Bait Care
Bait care is as important to your fishing success as getting the right tank. Three aspects of bait care are critical.
1) Water preparation
The key focus of water preparations is on water temperature, chemistry, and cleanliness.
The starting point is a clean tank. If in doubt, use a cleaner like dawn to remove slime, salts, chemicals, and debris from the tank. Thoroughly rinse the tank to assure that soap and all debris are removed. If your water supply has fluorides or chlorides you might need to fill the tank with water adding a chemical to eliminate those chemicals as a final rinse.
It is typically best to fill the tank for fishing with water from the source location of the bait to assure acceptable chemistry and temperature. If buying your bait from a bait shop, the shop can fill your tank. If you are catching your bait, get tank water from that location at a similar depth and temperature as the baked. Be careful not to vary far because oxygen levels and temperature can vary significantly. Make sure the temperature is within 10 degrees of what the baits were experiencing. Well water free of chemicals can also be a good source for your tank. In this situation you may need to run aeration prior to loading baits to assure proper oxygenation. Be sure the temperature is within the 10 degrees guideline before adding baits.
It is also a good idea to add salts and desired chemical preparations before loading baits. For most baits, 1 cup of non-iodized salt per 10 gallons of tank water will toughen the bait scales and slime coatings. Follow the directions for additional preparations like Shad Keeper.
2) Bait handling
Bait handling starts with initial netting of baits and continues throughout your day of fishing.
If you are catching your own baits, curing the baits is especially important for dirty baits like shad which lose lots of scales, slime, and poop after initial capture. Best practice is to place fresh caught baits in a separate bait bucket for a while before transferring them to your bait tank.
In any event, you should handle your new baits gingerly to maximize their health.
- Carefully move only three to 10 baits at a time into your tank.
- Do not touch your baits during the transfer or later.
- Do not drop baits from a distance into the tank.
Similarly, during your fishing trip, keep your hands out of the tank water. Remove the net from the tank. Use rubber gloves to handle baits if feasible.
3) Tank operation
Successful tank operation is all about monitoring and adjustment.
Keep an eye on your baits noting changes in their behaviors and appearance. If their noses are turning red, if they appear to be losing scales or slime, or if they appear listless, there is probably a temperature or chemistry problem (assuming the tank is not overloaded). Check ammonia and other chemicals with a test kit.
Monitor tank water temperatures throughout your fishing trip. Add freeze blocks, ice, or oxygen if the tank temperature exceeds the temperature of the bait source by 10 degrees.
Routinely verify proper recirculation flows. If using a filter, clean the filter when recirculation flows, spray bar flows, or venturi aerator flows diminish.
Routinely check bait to assure they are not on the surface sucking air. Also check aeration bubbles from bubbler or venturi aerator routinely. Correct power problems or air hose kinks if bubble volumes are a concern.
Remove injured, dying, or dead bats from the tank immediately after discovery to eliminate issues related to illness or decay.
If bait movement appears decidedly slower, tap on the tank and observe for signs of fatigue. If you have pump valves or speed controls, reduce recirculation flows to reduce fatigue after you double check for temperature or chemistry issues.
If you see a significant buildup of bubbles on the water surface, add a tablespoon or two of coffee mate or a commercial chemical for bubble control. A heavy layer of bubbles on the surface can impede release of ammonia.
If experiencing significant bait fatality, consider a partial tank water change out (no more than 1/3 of tank volume). Be sure to maintain temperatures, re-salt, and adjust chemistry as part of the process.