This can be a problem, however, if you plan on going fishing in the early morning, as many bait shops are not open early enough to accommodate buying minnows on the day you want to go fishing. [1] X Research source A bait fish that is kept in poor conditions, such as being overcrowded, can die in less than 24 hours. In order to have your fish last longer, you need to care for them properly. The lifespan of a minnow varies greatly depending on the type of minnow and the conditions it is living in. Fathead minnows and bluntnose minnows, for example, can live several years in a natural environment, such as a pond. [2] X Research source [3] X Research source There are some minnows that can live as long as seven to ten years. [4] X Research source When using minnows for fishing, however, the conditions are less than ideal. This means they are likely to die much, much quicker.
Foam coolers should be available at most grocery stores. Containers made specifically to keep minnow in are usually available at sporting goods stores or specialty fishing stores. Specialty containers can come with a variety of special features, such as the ability to float the container in a body of water and aerator attachments.
The chemicals in tap water can kill your minnows, so don’t use it to keep the minnows in. The container you are using should maintain a constant temperature, helping keep your minnows alive longer.
Keep the bag shut and place it into the cooler of water for about 15 minutes.
For example, only put about six dozen small minnows (3/4’ to 1" long) in an eight-quart container.
Those that sell minnows commercially usually use an aeration system that oxygenates their water in one of two ways: agitation or compressed oxygen. [10] X Research source An aerator can help to increase the lifespan of your minnow. This is due to the fact that other ways of aerating the water, such as adding additional water or adding hydrogen peroxide, can stress the fish immensely. With an aerator, the minnows get to simply stay in the water that you have already acclimated them to.
You can also add more distilled water as necessary to refresh the minnows’ water. Adding hydrogen peroxide to water is a controversial idea. Some people believe that it helps to oxygenate the water and won’t hurt fish but others argue that it could kill fish easily. [12] X Research source If you are unsure or apprehensive about adding it to your minnow’s water, find an alternative, such as an aerator or changing the water frequently.
Although minnows can survive in warm water, the rate of death increases dramatically once holding water is above 60 °F (15. 6 °C). [13] X Research source Try to keep your water below this temperature. Don’t add ice directly to the water the minnows are in. The ice may contain small amounts of chemicals or chlorine that will kill the fish.
Placing your bait bucket into the lake or creek, so that the water is replaced, oxygenates the water, which also helps keep the minnows alive.
Through the mouth: Push the hook through the fishes’ bottom lip up through the nostrils. Through the back: Hooking a minnow through the back allows the minnow to be in a more natural position in the water. This may be more effective for catching fish.
The rate at which minnows die varied dramatically depending on their health when you put them on the hook and the conditions in the water. Just be aware when you are recasting whether the minnow seems to be alive still or not.
