Bluegills?

[Catfishing Matt]

I was wondering what I would need to catch bluegill, and keep them alive for say, maybe a week? (for catfish bait) And if i used them for live bait, how and where do I hook them, and what kind of hooks do i use?

[Catfishing Matt]

Also, is catfishing in the fall good, or at least okay?

[Timotha7]

Matt,
If you are going to catch an keep bluegill alive for a week you are going to need a bait tank to do it
Somthing with an aereator and a filtration system is optimum, but at minimum a decent sized tank with aeroration and if no filter you will need to
change an dechlorinate the water frequently, and keep temp down to keep them alive that long

I generally just go out a hour or so early an catch several an go from there

When I hook them I hook them just behind the Dorsal
You need a wide gapped hook that is big enough to leave it exposed
so when somthing takes it you can get a set
I prefer big kahle hooks for this

Catfishing, or any type of fishing in the fall IMO is the best it gets
It is when they are putting on the feed bag for winter big time

Tim

Tim

[Schoe]

Matt, our member "Catbird" has built a nice live tank to keep his baitfish alive using a part of a 55 gal plastic barrell and a battery arreator. "Catbird", alias Dale Kirby, has a fishing website of his own and may have a diagram how he made it. His site is www.fishenbum.com and if he dont have it on there maybe we can get him to put it up for us. Schoe

[Fatkat]

Matt here is a link to pics of Catbird's bait tank that Schoe told you about.

http://www.fishenbum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30&highlight=bait+tank

Also around here the best bait is wax worms for Bluegill, I think its what you all out there call butterworms. I do like Tim said, I just go an hour or so early and catch 'em and keep 'em alive in a 5 gallon bucket with a battery operated air pump from Wally World. Also if I'm fishing in strong current I like to hook my Gills threw the nose or eyes, it seems to keep 'em alive longer, that way the water is running over their gills from the front, not running in their gills from the back. But hopefully you won't have to keep 'em alive to long once you have 'em hooked up before that big Flathead has 'em for dinner, LOL.

[Schoe]

Martin, next time I talk to Dale I will ask him if he would mind if we put a "How TO" make his live tank on a step by step picture guide. I've been wanting to build one ever since I saw his in Indiana this spring. Schoe

[Fatkat]

Schoe I'm sure he won't mind, you know as well as I do he loves to help out anyway he can. :)

[Catbird]

First off, you need to locate someone local to purchase a used 55 gal barrel. Make sure it was used for food service (most of the ones for re-sale are). Blue barrels are ideal due to the color (you pay extra for a blue interior on comercially built bait tanks - they claim calming effect for the fish).

I cut the approxiamately the top third off of the barrel. The barrels I use have raised rings molded into them. After you have selected a heigth for your tank, cut the barrel at the top of one of these rings (this makes a nice edge to hold your top from falling in). A jigsaw works great for this.

Next you will need to make a top for your barrel. To get the right size for the lid, I use the top I cut off the barrel. You may have to trim the top a little to get it to fit into the molded ring. Once you have the correct fit, just trace the outside edge of the barrel top on a scrap piece of plywood and cut out your cirlcle top.

Take the circle plywood top and draw a line like you are going to cut the top in half with a straight edge. Do not cut it yet. Next on one half of the top, draw circular line (approx. 1.5") around the edge of the top. This will give you the shape of your lid. Drill a small hole at the juction of the straight and curved line. Set your jigsaw cut at 45 degees and cut the lid out of the top. Be sure and cut in a direction so that you are cutting a 45 degee off the lid and leaving a 45 degree egde on your top. This will keep the lid from falling through the top. Install 2 small hinges. Now you have a lid with an exact fit.

Lay a bed of silicone on the molded edge of your barrel and set your top in. Fasten top to the tank with stainless screws run through the tank into the wooden top. You may want to run a line of silicone around the top to give it a more finished look.

Next you will need an aerator system for your tank. I use a 500 gph thru hull aerator. drill a 1" hole about 5" from the bottem of the tank and install your aerator. I discard the seal and silicone both the outside and the inside before install the plastic nut. Drill another 1" hole about 3" below your top for the aerator head. I don't use the one that came with the aerator, I use an adjustable head. Both of these items are available at your local Walmart. From Walmart I also use their bilge pump installation kit. This gives you your plastic plumbing line and hose clamps. From Lowe's or Home Depot you can get a screw on filter from there backyard fish pond department. You now have a nice aerated bait tank for aroung $75 instead of over $300.

You will also need a way to fill and drain your tank. You can fill with a bucket and also install a screw in drain in your tank. If you are like me and don't want to drain the water into your boat or have to dip it out, purchase a 500 gph bilge pump as well. I just drop this over the side of the boat for filling and into the tank for draining. You will also need to add enough wire with alligator clamps for both your tank and your bilge pump to fit your needs.

If I forgot a step or you need more info just let me know. I also make and sell completed tanks if you don't want to make one yourself.

[Schoe]

Thanks for all the info Dale. When we get our WIF on line store up and going we will be sure and have your tanks on there. There are a lot of folks out there that don't have the equipment or the place to build the tanks and would be glad to have someone that would produce them at a reasonable price. Thanks again, Schoe