Bait fridge driving me crazy (please help)

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bigbass · #1 Post by **bigbass** » Thu Jun 16, 2005 8:14 pm

i got myself a new fridge for keeping bait. i never touched the settings on the old one and never had a problem. BUT THIS ONE IS DRIVING ME MAD. i dug about 100 king rag 100 lug and about 15 big peelers yesterday and when i got up today all the rag were frozen the lug were bearly alive and a few crabs bite the bullet aswell.

does anyone know what the best tempeture is for keeping bait?

also i usually wrap them in 20's in newpaper and sea weed. but i heard that just keeping them in empty tray with just enough water to keep them wet works even better. Have any of ye ever tried it this way? or do ye know any other ways that work well. whats the point in putting all those hours in fishing when all you have is stale bait. as for me it looks like i'll be back to sutton red rock tomorrow morning to dig it all again :x

#2 Post by **m.b3** » Thu Jun 16, 2005 8:54 pm

and there's me feeling bad because i didn't have one!!!

rag(and i pressume lug?) at 40 degrees. crab at 39 degrees. set the temp at 40 for the crab and put the rag in the 'less cool spot'.

i have kept rag rag in wide bottomed buckets and the trays, pouring a little amount of seawater in with them. check'em each day or so and take out the dead/broken ones. kept for up to 3 weeks(have not tried for longer) in the shed. just don't put to many in together. 20 per bucket or less if they are big kings. i don't wash the mud and sand off the worms after you dig them, just pour em into the buckets/trays as they are. heap the mud and sand in the middle, u do not need much! the day your heading out fishing put the worms into tubs or newspaper with seaweed or similar.

Mike Thrussell on http://www.worldseafishing.com has some good info on baits and it is well worth a look.

bigbass · #3 Post by **bigbass** » Thu Jun 16, 2005 9:13 pm

cheers for that mark.

if you ever wanted to get urself a fridge you can find them really cheap in the buy and sell website. the one i got is about 4 feet high and only cost me 15euro.

#4 Post by **m.b3** » Thu Jun 16, 2005 9:28 pm

sounds good! i could do with one. sick of wasting bait. i have even returned bait to the beds i dig'em in out of guilt. don't take the above post as gospel as i am still learning about all this stuff myself. the temp's are right though. i am going to try an aerator next week and i'll let you know how that goes. some baits take time to collect such as whites and it would be nice to keep em for a long duration and not just 2 or 3 weeks.

#5 Post by k » Thu Jun 16, 2005 10:31 pm

[quote="m.b3"]. i am going to try an aerator next week and i'll let you know how that goes. some baits take time to collect such as whites and it would be nice to keep em for a long duration and not just 2 or 3 weeks.[/quote]
If you are looking to keep worms for long periods you could set up a fish tank say about 2 foot by 1 foot, using either a glass tank or a plastic tub. You can buy whats called an undergravel filter and an air pump in the pet shop. These filters use a layer of gravel in which the worms can burrow. I have kept rag alive for months in a set up like this.
If you are interested its worth a go

#6 Post by **m.b3** » Thu Jun 16, 2005 10:41 pm

nice one k. i have bought the plastic tubs already(glass asking for trouble!). forgot to get the filter today. i reckon it's going to work a treat! wonder how maddies fair out being kept like so?? thanks for the info. k. appreciate it.

#7 Post by **blowin** » Fri Jun 17, 2005 2:06 am

Hi guys ,
Interesting - I had heard that rag would eat each other if too many together . What if anything do you feed them on and how often ?
cheers
nick

#8 Post by **MAC** » Fri Jun 17, 2005 10:19 am

Guys,

Never kept worms, but I've had up to 10 fish tanks going at one time before. If you are looking to keep the water good and want to use sand and gravel or just sand in the tank. Use a box corner filter or a sponge filter. I have a few homemade sponge filters spare if you want one MB3. The filters can be run with a small air pump. You'll need to replace about 1/4 of the water every week or two. You can make up artificial salt water with the some stuff from the pet store or you can try get a big bin full and airate the water with a pump and stone. I'm not sure how this would work.

Let me know how you guys get on. I'd be interested in giving this a go myself.

Kev

#9 Post by k » Sat Jun 18, 2005 8:39 pm

When collecting water I find screwtop containers that restaurants etc, buy detergents & washing agents in really handy.
I never had a lot of rags at the same time, so id guess any small ones might be eaten but the vast majority should be fine. I had fish in my tank as well and the rags just seemed to scavenge but if you are keeping them for long periods id try dropping a small amount of goldfish flakes in overnight.
Good luck

#10 Post by **m.b3** » Sun Jun 19, 2005 12:44 am

from what i've heard the water does not need to be changed- it just needs to be aerated. bacteria build up in the water is food for the ragworm. Cooke from the forum has kept them this way, worms need to be checked daily and dead/injured ones removed. i have been told of one english fella keeping them for almost a year this way! i am just sick of wasting bait, or feeling under pressure to use it and go fishing!!! i'm all for an aerator if u have one spare Mac!