Tanks - Chubs Fallfish etc

[The Birdman]

Originally Posted by UglyStick

This is a little off topic but good for people to know since some rules just changed:

Trout May No Longer Be Used as Bait Within the Pequest River Drainage

Trout may no longer be used as bait within the Pequest River Drainage including Furnace and Mountain lakes. Small trout are purchased as bait by some anglers targeting larger trophy-sized species such as muskellunge. A common practice for some anglers is to keep unused bait trout obtained from outside the Pequest River drainage area in submerged cages between fishing trips or to release them directly into the lakes. This practice can result in a transfer of disease from a private fish culture facility into waters within the Pequest drainage where the state trout hatchery is located. Birds of prey feeding between these waters and the hatchery's nearby raceways can transfer these pathogens into the facility.

good to know, I haven't used trout as bait before but I see a LOT of ppl using them in those waters. Usually from musky hatchery or PA hatchery. this is good news for the fish too. Is this new rule posted somewhere in a link?
savage gear trout it is !

[The Birdman]

nvm, page 8 / 48 on PDF 2016 freshwater guide

[Skunk City]

Biggest thing with keeping baitfish alive, as previously mentioned, is maintaining good water quality and sufficient oxygen. Filter and aerator are a must. Over the first 2-4 weeks of running the filter, good bacteria will build up in the filter pads. That bacteria breaks down the ammonia (toxic) released from the fish, making it less harmful to them. Even if you go through a period with no bait in the tank, leave the filter running to keep this good bacteria alive. When you do get more bait, the ammonia levels will not spike and your bait will stay alive. Also, there should be no need to clean the filter any more than every 3 months or so. When you do clean the filter pads, simply rinse them with water from the tanks, not tap water.
I've kept fish, both tropical and bait, for may years, as well as operate a side business doing aquarium maintenance for business/personal, so if you have any questions or need more tips on doing it right, throw me a private message!

[Chrisper4694]

Originally Posted by Skunk City

Biggest thing with keeping baitfish alive, as previously mentioned, is maintaining good water quality and sufficient oxygen. Filter and aerator are a must. Over the first 2-4 weeks of running the filter, good bacteria will build up in the filter pads. That bacteria breaks down the ammonia (toxic) released from the fish, making it less harmful to them. Even if you go through a period with no bait in the tank, leave the filter running to keep this good bacteria alive. When you do get more bait, the ammonia levels will not spike and your bait will stay alive. Also, there should be no need to clean the filter any more than every 3 months or so. When you do clean the filter pads, simply rinse them with water from the tanks, not tap water.
I've kept fish, both tropical and bait, for may years, as well as operate a side business doing aquarium maintenance for business/personal, so if you have any questions or need more tips on doing it right, throw me a private message!

whoops, so i shouldn't keep rinsing the filter? all i have is tap water and that's what they live in and that's what i rinse it in. didn't seem to cause an issue, but when i don't rinse the filter the water seems to get dingy much quicker....should i just leave it?

[Delawareriver]

Originally Posted by Chrisper4694

whoops, so i shouldn't keep rinsing the filter? all i have is tap water and that's what they live in and that's what i rinse it in. didn't seem to cause an issue, but when i don't rinse the filter the water seems to get dingy much quicker....should i just leave it?

Keep a small bucket of water in the garage. When the water starts getting bad rinse it in the bucket. Majority of the chemicals found in tap water like chlorine will disipate over a day or two.

[Chrisper4694]

i had heard that but didn't believe it...anyway i was doing that anyway, i would let the bucket sit with the tub for a day or two mostly to match the temperature of the tub, but i guess it was having a two part effect. I should just stop rinsing the filter i guess. I don't even know what the hell to do with the bait now, it was just for ice fishing...i pretty much go 100% lures after ice out

[tautog]

flathead and musky bait

[Delawareriver]

Originally Posted by Chrisper4694

i had heard that but didn't believe it...anyway i was doing that anyway, i would let the bucket sit with the tub for a day or two mostly to match the temperature of the tub, but i guess it was having a two part effect. I should just stop rinsing the filter i guess. I don't even know what the hell to do with the bait now, it was just for ice fishing...i pretty much go 100% lures after ice out

Won't be long before the flatheads get active. They are already getting them I'm the susky but all small punk fish. That or cut them up for channel cats