# keeping live bait while surf fishing



## sarbot (Apr 10, 2012)

Curious what suggestions you'all have for keeping live bait while surf fishing.

Seems dumb to run an aerator rig up on the beach, water will get hot anyway and hold less oxygen.
　
Is there anyway to keep live bait in a bait bucket out in the surf ?
Seems waves would destroy the bucket pretty quick.

Or is the only option to put the caught bait on ice ?


----------



## fabian31268 (Jul 31, 2005)

i use oxygen an a little ice


----------



## Jolly Roger (May 21, 2004)

Drill holes in a bucket with a screw on top, need lot of holes. Put a PVC rod holder in the first gut, tie the bucket off to the pvc. May need to move the bucket and PVC at times to match the tides. You can also do the same thing with an anchor and a bucket. Do not use the metal bucket handle to tie off to, it will rust away and break off after a trip or two. Need to drill a hole in the bucket to tie off to.


----------



## BullyARed (Jun 19, 2010)

Jolly Roger said:


> Drill holes in a bucket with a screw on top, need lot of holes. Put a PVC rod holder in the first gut, tie the bucket off to the pvc. May need to move the bucket and PVC at times to match the tides. You can also do the same thing with an anchor and a bucket.


2X. I use a claw anchor to anchor the bait bucket. This works if the wave is not so strong; otherwise the bucket will take a beating!


----------



## Rawpower (Jul 4, 2011)

fabian31269 said:


> i use oxygen an a little ice


X2 Thats what we use:doowapsta


----------



## sarbot (Apr 10, 2012)

I got one of those nylon net mesh bag - - home made bait holders, made out of a giant laundry bag with a blue electrical plastic conduit snapped into a ring, full of copper wire to weight down the bottom - - - and a sealed ring of same up top full of insulation backing rod to give the top some float . Lots of fresh saltwater circulation - - just hate to test it out in the surf as I think the waves will tear it to pieces . . . it holds 4 times the amount of bait little yellow Frabills holds, plus much more aeration.


----------



## Garagedoorguy (Mar 9, 2011)

I use a little lunch box ice chest that I drilled a hole on top and on the side and a cord to the handle just a small 12"x 8" sandwich box and throw a handful of ice in it every hour to 2 hours nothing else I havnt had a bait die yet mostly mudd minnows and mullet not shrimp never tried those in it.


----------



## JOHNNYREB (Apr 20, 2006)

If your runnin and gunnin down the beach, than an airator system probably isnt the most efficient way to keep bait, with that said when we go down the beach its usually for several days, so we use two, five gallon buckets that we keep airator systems on. Works pretty well but who knows......were kinda slow :wink: Oh and do the ice thing.....and keep your buckets in the shade!


----------



## BullyARed (Jun 19, 2010)

You could use an old cooler (32-48qt) with an aerator to store live baits. Put ice in a ziplock bag to cool the water but not to dilute the sality and cause "shock".


----------



## 535 (May 23, 2004)

JOHNNYREB said:


> If your runnin and gunnin down the beach, than an airator system probably isnt the most efficient way to keep bait, with that said when we go down the beach its usually for several days, so we use two, five gallon buckets that we keep airator systems on. Works pretty well but who knows......were kinda slow :wink: Oh and do the ice thing.....and keep your buckets in the shade!


same thing here... we just try to keep 5 gallon bucket in the shade, with fresh water and get any dead mullet out...


----------



## grouper150 (Oct 24, 2006)

I take a 15 gallon (swimming pool chlorine bucket) that has a water proof screw on lid - drill two 3/4" holes in the side and install a boat style live well pump outside the bucket with a detachable cigaret lighter power cord - we can transport bait to & from the surf or boat and carry it in the suburban without worrying about spilling it


----------



## spicyitalian (Jan 18, 2012)

5 Gallon bucket, aerator. We try to keep the bucket in the shade and will most of the time throw a frozen 20 oz soda bottle in there at some point during the day. I will bring them inside overnight and use a cheap aquarium pump once I have electricity.


----------



## krfish (Sep 27, 2011)

Oxygen and an ice chest


----------



## ComeFrom? (May 21, 2004)

Find an old metal grocery cart w/wheels still in tact. Take it out with your other tackle in the back of your truck.

Then roll it into the surf deep enough so the water level submerges the bottom of the grating about 6 inches. Use bait large enough so they can't swim out between the holes! CF?


----------



## Justin League (Jun 11, 2011)

I fish with croaker alot in the surf. All I do is put them in one of those big 15 gallon plastic laundry baskets/storage bin deals and put an little cheap $20 aerator. If its really hot I will put some frozen water bottles in there. Have kept croaker and shrimp alive for 2 days that way.


----------

