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Posts: 21
Location: Sturgeon Bay WI | What is the best bin/retainer/trough to keep them in, when they are not in your livewell or in the lake 
I am currently using about a 175 gallon old horse trough (sp?) 2 air-rators and it is working ok. I have heard from some friends that rubber is no good, and on the same note someone said aluminum is no good either. Just wondering if anyone had a good idea to keep the meat healthy. I have multiple "rock" air-rators so that is not the issue:
Volume is about 35 suckers 10-13 inches |
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Posts: 281
Location: ROckford IL | everyone I know that keeps a good amount of suckers alive for use have a horse trough, you got the right idea, I got mine from farm and fleet. I added a few double air pumps and suckers stay alive for a long period of time |
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Posts: 1459
Location: Kronenwetter, WI | I've been considering this...so....
*Where do you keep this? Not outside, it may ice up at night?--in the basement?
*Do you have to change the water---how often?
*How long will they live---the entire fall season?
Thanks, |
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Posts: 292
Location: SW MI | There is no way my wife would let me do that, I like the idea though. |
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Posts: 281
Location: ROckford IL | I keep em outside, it don't really freeze because you have running air in the water, it might have some skim ice but it don't really freeze up completely, I used this system for 2 years now with no trouble |
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Posts: 726
Location: Eau Claire, WI | UP north more that IL, I keep them outside then move them to the garage if it gets too cold. Using large coolers can help keep from icing. I change the water every other day and I've had a real good track record keeping them alive.
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| i keep mine in a big cooler, i use a frabill electric aireator, the more suckers you have in the cooler the more you have to change the water out...typically 6 or more 1 x per day for sure....the ones I catch in a small river seem to poop a lot right away..if any die get them out of the water right away too...i keep them in my garage where it doesn't really get too cold..they stay lively for weeks |
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Posts: 344
Location: Musky Country | I made a tank last night with a 55gallon drum laid it on its side cut a door in the top of the drum bonded a air line on the bottom and drilled 1/8 holes in it hooked it up the my air compressor and about 5 psi . I leave it in my shed. right now I have a doz 12'' suckers in it and it works perfect we will have to see how long they last. |
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Posts: 238
| This may open an unwanted discussion, but if you're in Wisconsin, the laws about live bait have changed SIGNIFICANTLY to help prevent the spread of VHS. Keeping your own suckers (and any live bait) in a big tank may not even be allowed anymore. The law was very strict last fall when it was first implemented (live bait MUST be purchased at a licensed bait dealer and ALL live fish (bait or bag) MUST be killed before leaving any lake) but has been relaxed somewhat. See the section labeled "Under key provisions of the revised statewide VHS rules:" at http://dnr.wi.gov/fish/documents/VHSfactsheet.pdf for the list of official rules. It's my understanding that if you keep suckers at home, they must be purchased from a licensed bait dealer AND the water in your tank can NOT be lake or river water. (You are no longer allowed to trap or catch your own suckers/bait unless you use them on that same body of water.) And if you put used suckers in your tank, all the suckers in that tank are to be considered contaminated but you should be able to use them on the same body of water where you used the suckers. It's not complicated, but it is very inconvenient especially for those (like me) that like to lake hop. Not sure how the DNR can effectively police this either. |
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Posts: 21
Location: Sturgeon Bay WI | Bigman, thanks for reassuring that, just seeing if there were any better solutions than the one Im using now.
Yeah with two pumps going it doesnt freeze up to easily, hasnt yet this year. I change the water twice a week, it has a plug toward the bottom, pull it let it drain halfway and fill it back up, works pretty good! |
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| If you guys want to build the ultimate sucker tank, check out what the Striper guys do for thier shad and trout. These guys get real serious about these tanks. Check this one out with water chiller, filters, air pumps and so on. It's an awsome tank.
http://seeinstripes.com/stripersoup/viewtopic.php?t=3032
M4L |
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Posts: 434
Location: searchin for 50 | I keep mine in a large coleman cooler. I have a fish aqarium pump that puts out a lot of bubbles. I change the water every two days that i Have suckers.I have kept them alive from the end of September all the way thru October doing this. One thing to keep in mind, you have to put a board across the cooler and close the lid otherwise they might jump out. 6 is the most I have kept in the cooler. I don't really have the room for a horse trough. |
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