Herring in Bucket Question

[Bruce Litton]

Do they keep while using an aerator? I've never tried this. Also, has anyone caught one or more of the stocked salmon on shiners instead?

[OMC]

If you use a large bucket and a good aerator they will keep for a long time you just need to make sure it is a good aerator. The other night I purchased 2 dozen for the next morning and finished the next day at 11:30 with no dead ones.

[DanH]

It helps a LOT if your bucket is insulated .

I've heard it helps if the water is kept very cold by putting some ice cubes in it to slow the metabolism of the herring. Would guess same concept as making sure the bubbler system you're using is insulated. I know it works keeping other bait fish alive, have heard it helps with herring as well. Coool water, well oxygenated and a circular bucket or tank for them to swim. All contriubutes.

[AndyS]

Small frozen water bottles.

[Bruce Litton]

Thanks for the good suggestions. Will try, if Stanhope Bait & Boat is open.

[Eskimo]

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Originally Posted by dakota560

I've heard it helps if the water is kept very cold by putting some ice cubes in it to slow the metabolism of the herring.

The trouble with ice is if it's made from chlorinated tap water, it releases chlorine into the water as it melts. Chlorinated water speeds the death of herring and shiners.

There are various livewell products that can be added to the water to help keep your bait alive. I have used ammonia neutralizers made for starting new aquariums (Amquel) to reduce the amount of ammonia the fish produce in the bucket until I can get them to the lake where I transfer the bait to a flow-troll bucket.

To keep the water from heating up in the car, i just blast the air conditioner and drive as fast as I can to the lake.

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[phil]

Originally Posted by Eskimo

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The trouble with ice is if it's made from chlorinated tap water, it releases chlorine into the water as it melts. Chlorinated water speeds the death of herring and shiners.

There are various livewell products that can be added to the water to help keep your bait alive. I have used ammonia neutralizers made for starting new aquariums (Amquel) to reduce the amount of ammonia the fish produce in the bucket until I can get them to the lake where I transfer the bait to a flow-troll bucket.

To keep the water from heating up in the car, i just blast the air conditioner and drive as fast as I can to the lake.

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do they survive in the flow troll? i was staying @ byram cove last week and took a trip to dows to pickup shiners, left the cooler with aerator back at the house, like an idiot and brought the flowtroll. my 6 year old was freaking out about how he wanted to get herring but i didnt think theyd survive the trip back. i think lori felt bad for me so she tossed a couple herring in with a dozen shiners for the kid. those stupid ******* fish were dead in the 12 minutes it took to drive to our rental.

[Skunk City]

Originally Posted by Bruce Litton

Do they keep while using an aerator? I've never tried this. Also, has anyone caught one or more of the stocked salmon on shiners instead?

I've had Salmon on shiners through the ice, never tried using them open water for them.

[briansnat]

I was having a hard time keeping herring alive. I was using an aerator and a small cooler. Then a bait shop employee suggested that I get a round, insulated bucket. He said with a square cooler, the herring often all swim into one corner and end up suffocating each other, even though you have an aerator going.

I switched to a round, insulated bucket and haven't had an issue with dead herring since.