Keeping bait alive

[eyemaster]

I want to build a minnow storage system to put in the lake. I have a piece of land up north and go up on the weekends. I usually buy a dozen sucker minnows and crappie minnows or fatheads for the weekend. I never use them all and end up throwing them after the weekend because they won't keep in the minnow bucket during the week.

Does anyone have suggestions on what I should use or build that will keep them alive for the week. I prefer something I can keep in the lake and don't have to worry about it.

[Esox_Magnum]

what most do here is just tie their minnow buckets to the dock and leave them.

[Phred52]

eyemaster, I've seen where people have taken the tumbler from an old cloths dryer, put a ring of styrofoam on the inside (around where the door was) to keep it floating on the surface and built a door that'll fluster the racoons, and left that attached to their dock. Lots of room, no worry about turtles, heavy construction. and they lasted for many years. Just watch the hole size so the crappie minnows don't escape. Phred52

[eyemaster]

I have left the minnow bucket tied to the dock and it doesn't work.

I like the idea of the clothes dryer tumbler.

[timk]

if you use a minnow trap and leave it under the dock so it gets some shade add a little bait you might even get more. this has worked for me

[hhguide]

I have two 2 by 5 by 6 foot deep cages made out of rebar (spelling) and then real thin mesh, It works really well. Biggest thing about keeping minnows is make sure its in the deepest water and its in the shade. We keep minnows almost all summer long! good luck!

[andrew chadwick]

how deep is the water by your dock? Have you tried sinking it with a rock?

I use one of the plastic kitty litter square buckets with holes drilled in it, and made a way to tie it shut. put a rock or brick in it an sink it. We keep about 200 minnows alive every time we go to the BWCA using this method. The deeper the water you sink it in the better.

[FishonTom]

Find yourself an old chest freezer, one that is plastic with a plug to hold water. Put a pump in it to keep the water moving. Make sure that you turn the temp up so it doesn't freeze and it will keep minnows all year. Keep it in the garage in the winter,or the basement, but keep an eye on the power. If you have an outage, it can be a big stinky mess. You can find Freezers on line for $50.00. It will more than pay for itself in time.

[FishonTom]

I know it's not in the lake, but if you have power,it's the best.