm now planning on getting some defoamer.

As for the bait tank lights, that would work great at night, but I have trouble seeing the bait in bright daylight... just too dark of a bottom. I don't like disturbing the bait and netting more than 1 at a time. I'm thinking of trying some white adhesive tape to line the bottom. The contrast between that and the BB should allow me to see them. If it doesn't work, I can just take it out (unlike paint).

All seriousness aside...
Opening the lid with a cigarette is bound to break the cigarette. I would use my fingers to open the lid. As for cigars, be careful around anything... those flame-thrower butane lighters can burn stuff that's 2 feet away. When in doubt, always say: "Hey guys, watch this." first, so your buddies can put the camera into movie mode. $10k from America's Funniest Home Videos would just about buy the fanciest bait tank you could dream of... I want one with a thermostat, so I can just dial-in 65 degrees. With today's lithium ion battery technology and liquid cooling, there's a fortune waiting to be made.

Charles, I buy the blue bag of water softner salt at Home Depot, 40lb=$4.00. You just have to start fishing more

Honestly, just when I think you've got it all Corey.. you go and add something new and improved. The great thing about it is.. Corey takes such good care of his stuff that when he's selling his "old stuff" it's in like new condition.

I think the $200.00 setup would be well worth the extended life and liveliness of the fish. A trophy stripe is worth a couple hundo's if you ask me.

Corey's right---Pure oxygen will not burn-- but it IS a potent accelerator: if you light a cigarette that's absorbed pure oxygen, it will burst into flame and the match itself will have a more intense flame. Likewise that expensive cubano with the nice controlled burn will go up in flames.
If you are bending over a bait tank and infusing your toupee with pure O2 and you stop to light a stogie, whether it's the oxygen itself or the expensive hair weave going up in flames won't much matter to you at that moment..... I'm just sayin'....

I knew this post would be fun.

Well if your pump causes any electrolysis...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g38jtynBRHE
That and don't fart then light a smoke next to the tank

Or if you go get some acetylene and a big punching balloon...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8oPa8WAR_g

I made my share of these as a kid

The funny thing about it is no one ever said oxygen is flammable. It takes TWO to TANGO!

Fellars, I've been around oxygen cylinders all my life, growing up in steel construction. I now own a steel business and we go thru thousands of them a year - the big ones, not the little bitty ones like I have on my boat. I know exactly what oxygen does when it is combined with the right fuel and I also know what it does when you put it on the boat to keep your bait lively. For those of you that feel uncomfortable carrying the oxygen cylinder on your boat, don't fret, the bait shops carry bubblers for you. For those of you that understand that oxygen is a good thing and not an evil gas, give it a try, I think you'll be pleased with the results - whether you have a tank that filters, recirculates, both, or whatever, it's a nice addition and a good piece of mind.

Skiffya, that's just the thing, there is no "two" on the boat. It's just oxygen disapating into the water thru a ceramic stone at 1/32 of a L. From the water surface up, it's just regular ole air.

Dan D and Marc Walrath, thanks for the big compliments on the boat and gear. Much appreciated guys! Dan, it doesn't seem to matter a lot of days.....you beat me anyways.

Post 7402 was meant to be humorous...

It was funny Anit77....I got a kick out of it anyway. We used to crack the acetylene valve open on a torch and let it run in a pipe for 15 or 20 seconds, then light the torch......if the pipe is 20 feet long or so, it'll make a big boom and scare the hell out of anybody else around. We've done a lot of that kind of horsing around.

It was all supposed to be in fun, anyway.

I must've worded something wrong. Sorry folks. I've had a great time with this thread and hopefully others have too.

Maybe we should just say that the salt and ice is the way to go to keep the bait lively and leave it at that. Forget the oxygen.

Good luck fishin'.

Those YouTube videos were pretty good! I happened to browse around a little more and found some News coverage on some idiot who had one of those balloons in his car, and the static electricity from it rolling around ignited it while he was driving!!! That guy had a BAD day..

This was a fun thread.. Sounds like you should start a Pyromania Section Clay

Next thread. Giant catfish seen big as volkswagen down at the dam.

I enjoyed it, learned something too.

Oh no.....not the chicken truck story again. If I have to hear about those divers just one more time.............

Me too!! Hey what about a floating oxygen bar down at cocktail cove.... never mind.

Sounds like those divers needed a bit more oxygen and a little less nitrogen--- or was it nitrous oxide they were breathing?

So-- just so I have it straight; the best set up is ice, salt, and.......tequila? Maybe a lemon or two? I'm heading to the shore today, so that's what my bait's gonna be breathing all next week!

have a good week on the freshwater pond; i hear the Atlantic's a good impoundment and plan to try to fish it out this week!

It's 5 o'clock some where. Enjoy!!!!!!

Woody
fourseasonsfishing.com

Hey Corey we got oxygen filled whold Chickens for big cat this year, $15 each at Oakwood Chicken & Bait.
p.s. Stripers like chicken.

OK I have broke down and am going to install the oxygen infused bubbler system this week. I was fishing with Bob Benson Friday and he was showing me his new system and it is for sure the way to go. The little bottle is very small and you can calibrate it to the inth degree.

The big suprise is just how tiny the bubbles are and they are defused by a poris ceramic flat stone, and millions of tiny bubbles attach thereself to the herring, thus allowing them to breath so much better. Well the proof is in the pudding as they say and the bait is jumping out of the tank.

Corey you made a good decision installing this system! I believe there will be many times with the bait as lively as it is, will probably allow you to catch 2 or 3 fish more in a day than with lathargic bait.
John at Oakwood bait shop is handling them and there is no doubt they are worth there weight in gold. I'm Sold if I have a better chance of catching striper because my bait is kickin then count me in!!!!!

I almost forgot when describing this system you conjure of thoughts of having a 5' tank in your boat like a cutting torch oxygen tank, no this tank is about the size of a tall Colt 45 can, or a small fire extiquisher. This little bottle will last 140 hours so it is easily strapped to the side of your bait tank, or anywhere you want and is no hassle at all.

Cool, may have to try this myself.

Think about it, you drop a bait down and after a few minutes in this heat you bring the bait up and it is just swimming slow and lathargic. When you drag something in front of a cat slowly you get his attention as he watches the object, but then eraticcaly snatch an object back and forth and it invokes a strike.

This is why when you drop a fresh bait over some fish you just marked they hit it imediatly, but after its been down for a while you just dont take the strikes as fierce. I was surprised after fishing all morning with my bait, Bob gave me his remaining few baits as he left, and I could tell which ones in my tank were his, they were still darting around like we just got them from the bait shop.

I believe at this time of year when we are fixing to be fishing in 90+ wheather and over the river channel in 100' fishing 45' to 90' deep on the drop, this is when this system will shine.

I can hardly wait for the deep summer pattern, if it ever comes. Thats when the healthier bait will be a must. I have noticed that its harder to catch the bait with the bait net. They are swimming too fast. I'm going to use a larger dip net.
Just think its like BB Herring on Speed.

Bob Benson

I have a kind of related question. Can anyone give me suggestions as to where to go to catch bait? Do I have to go at night and use light to attract and catch them during this time of year? Thanks for any help.

You ought to start a new thread on a topic change like that, you'll get a lot more folks reading it vs. a long older post like this.

I dunno. This post is so long and old that I'm not sure I can get free from it. I catch all my herring at Oakwood Bait and Tackle. No need for a light.

Not even to count the bait or the money out of your wallet? Your gooooood!

bump

Money? Well, that's just another object that you can't take with ya.