Bonding with Bait?

[Ahnkochee]

A few weeks back I set up a large old ice chest with a aerator and aquarium filter and made into a bait holding tank so I would always have a stockpile of live bait. Using my minnow trap I caught several Medaka and small Tilapia which I stocked this tank with. I have been feeding and caring for these bait fish daily waiting for the moment that I have time to use them, but one problem... I have bonded with my bait. Every morning and afternoon they eagerly await my arrival to feed them, and when I reach in to change their filter they swarm around my arm gently nibbling on it. Now I'm having a hard time thinking about putting a hook thru them and throwing them to the Tucs. What's a guy to do?
Anyone here ever bond with their bait?

[FishinFrenzy]

Give them to me...I have no problem sticking a hook into em and catchin a big one!!! That will solve your issues.

[OO7:BASSINASSASSIN]

I have to admit that happened to me a lot. We used to catch dojos for bait when we fished for smallmouth bass. We used to bring the leftovers home for next time. They never made it back to the creek. They sort of grow on you. They are interesting to watch and make good pets. I think some people get attached to their oama but I never did keep them for long periods of time.

[Stan Wright]

Oh brother.......

Well, I can't say you don't get attached to your live bait..... every time Chris opens the bait tank lid he cheerfully asks: " OK, who wants to go swimming? "

[Ca_Bass]

Has anyone tried to breed their own bait? I've been thinking about that for a while, and now I have a about a 50 gallon pond. Right now I have some Kenyi Chiclids in there and some gold fish. But I would like to raise some tilapia. Anyone have any tips to get fish to breed?

[Lrry93]

I will bond with your bait at the end of my line hooking up if you want!

CA Bass you would need multiple ponds to supply enough bait. It would be large scale, take awhile, and cost.

[Ahnkochee]

50 gallons is less than a drum can and figuring in feed, and time, and filtering media, etc. etc. I don't think it's worth the trouble. I use a cooler strictly as a holding tank for bait caught. Get yourself a minnow trap like this one from Cabela's:


Drop it into any of the numerous fresh or brackish water canals, streams, or ponds with catfood as bait and you should have at least a days worth of live bait in half an hour. Use you pond as a holding area. These traps work great, mine is 20 years old and still going.

[Stan Wright]

I buy traps like that from Nanko's in Kaneohe.

[Ca_Bass]

I always hear about all the ponds and streams but I have no clue where they are at.

[Stan Wright]

I do almost all of my trapping for bait in Kailua. Go down the Pali Hwy and turn right after you cross the bridge by Windward Boats.

Go several hundred yards till you get to the buildings on the right. (bar, resturant, Nash Sailboards. ) Fish under the tree by the trash dumpster.


Stan

[Ahnkochee]

I do almost all of my trapping for bait in Kailua. Go down the Pali Hwy and turn right after you cross the bridge by Windward Boats.

Go several hundred yards till you get to the buildings on the right. (bar, resturant, Nash Sailboards. ) Fish under the tree by the trash dumpster.


Stan

Have breakfast at TIME'S Coffee Shop while you're there, but watchout for "Mangoman" or you'll catch ukus from him, he lives under that tree.

[Ahnkochee]

Oh yes, I DID use my baits yesterday slow trolling for 'Awa'awa in Ka'elepulu Pond, and whatever was leftover I let go, catch um again next time.

[Stan Wright]

Don't get to close to "Mangoman".....???? ..... no one with any sense of smell would want to get down wind of him.

[OO7:BASSINASSASSIN]

Got any smallmouth bass in that stream?

[Stan Wright]

I've seen tilapia, mosquito fish, red devils, and samoan crabs...... but I don't think I would anything out of there.