Keeping Live bait

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Trevor928
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Keeping Live bait

Post by Trevor928 »

I know this is an emotive subject but I am thinking of doing some live bait fishing this year where allowed. This may involve 2-3 days away, catching them at the start (hopefully 😀) and then keeping them for the duration. Lots of buckets and aerators available of course but what do I really need for keeping them for a few days at home and traveling? This is not going to be large scale.
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Dennis M
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Re: Keeping Live bait

Post by Dennis M »

perforated bucket on a string in the water worked for my longer livebait sessions :thumbs:
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Fish on....
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Re: Keeping Live bait

Post by Fish on.... »

Recently brought one of these and it’s been brilliant on the two occasions I’ve used it so far; rechargeable battery with solar panel built in that keeps it going nicely. I keep it on the windowsill so it’s charging all week between sessions. Highly recommend

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07F1NSNZN/ ... DDbA4VM6A1
Actually know as Danny..
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Mark Phillips
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Re: Keeping Live bait

Post by Mark Phillips »

Not an emotive subject on a pike fishing forum - I would hope ... best solution I have found are round plastic 100 gallon loft tanks - black in colour. Place them out of the sun and run an air line in from a decent air pump; then plastic pond netting over the top. Job done. I'd only keep the prisoners in the colder months though. Usually fill my tank late October (to allow the water to condition itself), then stock up at the end of November - roach and small chub are my preferred baits, but small carp are always nice, if can get them small enough... having lives mid winter is essential on many fen waters I fish, even more so when targeting zander. Always surprises me that so many pike anglers still don't use them (where they can of course) and yet wonder why the don't catch much on some waters...

Here go: https://www.tanks-direct.co.uk/water-ta ... tanks.html

Hope that all helps, tight lines, Mark P.
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Trevor928
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Re: Keeping Live bait

Post by Trevor928 »

Mark Phillips wrote: Sun Sep 15 2019 12:48 -
Not an emotive subject on a pike fishing forum - I would hope ... best solution I have found are round plastic 100 gallon loft tanks - black in colour. Place them out of the sun and run an air line in from a decent air pump; then plastic pond netting over the top. Job done. I'd only keep the prisoners in the colder months though. Usually fill my tank late October (to allow the water to condition itself), then stock up at the end of November - roach and small chub are my preferred baits, but small carp are always nice, if can get them small enough... having lives mid winter is essential on many fen waters I fish, even more so when targeting zander. Always surprises me that so many pike anglers still don't use them (where they can of course) and yet wonder why the don't catch much on some waters...

Here go: https://www.tanks-direct.co.uk/water-ta ... tanks.html

Hope that all helps, tight lines, Mark P.
Thanks Mark will wait for temp to drop :thumbs:
Trevor928
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Re: Keeping Live bait

Post by Trevor928 »

Fish on.... wrote: Sun Sep 08 2019 19:34 -
Recently brought one of these and it’s been brilliant on the two occasions I’ve used it so far; rechargeable battery with solar panel built in that keeps it going nicely. I keep it on the windowsill so it’s charging all week between sessions. Highly recommend

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07F1NSNZN/ ... DDbA4VM6A1
Now that's handy :thumbs:
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Mike J
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Re: Keeping Live bait

Post by Mike J »

Plus 1 for a loft tank, the bigger the better.
If you want shiney pets use a tank design that comes with a solid top or make your own.
Round is better for swimming and good health.
Have two pumps, use one, the other as reserve or when hard frosts are forecast.
'No Man Ever Fishes The Same River Twice, .... For It Is Not The Same River, .... And He Is Not The Same Man' Heraclitus of Ephesus
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kell
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Re: Keeping Live bait

Post by kell »

large black plastic dustbins with clip on lids cheap as chips
SamG
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Re: Keeping Live bait

Post by SamG »

Garden water butts with airline.
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Esoxuk
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Re: Keeping Live bait

Post by Esoxuk »

I use a loft tank around 4' diameter and fitted a pond filter which is constantly moving the water and avoids freezing, also with the inlet from the filter set high it does aerate as well. I have an old carp landing net mesh over the top held in place with an elastic bungee rope as roach tend to try and escape. They are happy in it, I've even had perch spawn in the spring.
Tanks can be found on skips outside house restorations, fly tipped or a plumber you may know.
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matt30
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Re: Keeping Live bait

Post by matt30 »

Need to knock one of these up I think.
stubbojo
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Re: Keeping Live bait

Post by stubbojo »

Trevor928 wrote: Sat Sep 07 2019 15:49 -
I know this is an emotive subject but I am thinking of doing some live bait fishing this year where allowed. This may involve 2-3 days away, catching them at the start (hopefully 😀) and then keeping them for the duration. Lots of buckets and aerators available of course but what do I really need for keeping them for a few days at home and traveling? This is not going to be large scale.
keep net , then back in at the end of the day , next day keep net , back in at the end of the day , next day keep net ,then back in at the end of the day .....works for me
that way they are all in tip top condition , the problem is you have to prove you have caught them from that water ,when you turn up with a bucket full of lives say the next day ......
i know a few lads that have been banned from club waters for bringing bait in...... club the rules state i think ,you catch then on the day and use, but not to be taken from the venue ....
for me its not worth the hassle trev ,i suppose it depends where you are in the country , but in my parts its a big no no taking baits out and bringing baits in to a venue
i use live baits when they are available you cant go wrong on them , but i catch on the day if i can ...... :thumbs: ........

regards steve :thumbs:
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Mark Phillips
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Re: Keeping Live bait

Post by Mark Phillips »

On the day - weighted bait tube - bailiff proof :suspect: :thumbs:
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Ratty46
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Re: Keeping Live bait

Post by Ratty46 »

Esoxuk wrote: Thu Oct 17 2019 12:43 -
I use a loft tank around 4' diameter and fitted a pond filter which is constantly moving the water and avoids freezing, also with the inlet from the filter set high it does aerate as well. I have an old carp landing net mesh over the top held in place with an elastic bungee rope as roach tend to try and escape. They are happy in it, I've even had perch spawn in the spring.
Tanks can be found on skips outside house restorations, fly tipped or a plumber you may know.
do you feed them at all?
d roberts
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Re: Keeping Live bait

Post by d roberts »

No need to feed them. As long as the water is cold they will stay in good condition without any food. Adding any food will cause water quality issues.
Alex Fox
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Re: Keeping Live bait

Post by Alex Fox »

Mark Phillips wrote: Fri Nov 26 2021 19:56 -
On the day - weighted bait tube - bailiff proof :suspect: :thumbs:

And 20lb line to tie it to a piece of bankside branch or something :thumbs:
stubbojo
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Re: Keeping Live bait

Post by stubbojo »

d roberts wrote: Sun Nov 28 2021 10:37 -
No need to feed them. As long as the water is cold they will stay in good condition without any food. Adding any food will cause water quality issues.
you get a last meal on death row .........tight t***s
stubbojo
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Re: Keeping Live bait

Post by stubbojo »

:laughs: :laughs: :laughs:
stubbojo wrote: Mon Nov 29 2021 17:41 -
d roberts wrote: Sun Nov 28 2021 10:37 -
No need to feed them. As long as the water is cold they will stay in good condition without any food. Adding any food will cause water quality issues.
you get a last meal on death row .........tight t***s :laughs: :laughs: :laughs:
Kev Berry

Re: Keeping Live bait

Post by Kev Berry »

I have a growing pet left from last october---a trout about 12oz that is now about a lb without being fed apart from the odd worm now and then.
in solitary because he killed all the other pets
taking him for a walk on my first trip this season----hopefully wont be bringing him back
cookiesdaughtersdad
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Re: Keeping Live bait

Post by cookiesdaughtersdad »

I have kept fish as pets and as volunteers for many years so have learnt a trick or two.
Probably the single most important thing is having cold water as this keeps activity down and oxygen up.
Because freshwater fish are constantly weeing so as to offset osmosis a regular water change should be done, not all of it just a quarter or so every month, when you get to do this stop any water movement the night before and syphon from the bottom of the tank so as to pick any "stuff" up.
Unless you have a filter do not feed, filtration is always preferable but suitable filters for large tanks can be expensive but worth it when you consider how important good bait is and the morality of keeping fish in a humane way!
If you do feed use goldfish flakes for all the cyprinid's and pinkies (not big maggot) for perch.
Agitate the water, moving the water is generally a good thing but keep the tank away form extreme cold as water circulation will prevent the water from forming layers and can cause all the water to drop below 4C and kill them, not always but can and has happened.
To circulate use one of these
at around two/three times the water volume per hour.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/310723609448 ... BMqLHM8MNf

Rotate the fish, try not to keep any particular fish more than a month or so.
When selecting fish, always try to assess overall condition, looking at the fins is a good sign of a fishes health, remove any you suspect not to be perfect.
I know some advocate adding aquarium salt to the water, this is generally done for pets and certainly will a positive step for volunteers.
Large circular tanks are better, the larger the better and using two even more so as you can use the fish from one, while stocking the other and so rotate them.

Cheers, Alan
"Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity" Seneca, some Roman chap.
stubbojo
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Re: Keeping Live bait

Post by stubbojo »

just be careful guys as club rules state no fish to be taken away from fishery , as somebody has just been banned i believe for bringing pets to a club water
its proving they have come from there , you only need a jobsworth and you could be facing a ban ......its a no no in my area.....
seems more of a problem since some of our club pike waters turned into carp waters , so people always watching whats going on ......maybe not a big deal on some wild waters and rivers and drains ..... :shrug: just watch your backs... :thumbs:
barnsy
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Re: Keeping Live bait

Post by barnsy »

Hi all, I feel a bit awkward saying this, like there must be some pit rule I've overlooked, so no hard feelings if this gets deleted as I am not here to rock any boats, but as it's the novice forum......... isn't everything everyone has said here, like......a crime?
Not judging, just genuinely interested, being wrong would be good news ha.
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