06-17-2011, 06:15 PM
One of the biggest questions I see, or issues i've noticed with novice anglers, is keeping fragile live bait kicking in a baitwell. Some species of baitfish, like pinfish or mudminnows, are relatively thick skinned, and it doesn't take much to keep them alive on the long ride out to the spot, or during a long day of fishing in or near shore. But if you're netting Menhaden, mullet, or other types of less tough natured baitfish, there are some things you can do in order to keep them upright, and you catching fish.
1. The Live/Bait Well: Which ever you wish to call it, (I call it a livewell, but there are some that will debate a baitwell is where the bait goes, and a livewell is where the catch goes) there are two key characteristics a livewell needs in order to keep baitfish alive for long periods of time. One of those things is being round or oval in shape. The blunt corners of a squared off livewell will eventually wear on the nose of the fish, and they will weaken and shortly afterwards begin to die off. In a rounded livewell, the fish can ride the smooth edges around the well, prolonging the life span of the bait. The next thing the live well needs is to be equiped with a raw water pump. Simply hooking up an aereator isn't going to be good enough for certain species of fish, especially something like menhaden. It won't take long before the water is foamed and slimed, and the fish will begin to die off rapidly. Most bait fish require a constant feed of fresh raw water, circulating out the old water frequently, if not constantly. Less important, a blue or white interior has been known to relieve some of the stress from the baitfish.
2. Live/Bait well Compacity: As equally important as the livewell's specifications, is how you load it up. If you overload the livewell with large baits, they will consume the oxygen faster than the livewell pump can replace it. In addition, they will be crowded, and it will hinder thier ability to breath and swim, resulting in the baitfish drowning. A good rule of thumb is one large baitfish per gallon of water the livewell holds. I would consider a large baitfish to be bigger than your hand. You can increase that figure to 2 or 3 per gallon, for smaller sized baitfish. All livewells are not created equal, and may be capable of yielding positive results with much higher numbers of baitfish per gallon. So, there may be a little trial and error here.
3. Good Practices: Now that you have your baitwell full to capacity, you're ready to go fishing. But, there are some things to consider while you're on the water, that might keep your bait alive.
[ul][li]Don't mix the more finiky species of baits with larger, more hardy species of baits. The big ones or stronger ones will more than likely kill the more fragile baits. For example, if you have a 20 gallon livewell, and drop 12 menhaden and 12 pinfish in there together, most of the menhaden will probably be dead after a 10 mile run. [/li][li]Try to stay away from rub-on sun blocks. The spray works just as good, and it will not taint your hands with oils and things that may not agree with your livewell, since you don't have to rub it on. (i've watched an entire baitwell of fish die because of an unknowing angler and some good old coppertone)[/li][li]Use a net to get the bait out of the well, not your hand. You'd be surprised what you get on your hands during a day of fishing, some things of which will kill your bait deader than a door nail. Bait nets will not only keep those harmful things out of the baitwell, but they make it easier to catch the bait and get your line back in the water faster. [/li][li]NEVER put jellyballs (cannon ball jellyfish) in the well with your fish. Put them in a bucket with a little water. They will kill your bait. We often collect jellyballs on the way out, in case we run accross a school of spadefish while on the reef. But the livewell is not the place for them. [/li][/ul]Hopefully, these simple pointers will keep you on the water longer, catching more fish, with friskey and lively bait. Having healthy live bait can mean the difference between catching fish, or watching the boat beside you catch the fish. [cool] I'm a firm believer in live bait, and it's ability to temp a bite from even the most selective of target species. There are days when a long leader and a properly rigged live bait are all that will get it done.
[signature]
1. The Live/Bait Well: Which ever you wish to call it, (I call it a livewell, but there are some that will debate a baitwell is where the bait goes, and a livewell is where the catch goes) there are two key characteristics a livewell needs in order to keep baitfish alive for long periods of time. One of those things is being round or oval in shape. The blunt corners of a squared off livewell will eventually wear on the nose of the fish, and they will weaken and shortly afterwards begin to die off. In a rounded livewell, the fish can ride the smooth edges around the well, prolonging the life span of the bait. The next thing the live well needs is to be equiped with a raw water pump. Simply hooking up an aereator isn't going to be good enough for certain species of fish, especially something like menhaden. It won't take long before the water is foamed and slimed, and the fish will begin to die off rapidly. Most bait fish require a constant feed of fresh raw water, circulating out the old water frequently, if not constantly. Less important, a blue or white interior has been known to relieve some of the stress from the baitfish.
2. Live/Bait well Compacity: As equally important as the livewell's specifications, is how you load it up. If you overload the livewell with large baits, they will consume the oxygen faster than the livewell pump can replace it. In addition, they will be crowded, and it will hinder thier ability to breath and swim, resulting in the baitfish drowning. A good rule of thumb is one large baitfish per gallon of water the livewell holds. I would consider a large baitfish to be bigger than your hand. You can increase that figure to 2 or 3 per gallon, for smaller sized baitfish. All livewells are not created equal, and may be capable of yielding positive results with much higher numbers of baitfish per gallon. So, there may be a little trial and error here.
3. Good Practices: Now that you have your baitwell full to capacity, you're ready to go fishing. But, there are some things to consider while you're on the water, that might keep your bait alive.
[ul][li]Don't mix the more finiky species of baits with larger, more hardy species of baits. The big ones or stronger ones will more than likely kill the more fragile baits. For example, if you have a 20 gallon livewell, and drop 12 menhaden and 12 pinfish in there together, most of the menhaden will probably be dead after a 10 mile run. [/li][li]Try to stay away from rub-on sun blocks. The spray works just as good, and it will not taint your hands with oils and things that may not agree with your livewell, since you don't have to rub it on. (i've watched an entire baitwell of fish die because of an unknowing angler and some good old coppertone)[/li][li]Use a net to get the bait out of the well, not your hand. You'd be surprised what you get on your hands during a day of fishing, some things of which will kill your bait deader than a door nail. Bait nets will not only keep those harmful things out of the baitwell, but they make it easier to catch the bait and get your line back in the water faster. [/li][li]NEVER put jellyballs (cannon ball jellyfish) in the well with your fish. Put them in a bucket with a little water. They will kill your bait. We often collect jellyballs on the way out, in case we run accross a school of spadefish while on the reef. But the livewell is not the place for them. [/li][/ul]Hopefully, these simple pointers will keep you on the water longer, catching more fish, with friskey and lively bait. Having healthy live bait can mean the difference between catching fish, or watching the boat beside you catch the fish. [cool] I'm a firm believer in live bait, and it's ability to temp a bite from even the most selective of target species. There are days when a long leader and a properly rigged live bait are all that will get it done.
[signature]