Keeping Live Bait Alive?

[roadwarriorsvt]

The last time I caught live bait I used the bread in the minnow trap, as usual. I filled up my bucket with tap water from Waipahu (which I usually fill it with water from Wahiawa). I only caught about 30 fish. Almost half died after being in the bucket, with the airator on, in about 1.5 hours. I noticed many of the fish had big bellies. I've heard the fish can over eat on the bread and it expand in their bellies and kill them. I don't think the chlorine in the fresh water would kill them so fast. I dunno. Any suggestions? The surviving fish are doing fine for the past week.

[Stan Wright]

When I catch talapia in Kailua I bring them home and put them in the big plastic tub filled with water right out of the hose.

I always get some that die. I have to change the water after an hour or so because it turns black. Then I change the water twice a day. Still, a few die off every day.

With the feeder fish (goldfish) from the pet store, try to keep the water as cold as possable. They are coldwater fish so you can add ice to keep the temperature down in your bucket.

[Pegasus]

Keeping your bait alive is an art. First, most of the fish I catch in a trap are midoka or mosquito fish. These are the frailest fish ever. They will die in the trap if you leave it in the water too long before you pull it out. Cant keep them alive. They are also suicide bombers and jump out of an uncovered bucket the first chance they get to their deaths !Now the tilapia are much hardier fish. Like Stan said, you have to change the water at first quite often because they blacken it quick. After a few changes, I let them go with the bins covered with the bigger aerators you get at walmarts for a 60 gal. tank going. They can last for weeks if you stop and pick out the dead ones every day. The bigger ones seem to die first. I feed them cherios because they need to keep their cholesterol levels low. And as a bonus, they whiten up after being in the covered tank and albino tilapias make the best baits. The smell of dead fish is something my wife has almost gotten used to. Best of luck !

[wahiawabasshunter]

First midonka bait fish are the worst..they are too small to swim on their own and often die while in the water..with 30+ midonka in a bucket they all pee and poop in the water making the water a big sespool which in turn kills them..use tilaipa and they will live much longer..probally best to catch and only keep for one night and use the next day..make sure that you change the water often and keep the fish inside where it is room temp..if you catch tilapia in a stream near sand island then bring to wahiawa and keep outside they will die overnight because of the cold..i had to learn that the hard way..so I kept them in the house and had a way better result..

[ynototony]

I know this is an old thread but I was wondering where you guys got the minnow traps? I went to sports authority in honolulu but they were out. I also checked walmart but they had nothing. I used live Tilapia for the first time last week after I threw every lure I had in my tacklebox without landing one bass. A guy I met let me use some of his live bait and a few minutes later "wack" .... I am a believer now !!!

[Stan Wright]

I got mine at Nanko's in Kaneohe.


Come over to the Dark Side, Luke.
Use the live bait!

[roadwarriorsvt]

See the new thread "Tommy's Bait Shop" for your live bait needs!

[Ahnkochee]

I got both mine at Cabelas.com, cheap, and fast shipping.
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templ ... ISO-8859-1

[roadwarriorsvt]

That looks to be the same one that Sports Authority sells, when they have them in stock.

If you have a choice between the black one and the galvanized one, I've used both and always get more in the galvanized trap.

[ynototony]

Okay I got a black one they didnt have any others. One thing I noticed is that the hole is pretty small.. Can the Tilapia around 3 to 5 inches smim in there?? I was thinking I could customize it but I didnt want to mess it up without getting some advice from the "PRO's""

[Stan Wright]

I enlarged the holes in one of mine to catch the "larger" ones.
I try to place the trap in shallow water where the holes are just under the surface of the water. I seem to catch more than if the trap is completely submerged... The bread floats to the top of the trap so by having it 1/2 submerge the bread floats closer to the hole. ?????

[roadwarriorsvt]

I've seen guys open up just one end. You are right, the hole is fairly small if you are going for the larger bait fish. Now lets wait for one of those "pros" to chime in!