Keeping minnows

[Bull Herbie]

What does everybody use for water in their minnows, between weekends The water in my town sucks, lots of white crustees and chemicals. Ive tried using lake water, but its usually murky. Ive used melted snow, but thats a pain in the arse and not very clear lots of dirt and such.

 

[Bfishn]

I use a 3.5 gallon bucket for minnows and just refill with lake water every weekend or whenever i get out. I keep it in my heated garage at about 45 degrees and its amazing how long minnows will keep. I pick out the occasional dead one, and have never had an issue keeping minnows for several weeks, in fact I don't ever dump my minnows in the winter, I just always have a bucket going.

 

[NDSportsman]

I use Surelife Better Bait and tap water. Plus I keep them in the garage right at freezing temps.

Seems to keep minnows alive and frisky longer.

 

[KDM]

Lake water with an aquarium bubbler. Remove the dead minnows every day. No problems with that system so far.

 

[risingsun]

I have no issues using city water. I fill a couple buckets in advance, and always make sure they sit for at least a week. I believe the chlorine supposedly evaporates? I have zero issues when I do this. I also make sure they stay as cool as possible. I give them a little snow everyday. I generally change my water out every 5 to 7 days depending on how it looks. And always take out the dead ones every day. The current batch I have now are 4 or 5 weeks old.

 

[Jigaman]

I have no issues using city water. I fill a couple buckets in advance, and always make sure they sit for at least a week. I believe the chlorine supposedly evaporates? I have zero issues when I do this. I also make sure they stay as cool as possible. I give them a little snow everyday. I generally change my water out every 5 to 7 days depending on how it looks. And always take out the dead ones every day. The current batch I have now are 4 or 5 weeks old.

I do the same with a 2.5 gallon bucket I keep in the fridge. Ive had the same minnows in there since thanksgiving weekend and they are doing great. Change water once a week with water that has been sitting for a few days.

 

[shorthairsrus]

i would just take the kids chlorine/chlormain free and use city water. This week -- throw em -- its going to be -10 for high - f hardwater fishing this week its to cold -- go to bar and brag

 

[Lycanthrope]

Everyone should have a RO filter, hard to live without one once you get used to it...

 

[JayKay]

Most tap-water is okay for minnow (and freshwater aquarium fish) after about 48 hours. The chlorine and chloramines do disipate. If you have water sitting around for longer than that, all the better.

If you have to use tap water, you can get De-Chlor for next-to-nothing at pretty much any pet store. Something like one drop per gallon, or whatever.

If the water in the bucket gets cloudy, remove part and replace.

The solution to pollution is dilution.

 

[dsharp83]

I use this , its meant for fish tanks , makes tap water safe for fish , change out the water when it turns and gets cloudy, removed dead minnows
and an air bubbler make the minnows last a long time

 

[Bull Herbie]

Thanks everybody I think I have a plan now

 

[zoops]

I've had a scoop of minnows in just a gallon-ice cream bucket since mid-december in a fridge at home. Only 2 or 3 floaters since. Yes, I realize it's bad they haven't been used yet Have changed the water 2 or 3 times and taken them fishing a couple times. Pretty incredible how long they'll keep in the winter. Once you get into May or later seems to be a different story.