Hey all. Quick question, how many hours will small bluegill live in a 5 gallon bucket? My son doesn’t get out of camp until 4p tomorrow and we want to fish in the evening. Live lining the best way to catch anything decent this time of year here. I know a spot where I can catch a bunch of bluegills the size of my middle finger. I was thinking about going mid morning, catching a bunch from shore and keeping them in a bucket until we can get boat in water around 5p. No aerator or anything like that. Worse case is we spend time catching bait but it’d be easier if I can get them before hand. I’d hate to catch a bunch just to have them die and go to waste. Any input much appreciated.
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by Designer_Bite3869
Get a cheap battery powered aerator. It will prove very useful for many fishing excursions.
BASS Love small live bluegills fished under a bobber !
Aerator is definitely the way to go, not terribly expensive, around $25. Use good quality batteries they’ll last all night.
Aerator is definitely the way to go, not terribly expensive, around $25. Use good quality batteries they’ll last all night.
FS Digest wrote:
Hey all. Quick question, how many hours will small bluegill live in a 5 gallon bucket? My son doesn’t get out of camp until 4p tomorrow and we want to fish in the evening. Live lining the best way to catch anything decent this time of year here. I know a spot where I can catch a bunch of bluegills the size of my middle finger. I was thinking about going mid morning, catching a bunch from shore and keeping them in a bucket until we can get boat in water around 5p. No aerator or anything like that. Worse case is we spend time catching bait but it’d be easier if I can get them before hand. I’d hate to catch a bunch just to have them die and go to waste. Any input much appreciated.
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by Designer_Bite3869
Hey all. Quick question, how many hours will small... (
show quote)
They won't last long without oxygen, an aerator is the only way to go.
I bought a baby bubble from Walmart for $5 runs on 2 AA batteries for 24 hours. Several bluegill will use up the oxygen pretty quick it keep 6 decent bluegill alive all night in my live well
Add some ice to the buck will help some
Rutinbuck wrote:
Aerator is definitely the way to go, not terribly expensive, around $25. Use good quality batteries they’ll last all night.
Agree with aerator
A half bag of ice will keep em kicking short term
All good advice. Need oxygen. You could steal your kids aquarium pump if you have power 😁😁👍
Um, no. If you are gonna try to keep the bluegill alive over night, you should use an aerator, unless somebody is gonna somehow keep a fresh supply of water going through your bucket. I don’t see that happening, so, if no aerator, no bluegill. My 2cents...
JoeT73
Loc: Punta Gorda Florida
You can get a battery operated aerator for under $20.00
My municipal water supply is treated with chlorine based stuff that is toxic to bait. I Use frozen well or spring water for cooling bait water. Or the plastic things that you can keep in the freezer are good. Or, seal ice from bucket water somehow. You may not need this for bluegills , I don't know but for shiners it's critical. I catch my bluegills just before I need 'em.
JoeT73
Loc: Punta Gorda Florida
Take some water from where you catch the bait and use the aerator. Your bait will keep well
G juice will kill chlorine from water supply and ammonia from them. It also adds nutrients. The ice in the blue things or frozen water bottles changed out each hour are real important. Little bubbler is a must. It's all about oxygen. Not much oxygen in warm water. Also water can't be poisoned from chlorine and ammonia comes from the fish. Do this and you can keep them for weeks.
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