rjc123 Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 Hey raiders, headed out yesterday arvo in search of some poddies. The plan was to get some and hopefully keep them in a bucket (with a decent aerator) for a day or 2. Only managed two in a VERY slow session with the wind howling.... Anyway, i stored them in a clean bucket full of clean tap water (they were caught in brackish water and i read that you should be able to get away with fresh for poddies) and plugged in the aerator. I changed the water every couple of hours (apart from night hours) and in the morning they were happy as larry. At around 12 today i gave them a check. They were both completely dead. It was odd as i had checked them no more that 40 mins prior. I fed them tiny pieces of bread (once last night and once this morning) and they scoffed it happily. I'm just wondering if someone could tell me what it is that i have done wrong? Apparently they should last around a week in a bucket with aerator so if anyone could let me know of any mistakes i may have made that would be great! Also, are they any good as a dead bait for jews,flathead, bream? They are exactly 15cm long so a decent size bait! Cheers, Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yaulpang Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 G'day Tom, The problem is tap water - it contains chlorine and is toxic to fish. Try collecting an extra bucket of water from where you caught them. Will be better then putting em in tap water Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spooooled Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 Hey raiders, headed out yesterday arvo in search of some poddies. The plan was to get some and hopefully keep them in a bucket (with a decent aerator) for a day or 2. Only managed two in a VERY slow session with the wind howling.... Anyway, i stored them in a clean bucket full of clean tap water (they were caught in brackish water and i read that you should be able to get away with fresh for poddies) and plugged in the aerator. I changed the water every couple of hours (apart from night hours) and in the morning they were happy as larry. At around 12 today i gave them a check. They were both completely dead. It was odd as i had checked them no more that 40 mins prior. I fed them tiny pieces of bread (once last night and once this morning) and they scoffed it happily. I'm just wondering if someone could tell me what it is that i have done wrong? Apparently they should last around a week in a bucket with aerator so if anyone could let me know of any mistakes i may have made that would be great! Also, are they any good as a dead bait for jews,flathead, bream? They are exactly 15cm long so a decent size bait! Cheers, Tom ive filleted poddy mullet before and have scored good sized bream on the fillets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjc123 Posted April 8, 2012 Author Share Posted April 8, 2012 Thanks guys! Will do. If i get a spare bucket, will i be able to keep them for a couple of days? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spooooled Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 Thanks guys! Will do. If i get a spare bucket, will i be able to keep them for a couple of days? yeh you should be able too for sure my first thought is they probably died because of the water from the tap but i guess you should try the water you catch them from next time you keep any. Goodluckkk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjc123 Posted April 8, 2012 Author Share Posted April 8, 2012 yeh you should be able too for sure my first thought is they probably died because of the water from the tap but i guess you should try the water you catch them from next time you keep any. Goodluckkk Thanks mate! I'll have another crack tomorrow! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GORRRN Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 Thanks mate! I'll have another crack tomorrow! Go to BCF (i know they sell them) or you can try any other tackle shop and get a surecatch live bait bag. Its strong it folds flat when there is no water in it and it has a pocket on the side for the aerator to sit in, it also has a hole just under the lid for the aerator tube to go through. Has a mesh zip up lid so you can change/add/remove water with out any of the little critters escaping and also has a plastic zip up lid to prevent leaking when travelling. If i remember correctly they are only $20 or $30 and seriously was the best investment we made. Always just take a scoop of the water you catch them in (we generally only have it 1/4 full, had 12 poddies and about 10 or 12 live prawns all the bait bag with no problems. Best thing is when you get to the boat ramp or wherever you are fishing you just unzip the plastic lid leave the mesh zipped up pour out old water and fill with clean. Highly recommended as this is such a hassle free way of handling poddies. Oh it also had a decent carry strap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjc123 Posted April 8, 2012 Author Share Posted April 8, 2012 Go to BCF (i know they sell them) or you can try any other tackle shop and get a surecatch live bait bag. Its strong it folds flat when there is no water in it and it has a pocket on the side for the aerator to sit in, it also has a hole just under the lid for the aerator tube to go through. Has a mesh zip up lid so you can change/add/remove water with out any of the little critters escaping and also has a plastic zip up lid to prevent leaking when travelling. If i remember correctly they are only $20 or $30 and seriously was the best investment we made. Always just take a scoop of the water you catch them in (we generally only have it 1/4 full, had 12 poddies and about 10 or 12 live prawns all the bait bag with no problems. Best thing is when you get to the boat ramp or wherever you are fishing you just unzip the plastic lid leave the mesh zipped up pour out old water and fill with clean. Highly recommended as this is such a hassle free way of handling poddies. Oh it also had a decent carry strap. Thanks mate, i'll definitely look into one of them! How big are they? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
austral Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 hey buddy, take 2 20l buckets with you. catch mullet. change water before you leave, fill the spare bucket up. get yourself a mains power airator(for gold fish) put airrator in with mullet, each bucket of water will last 2-3 days maybe more. you can feed them if you want but not too much..good luck.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GORRRN Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 (edited) hey buddy, take 2 20l buckets with you. catch mullet. change water before you leave, fill the spare bucket up. get yourself a mains power airator(for gold fish) put airrator in with mullet, each bucket of water will last 2-3 days maybe more. you can feed them if you want but not too much..good luck.. Seems like a lot of stuffing around, no offence austral but ive done the whole bucket thing and the live bait bag is seriously the easiest way to keep poddies, a battery powered airator is sufficient. The bag on its own is $20 and they also have a bag and airator combo for $30. We catch the day before we go out and we leave the live bait bag in the boat overnight, we just swap the water when we get to the boat ramp as the poddies have generally made it quite messy lol. If you do use buckets then you would need buckets with lids as we have had poddies jump clean out of the live bait bag when we have both lids unzipped. I catch the poddies, turn the pump on zip the lids closed chuck the bag in the car and there is no concern about water going everywhere. As for the size mack attack i will grab some measurements later, but its a decent size and at half full would probably hold about 20L of water. Edited April 8, 2012 by renegade40d Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davemmm Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 If you are going to keep poddies for any length of time don't feed them bread. Not sure if it bloats them but they end up dead a lot quicker. Every other day give them a real small amount of wheetbix and make sure the water is kept clean. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Aussie007 Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 i have seen where a bloke took home a poddy put it in hes fish tank and it stayed alive for 6 weeks i wonder if we can go out catch some livies (poddy mullet) bring them home put them into a 200L plastic drum with a airator and keep the livies alive for weeks and take them out when needed fill up your boats live bait tank toss the poddys into the livie tank drive to your boat ramp of choice than start the livie tank pump is this wishful thinking? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davemmm Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 I think this may have been posted on Fishraider a few years ago but I have seen a working one since. Use an old twin tub concrete laundry tub. Knock a hole between the two tubs and cover one side. This gives the fish a chance to swim in between the tubs and with one covered up they use it as a hiding spot and don't end up stressed. Because the tubs hold so much water you don't need to change it very regularly and the concrete keeps them reasonably cool. The bloke I saw with one had a fish tank filter and aerator system set up and claimed he could keep poddies indefinitely. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjc123 Posted April 9, 2012 Author Share Posted April 9, 2012 Thanks guys! Great stuff! Had another go this morning and got my bag limit of em! Decided to keep 7 alive in the bucket and keep the rest for fillet bait over the next few weeks. The 7 live poddies are in a 35L esky with an aerator and have been doing fine since capture (11am). I will use them tomorrow arvo so hopefully they last till then! Thanks for the advice too! Cheers, Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Aussie007 Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 Thanks guys! Great stuff! Had another go this morning and got my bag limit of em! Decided to keep 7 alive in the bucket and keep the rest for fillet bait over the next few weeks. The 7 live poddies are in a 35L esky with an aerator and have been doing fine since capture (11am). I will use them tomorrow arvo so hopefully they last till then! Thanks for the advice too! Cheers, Tom your not allowed to fillet poddy mullet your breaking the law poddy mullet under the legal mullet size must be kept alive for live bait only Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjc123 Posted April 9, 2012 Author Share Posted April 9, 2012 your not allowed to fillet poddy mullet your breaking the law poddy mullet under the legal mullet size must be kept alive for live bait only Really? I looked it up and didn't notice that.... won't do it again... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spooooled Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 your not allowed to fillet poddy mullet your breaking the law poddy mullet under the legal mullet size must be kept alive for live bait only thanks for the heads up wont do it again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
user1829 Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 Really? I looked it up and didn't notice that.... won't do it again... http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fisheries/recreational/saltwater/sw-species/poddy-mullet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjc123 Posted April 10, 2012 Author Share Posted April 10, 2012 http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fisheries/recreational/saltwater/sw-species/poddy-mullet Thanks mate, but what if the poddy mullet you keep for use of live bait die before your livebait session? Can they be used as bait then or do we have to throw them back? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Aussie007 Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 Thanks mate, but what if the poddy mullet you keep for use of live bait die before your livebait session? Can they be used as bait then or do we have to throw them back? u could explain your situation if u are using the right equipment like bait tank with areator or live bait tank with pump on a boat im sure fisheries wouldnt fine u for dead fish as they will eventually die anyway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjc123 Posted April 10, 2012 Author Share Posted April 10, 2012 u could explain your situation if u are using the right equipment like bait tank with areator or live bait tank with pump on a boat im sure fisheries wouldnt fine u for dead fish as they will eventually die anyway allright, thanks for your help mate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigbutcher Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 u could explain your situation if u are using the right equipment like bait tank with areator or live bait tank with pump on a boat im sure fisheries wouldnt fine u for dead fish as they will eventually die anyway HI There, I always keep my poddys in saltwater from the beach, not the lake (so it's clean). I do the same with live nippers I find they wont last very long in the brackish water and the ocean salt water + aerator keeps them very fresh. I often have 15-20 decent size poddys in a 20litre bucket for 24hours no dramas. Today I trapped 10 decent size poddies and I have kept them submersed in the lake with a bucket with holes through it. Hopefully they will receive enough oxygen in the bucket with holes in it to keep them for 48hours (when I am heading out off longy chasing snapper before work). Butch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Incredible Hull Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 HI There, I always keep my poddys in saltwater from the beach, not the lake (so it's clean). I do the same with live nippers I find they wont last very long in the brackish water and the ocean salt water + aerator keeps them very fresh. I often have 15-20 decent size poddys in a 20litre bucket for 24hours no dramas. Today I trapped 10 decent size poddies and I have kept them submersed in the lake with a bucket with holes through it. Hopefully they will receive enough oxygen in the bucket with holes in it to keep them for 48hours (when I am heading out off longy chasing snapper before work). Butch What sort of trap do you use? I can catch them, but I catch the tiny ones, like 5cm ones, using a juice bottle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjc123 Posted May 22, 2012 Author Share Posted May 22, 2012 What sort of trap do you use? I can catch them, but I catch the tiny ones, like 5cm ones, using a juice bottle. buy a cylindrical trap from your local tackle store. They're like 10 bucks but they work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Aussie007 Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 buy a cylindrical trap from your local tackle store. They're like 10 bucks but they work! +1 these are the traps use 100lb fishing line the line to the trap must be clear so the fish cant see it ive used rope and the fish dont go near the trap Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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