| Nothing is more disappointing for an angler than to arrive at a favorite fishing hole only to open the bait bucket or live well and discover his live bait is dead. A basic understanding of live bait handling could help prevent this. The first consideration should be water quality. A number of water quality requirements should be considered. These include oxygen, temperature and salinity.
The most popular method of insuring adequate oxygen is to use a l2-volt aerator that sits inside of the bait well. However, external pumps to blow diffused air are recommended because they will not cause heat buildup like a submersible pump. Another method is to use time-released oxygen tablets in the well.
Temperature and salinity should be considered next. If possible, fill your bait well or bucket with the same water the bait was being held in when purchased. If this is not possible, you may acclimate the bait to the water at the fishing site by adding small quantities of water until the desired temperature and salinity are reached. This is especially important if there is a large temperature and salinity difference.
Rapid changes in water temperature and salinity, more than 5 degrees and 10 parts per thousand, can cause temperature shock and osmotic stress. Remember, cooler water holds more oxygen than warm water. Chilling the water with ice will cool the water and not reduce salinity too much. But caution should be taken when adding ice to the water, as too much ice will cool your bait too fast and kill it. These steps may seem unnecessary but, if they are not taken, your bait will die sooner rather than later.
Water contamination from bait handling also is an issue that can be overcome. Use a dip net to remove bait from the live well. The net serves as a means of not contaminating the water in which the bait areliving. Insect repellant and sunscreen are two common sources of contamination. After time, the concentration of chemicals can build up to levels that will affect the performance of your bait. Also, wet your hands before hooking bait. All finfish have a protective mucus — "slime" — coat that shields them from external stress. If this mucus is removed by handling the fish, it can cause the fish to become stressed and die.
Many types of tanks are suitable for holding and maintaining live bait. Homemade tanks can be constructed of plastic, fiberglass and untreated wood. All metals should be avoided when possible. Round tanks are preferred, since bait tends to huddle in the comers of square or rectangular tanks. This is especially true of menhaden (pogies).
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