Thread: Keeping shrimp alive ?

Planning on being down in a week. I am wondering if I can keep shrimp alive overnight. I would have them in a 5 gal bucket with an aquarium aerator running. Might haul some extra salt water back to the cabin to switch some out. Would adding some of the chemical additatives and controlling temp do the trick? What would be anyone’s recommendation on the number to keep in the bucket?

I plan on getting over to the pier at daylight or before most days and of course I am optimistic that I will need some shrimp and catch something.

try this previous thread

Keeping large amounts of live bait

All you really need is.a one or two water 50% or better water changes with ordinary saltwater.
Bucket on a rope works great.
And to keep it cool, out of the sun/shaded, I use a wet tshirt over mine for evaporative cooling effect.
And once or twice a day I fill a quart ziploc full off ice, sealed, and drop it in.
A water change at the end of the day and keep it near the AC will do the overnight trick.

Originally Posted by ChileRelleno

All you really need is.a one or two water 50% or better water changes with ordinary saltwater.
Bucket on a rope works great.
And to keep it cool, out of the sun/shaded, I use a wet tshirt over mine for evaporative cooling effect.
And once or twice a day I fill a quart ziploc full off ice, sealed, and drop it in.
A water change at the end of the day and keep it near the AC will do the overnight trick.

Thanks, that was the kind of info I was seeking. I had already did a search and read the above mentioned thread.

I enjoyed your vacation thread. Trout is my favorite fishing. Usually on the White River in AR or East TN.

If it's not a LOT of shrimp that you're going to be keeping overnight, there's no problem with them making it overnight in a five gallon bucket. You'd just need to bring it inside because they do better in relatively cool surroundings.

Or -- J & M opens at five a.m., early enough for you to replenish every morning and get to the pier before daylight. You still need an aerator of course. I usually get a couple of dozen and I usually have a few left over. You may have an issue with pinfish eating the legs off of them. If that's the case, more shrimp won't help.

I like to use live shrimp (no weight, no float) for speckled trout in the shallows and (no weight, weighted float, steel leader) off the end for big Spanish. From the octi, you may see big spadefish in schools cruising back and forth. You can catch them on small pieces of fresh-dead shrimp with small, strong hooks (about 20 inches below a weighted float). They pull like crazy!

Be careful not to 'overdo' the cooling effect this time of year.
Keep in mind the water temp in the bucket when you first get them, and try to maintain that within a few degrees.
Say the water is near 80 degrees, and it's 75 degrees indoors and 90+ outside.
It's more critical you slow the warming effect of the bucket being outdoors rather than trying to maintain that of indoors.
That and the shock of your bait going from a 75 degree bucket into 85 degree seawater can kill them in minutes...

Adding a teaspoon of "Pogy Saver" will help remove ammonia from the water and keeps them alive longer. Change out the water asap in themorning and they will be fine assuming you have 3 dozen or less in a bucket nearly full of saltwater.

The most fun part of keeping shrimp alive is transporting them. Nothing says, "I've been fishing" like the smell of aged shrimp water that sloshed out of the bucket onto the carpet of your car. Watch out for sharp turns and sudden stops. It can remind you of your fishing trip for weeks to come. Good luck fishing.

Originally Posted by Haywire

The most fun part of keeping shrimp alive is transporting them. Nothing says, "I've been fishing" like the smell of aged shrimp water that sloshed out of the bucket onto the carpet of your car. Watch out for sharp turns and sudden stops. It can remind you of your fishing trip for weeks to come. Good luck fishing.

My last hawking/fishing transport was a Jeep with similar size to your element. I invested in a receiver and a massive folding hitch haul. I would think the Haywire mobile could benefit from one. Keeps that slosh out of your seats..

One of the best purchases I’ve made is an Engel bait cooler https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/eng...ve-bait-cooler the top locks down for sloshless transport and the insulation prevents rapid temperature changes on the beach.