Live bait prices summer edition

[fisherben]

Last winter on IS there was a thread about minnow prices that saved me a fair amount of money so let's try worms in the summer. I paid $2.79 per 36 red wigglers last week.What are you guys paying and where?

Ben

[hook em]

The very sad part to all of this is the fact that everything we purchase as consumers is related to the rising
cost of fuel/cartage.I love the sport of fishing and usually fish with live minnows,and will continue to do  so,I set up a 50 Gal tank in my basement for minnows and it works very well,in years past at the end of a day of fishing I didn't care about saving my minnows for the next fishing trip,but due to the cost of bait I have learned to save my bait and some money at the same time,and enjoy our sport of fishing.......................

                                             Hook em

[Woodyvt]

hookem,

what are you using to keep them......fish tank aerator?  How often do you change the water?

In the past I just used a five gal. pail, but if I dont tend to it often they die off pretty quick.

Thanks in advance for your response.

woody

[LakeGeorgeBaitTack]

The wholesalers raised their prices, and yes, they're charging a fuel surcharge to deliver it to us.  Our jumbo reds (wigglers) are 2.75, night crawlers are 2.50.  Lake George Bait and Tackle in Hobart, IN.  Yes, we have tons of other live bait, but don't necessarily want our competition to have the info so readily!!

[hook em]

Hey Woody,
I purchased an aerator  from wholesalebait.com its a LT II Whitewater and it does a great job.I make time to change the water in the tank daily,I use ice cold well water and the fish seem to do fine.The tank is a 50 Gal livestock water tank,and all together I have about 200 dollars invested in the set up.I can keep minnows alive for up to four weeks.After every fishing outing I bring back my left over minnows and use them again and again.
I have been doing this for over a year and I believe that I have recouped my investment and now I am saving money plus,my minnows are there ready to go at a moments notice a real win,win..............
I go to Kassit wholesale bait shop in LaPorte,and he really loads you up on minnows,they don't count them,
they scope with a net,and once they get to know you the scopes seem to get bigger...... Hope this helps......
                   Hook em

[Woodyvt]

hookem,

thanks for that great info!  Sounds like a great set up.  I will look into that web site.  I too have very cold well water and since I have used it in the past I dont see a problem with the water at all.

Thanks again.....woody

[taxid]

The wholesalers raised their prices, and yes, they're charging a fuel surcharge to deliver it to us.  Our jumbo reds (wigglers) are 2.75, night crawlers are 2.50.  Lake George Bait and Tackle in Hobart, IN.  Yes, we have tons of other live bait, but don't necessarily want our competition to have the info so readily!!

I would think the required VHS testing for growers has raised the priced somewhat hasn't it?

[hook em]

Woody,
You are very welcomed,us Fisherman got to stick together ............  Happy Fishing !!!!!!!!!!!
          Hook em     

[Edge]

I would think the required VHS testing for growers has raised the priced somewhat hasn't it?

I'd be curious to see how many dealers are actually compling with the testing regulation.  There are a lot of bait dealers and very few health inspectors.   

It may also depend on where the fish are coming from.  If the minnows are coming from outside the great lakes basin they may not be required to test for VHS.  I'm not sure. 

Also fathead minnows aren't on the banned species list.  I haven't studied my minnows, but it could be they are mostly fatheads.  Also emerald shiner is the only shiner listed.

Give it another year or two and VHS will blow over. 

Can anyone shed some light on this? 

 

[taxid]

I'd be curious to see how many dealers are actually compling with the testing regulation.  There are a lot of bait dealers and very few health inspectors.   

It may also depend on where the fish are coming from.  If the minnows are coming from outside the great lakes basin they may not be required to test for VHS.  I'm not sure. 

Also fathead minnows aren't on the banned species list.  I haven't studied my minnows, but it could be they are mostly fatheads.  Also emerald shiner is the only shiner listed.

Give it another year or two and VHS will blow over. 

Can anyone shed some light on this? 

 

Yes I can.    Even the minnows that are comng from down south are being tested for VHS. They've been doing it down there for some time. I bought some wholesale from Myers at Pleasant lake a while back to plant in to my perch holding pond, and they told me so. It's not the dealers that are testing. It's the original source and that's usually out of state. Most of our minnows are coming from the big farms in Arkansas etc.