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Post by tristan on Dec 9, 2016 21:11:54 GMT -5
I have a question about the practicality of keeping a batch of pinfish alive for an offshore trip.
Those of you that have caught your own bait - how do you keep it alive long enough to make it to the bait tanks on the party boat?
Would a 10-15 gallon reservoir with aeration work overnight?
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Post by Mackerelman on Dec 9, 2016 21:51:40 GMT -5
I have a question about the practicality of keeping a batch of pinfish alive for an offshore trip. Those of you that have caught your own bait - how do you keep it alive long enough to make it to the bait tanks on the party boat? Would a 10-15 gallon reservoir with aeration work overnight? That might keep them alive but You might need an extra aerator. I always take several Gallon Jugs of Extra Saltwater with Me to replenish the Water if the water begins to look dirty or the water begins to get a lot of suds. You might also throw a few pieces of squid in the water now and then to keep the Pins Eating. All Fish Needs Food.  |
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Post by eaglesfanguy on Dec 9, 2016 22:08:49 GMT -5
I have a question about the practicality of keeping a batch of pinfish alive for an offshore trip. Those of you that have caught your own bait - how do you keep it alive long enough to make it to the bait tanks on the party boat? Would a 10-15 gallon reservoir with aeration work overnight? That might keep them alive but You might need an extra aerator. I always take several Gallon Jugs of Extra Saltwater with Me to replenish the Water if the water begins to look dirty or the water begins to get a lot of suds. You might also throw a few pieces of squid in the water now and then to keep the Pins Eating. All Fish Needs Food. Depending on how many you are trying to keep alive. A 5 gallon bucket will work for a few hours but a 30 gal drum or larger is best. Lots of aeration, and water replacement. you could safely do 2 dozen pins in a 5 gallon bucket with and airator and water change every few hours. Fish do pee alot, that is where the suds build up comes from. I would not recommend Putting any bait in there, dead bait rots relly fast in warm salt water adding to the ammonia buildup. Starve em if it is just a 24 hr trip. |
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Post by tristan on Dec 10, 2016 0:06:42 GMT -5
Sounds like a requirement for a Truck, a 55 gallon barrel 2/3rds full, 12v battery and aerator, and maybe some stay-alive chemical treatment?
Or, maybe the price to reserve bait fish isn't so bad. :/
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Post by aussieguy on Dec 10, 2016 7:27:24 GMT -5
Overnight will be hard to keep them alive
you can purchase pinfish on the way to the party boat
what party boat are you planning?
if Tarpon Springs stop at the Sutherland bayou Bait shop they have largish pins OR grunts for 8.00 a dozen
......... GET GRUNTS if you can .......
there are other bait shops near Cleawater that may have them
10 gallons is about the most you can easily transport and you can keep the bait close to you, not using the shared well.
I got a square 64 quart cooler and kept 2 dozen fish you can buy a cooler at walmart with or without wheels
drilled some holes near the top each hole was sealed with silicone sealer
you can buy all material at ace hardware tubing by the foot , small tube of clear silicone
silicone needs about 24 hours curing and rinse before fish is put in
if you want you can use 2 bubblers just drill extra holes
a) one near the top for the bubbler's air hose
b) 2 holes close about an inch apart (horizontal) threaded a zip tie into them so the HOOK on the bubbler can catch on there
optional c)
about 4 inches down from the top drill a hole for a drain
inserted a piece of tubing hanging about 2 foot long outside the cooler.
the other end of the tubing I hung overboard so the drain won't make the deck wet/slippery
this drain takes a few minutes depending on tube size to empty just a portion of the water
I replace this water from the water supply on the boat
if I don't want it to drain.... thread the hose through the zip tie that holds the bubbler until the end of the hose is above the cooler
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Post by thundergills on Dec 11, 2016 19:41:20 GMT -5
For what it is worth, for having fish in fish tanks, you can only keep enough fish that you can cover surface area of the container. So a 5 gallon bucket can hold 4-6 pinfish with out an aerator, the more you cram in there, the more air you need. 2 or 3 aerators for 20 pins would probably be best, based on when we were stuffing those buckets.
Thundergills
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Post by Mackerelman on Dec 11, 2016 20:38:12 GMT -5
For what it is worth, for having fish in fish tanks, you can only keep enough fish that you can cover surface area of the container. So a 5 gallon bucket can hold 4-6 pinfish with out an aerator, the more you cram in there, the more air you need. 2 or 3 aerators for 20 pins would probably be best, based on when we were stuffing those buckets. Thundergills Using 2 Aerators is what I used when I went on the Last 2 Georges Deep Sea Fishing Trip with 30 Pinfish in a 5 Gallon Bucket and they were all fine. I also replenished the water several times while on the trip. |
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Post by tristan on Dec 11, 2016 21:16:53 GMT -5
Aussieguy: Haven't decided on which party boat yet. Haven't explored all the options yet. Just want to go...
I think Hubbard's allows trolling on the way out and back, and I'm interested in that.
Thundergills: Sounds about like planning an aquarium, but on a fishing trip there are more considerations such as temperature, etc.
Mackeralman: did you bring 2 buckets on the trip, one for dipping fresh water over the side, or did they have a source of seawater on board?
When on one of these party boats like Hubbards, they specify there are 'communal' live wells for bait. If I purchase say 2 dozen pins from them for the trip, how do I know I'll get to use them? Do they have some accounting system, or is it the Honor system?
If I bring bait on board these boats, do I need to keep it in my own bucket, or can it go in the boat's livewells?
Hope these aren't dumb questions... 5 Decades here in Florida, never been on a Party boat!
- Tristan
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Post by montylfl on Dec 11, 2016 21:50:54 GMT -5
Tristin. If you never been on a party boot before in Florida you may be over complicating things. If me, here is what I would bring
1) 6 large shrimp for each hour of the trip. (Rock shrimp work well too)
2) 1/2 dozen pinfish in the community live well
3) if you run out of the above use the boat supplied bait.
Keep the shrimp in an insulted 5 gallon bucket with a good aerator. Drop a frozen 20 oz water of water in every six hours. You can get the shrimp the night before. Once on the boat no need to keep adding frozen water bottles. I did this on the oct 10 trip and 5 dozen stayed alive all day.
The pinfish you will have to get in the am. Dunedin bait and tackle open s 5am. Ten minute drive tontarpon that time of the day. ( Hubbard will sell them to you at the boat). Trying to save a buck or two by catching your own is a lot of work. Also a lot of work keeping alive.
The boat supplied bait will get you some filets to take home.
Just my thoughts. Fishing should be relaxing and if I have to get up at 2am, catch bait, try to keep it alive and make it to a boat by 6 then it is not relaxing or fun. (But each his own)
Also, taking this approach will allow you to see others setup. What is working what is not and what you think you can do
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Post by shadowxmas on Dec 11, 2016 23:22:48 GMT -5
Tristan I used to work at Hubbard's marina and on the old Florida Fisherman everyone that wanted to rent a live well for their own use could and either bring their own bait or purchase live bait from the bait shop. I am not sure about that now. Check out their website hubbardsmarina.com/ There is a lot of information on their website about their various fishing trips. |
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Post by skywaypa on Dec 12, 2016 9:21:34 GMT -5
I also replenished the water several times while on the trip. Two important things with keeping your bait alive. Aeration is one, and pollution is the other. The main pollution from ANY critter you'd ever put in a bucket is ammonia. The only reasonable way to address this in mobile baitwells (bucket to fancy roto-molded deal) is changing water. Can't be stressed enough. More fish = more ammonia = deader faster. MM is right on the money here. There are a lot of nifty cooler conversions where you add a cheap bilge pump and make your own baitwell cheap. If you were going to be a regular on these boats and live bait was one of your goals I'd either build or buy a well. (and I went with buy one... I have a couple of these: www.baitjacuzzi.com/products.html) |
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Post by aussieguy on Dec 12, 2016 9:44:26 GMT -5
changing partial water was much easier by adding a drain hose to the portable bucket ,cooler or portable well
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