| Obviously you can't live bait if you can't | | | | remember when you don't have any circulation |
| keep it alive, and this can often be quite a | | | | in your tank. The temperature problem also |
| task. Keeping your baits happy, healthy and | | | | relates to colour, try and use white tanks so |
| kicking can be approached in many ways, so I | | | | they don't attract more heat. |
| have put down a few key tips to remember; and | | | | |
| some good alternatives to fully plumbed live | | | | FRESH WATER |
| bait tanks. | | | | |
| | | | Without having the tank plumbed you will have |
| I will start with problems that affect even | | | | to use a bucket to constantly refresh the |
| perfectly plumbed tanks and go from there. | | | | water in the tank, its hard work but often |
| | | | worth it. You can also purchase small bait |
| COMMON PROBLEMS | | | | pumps that will help but I've found that you |
| | | | still need to use the bucket but just not as |
| If you have a fully plumbed, top of the line | | | | often. |
| bait tank, then you are well ahead of the | | | | |
| game but will still have fish dying. If the | | | | When you pour water into your tank don't try |
| tank becomes overcrowded fish will start to | | | | to be gentle, this is a mistake, it is best |
| die. | | | | to do it from a good height and create a lot |
| | | | of foam, this is oxygen mixing with the water |
| Remember the bigger the baits the less will | | | | and benefits your baits. |
| survive in your tank. Baits so big they can't | | | | |
| freely swim around the tank will have a high | | | | OXYGEN |
| mortality rate. Once fish have died make sure | | | | |
| to remove them from the tank as it will | | | | Another key point is the shape of the tank. |
| affect the remaining survivors. | | | | Ideally a high surface area is great which |
| | | | again is why most eskies work well and so do |
| When you are catching bait make sure to | | | | 'kill boxes'. |
| handle them as little as possible. If | | | | |
| possible catch bait with long shank hooks | | | | The higher the surface area the more oxygen |
| then hold the shank of the hook and shake the | | | | can dissolve into the water, this is also why |
| bait off and straight into the tank. That way | | | | little kiddy wading pools are perfect when |
| you never touch the fish. | | | | fishing from the shore. |
| | | | |
| ALTERNATIVE TANKS | | | | THE BASKET CASE |
| | | | |
| If you don't have an inbuilt tank, or room | | | | One last useful tip for boat fishos is to |
| for this, the next best thing is to use an | | | | have a laundry basket that is deep and narrow |
| esky. In a good sized tinnie I have even | | | | in shape. Put some weight in the bottom of |
| plumbed a good quality esky with great | | | | the basket and flotation around the top of |
| results, the next best thing to an esky is | | | | the basket. |
| the good old fashioned 'kill box' the ones | | | | |
| commercial fishos use for storing their | | | | When you are at anchor simply put this in the |
| catch. | | | | water and tie it of to the side of the boat. |
| | | | Transfer your livebaits from your tank into |
| Eskies work very well as bait tanks because | | | | the basket while fishing at anchor and they |
| one major problem for keeping fish alive is | | | | will stay healthier than in any livebait |
| change in water temperature. Not only are | | | | tank. Always have a small net for |
| fish very sensitive to temperature change but | | | | transferring the baits so as not to damage |
| when water warms up it loses its dissolved | | | | your baits. |
| oxygen killing the fish. | | | | |
| | | | Remember the better you handle your livebaits |
| A 50 litre tank of water in summer warms up | | | | the better baits they're going to be. |
| very quickly, this is very important to | | | | |