Herring bait tank water

Rabun · Jul 26, 2017

Hi guy's, I usually buy my herring and fill tanks up with the bait shop water that's already conditioned. Next week I will be on N Ga lake attempting to catch my own herring (not setup to transport them). I have forgotten the ratio of water to salt for the bait tank water. What do y'all recommend...cups of salt to gallons of water. I plan on keeping frozen water bottles in to keep water cooler. Also, assume I should not use table salt, but something like ice cream salt? Anything else I should put in the water. I will be utilizing two 33 gal live wells with recirculators.

Thanks in advance!

StriperrHunterr · Jul 26, 2017

2 and a half cups of rock salt per tank and you should be good. You'll need a ton of ice bottles if you're recirculating atmospheric air.

Rabun · Jul 26, 2017

StripeRR HunteRR said:
2 and a half cups of rock salt per tank and you should be good. You'll need a ton of ice bottles if you're recirculating atmospheric air.

Thanks StripeRR! I'll be in the mountains so that will help some...will be a little cooler anyway, but will load up on the frozen bottles.

StriperrHunterr · Jul 26, 2017

Rabun said:
Thanks StripeRR! I'll be in the mountains so that will help some...will be a little cooler anyway, but will load up on the frozen bottles.

It depends on the surface temp of the water as well. it's going to shock them on the drop if you get the water too cold, but obviously too warm is also problematic.

Good luck.

Rabun · Jul 27, 2017

StripeRR HunteRR said:
It depends on the surface temp of the water as well. it's going to shock them on the drop if you get the water too cold, but obviously too warm is also problematic.

Good luck.

Yes...I have done that before with some shad :hair:

shocked them right to death. I was planning on just having the water a little cooler than lake and then when I get them in, I'll gradually add additional bottles so hopefully they will gradually chill and stay frisky. Was planning on putting no more than 1.5 dozen per tank...that shouldn't overcrowd them should it...trying to keep them for around 8-12 hrs?

StriperrHunterr · Jul 27, 2017

Rabun said:
Yes...I have done that before with some shad shocked them right to death. I was planning on just having the water a little cooler than lake and then when I get them in, I'll gradually add additional bottles so hopefully they will gradually chill and stay frisky. Was planning on putting no more than 1.5 dozen per tank...that shouldn't overcrowd them should it...trying to keep them for around 8-12 hrs?

Should be more than plenty. Might also consider the additives like shad crack over straight salt as, I believe, it has benefits beyond what salt can deliver. For the time frames you're talkign about I'd want every advantage I could get. Also make sure to adjust your recirc flow so they're not getting exhausted just being in the tank but also have enough to keep them out of the walls.

Obviously pure O2 and salt would be the ideal way, but without spending that kind of money you should be alright. I wouldn't let any one of them spend more than 15-20 minutes on the hooks, and definitely wouldn't even put them on until I was marking some decent fish. Any longer than that and your chances of enticing a stripe go down.

Rabun · Jul 27, 2017

StripeRR HunteRR said:
Should be more than plenty. Might also consider the additives like shad crack over straight salt as, I believe, it has benefits beyond what salt can deliver. For the time frames you're talkign about I'd want every advantage I could get. Also make sure to adjust your recirc flow so they're not getting exhausted just being in the tank but also have enough to keep them out of the walls.

Obviously pure O2 and salt would be the ideal way, but without spending that kind of money you should be alright. I wouldn't let any one of them spend more than 15-20 minutes on the hooks, and definitely wouldn't even put them on until I was marking some decent fish. Any longer than that and your chances of enticing a stripe go down.

Thanks StripeRR, I have some shad something...can't think of the name of it but it conditions the water to help retain slime coat and expel ammonia. Thought I'd put a little of that in there. Target will be trout, but basically same technique as down lining for stripers just lighter tackle. Definitely understand the notion of frisky baits get bit so regular change-outs are necessary.

Appreciate your help!

Big7 · Jul 27, 2017

Look in to potassium instead of sodium.
(water softener, pool salt, same thing)

That's what they use at Hill's Landing
and they were doing it way before the blue-backs an
an invasive species, got to Georgia.

j_seph · Jul 27, 2017

Might even suggest getting your water ready and cooled off to where you want it to be the day/night before

Rabun · Jul 28, 2017

j_seph said:
Might even suggest getting your water ready and cooled off to where you want it to be the day/night before

Good suggestion. I've got to remember not to have the bait water so cold that it shocks the herring when they get dunked back in the warm lake water. It's a fine line with these fickle herring...one reason I usually troll for these trout, but that just hasn't been putting any in the boat lately.

Hope to post a couple pics later in the week....with any luck.

StriperrHunterr · Jul 28, 2017

Rabun said:
Thanks StripeRR, I have some shad something...can't think of the name of it but it conditions the water to help retain slime coat and expel ammonia. Thought I'd put a little of that in there. Target will be trout, but basically same technique as down lining for stripers just lighter tackle. Definitely understand the notion of frisky baits get bit so regular change-outs are necessary.

Appreciate your help!

Happy to do it.

jigman29 · Aug 1, 2017

I live up here and here's what I do. May not be right but it works for me lol. I fill my tank the night before and let the aerator run all night to get all the oxygen I can in it. I have a 40 gallon super tank and run about a quart of salt in mine. May be to much but I haven't had a problem with it. But I stopped using rock salt a few years ago. I go to tractor supply and get the fine stock salt. Way cheaper and you don't have the grit left over in the bottom of the tank like the rock salt. I would take a water temp where I was catching bait and try to change the tank temp to match. If youre jigging for bait in deep water it may be way cooler and will shock the bait.

Herring bait tank water

Rabun

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StriperrHunterr

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Rabun

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StriperrHunterr

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Rabun

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StriperrHunterr

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Rabun

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Big7

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j_seph

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Rabun

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