- Your bait tank size is suggested
to be a minimum of 25-30 gallons of water to support 1
scoop (approx. 10 lb.) of live bait. Don't overfill
your bait tank with bait. A smaller amount of live
bait is better than a lot of dead bait.
- Water flow in your bait tank
should be just fast enough to allow the bait to swim
in control against the flow. If the flow is too fast
the bait will swim itself to death. If the flow is too
slow the bait will be starved for oxygen. With a
little experimentation, you can get the flow adjusted
just right.
- When the water is rough slow down
to keep from beating the bait on the insides of your
bait tank.
- Start your bait tank at your slip
or at the launch ramp to flush out anything that may
have gotten into it while not in use and to make sure
it works.
- Don't put dropped bait (on deck or
receiver) into your bait tank. If it doesn't live it
can injure the other good bait when it swims
erratically. You can save it for chum (cut or whole).
- Use a bait dip net to retrieve
bait from your bait tank. Place the net ahead of the
bait you want to catch and allow it to swim into the
net. If you slash the dip net through the tank you may
injure other baits.
- Water temperature can also cause
problems with live bait. In the summer months as the
water warms up it carries less oxygen so reduce the
amount of bait you put into your bait tank or if it is
a short trip slightly increase the water flow. It will
live better.
- Aerators work just fine for a
small number of fish and a small volume of water, but
for live bait tanks (a lot of fish and a limited
volume of water) they can't put enough oxygen into the
water to keep bait alive. Circulating water works
best.
- For those fishermen who have bait
tanks that are dark inside or fishermen who go out at
night, a light inside of the bait tank will help to
settle down the bait and it will swim more organized
.
