Hey there, fellow anglers! I’ve been in the fishing game for quite a while now, and lemme tell you – keeping live shrimp alive can be tricky business. But don’t worry, I’m gonna share some game-changing tips that’ll help you keep those little critters kicking longer.
Why Your Shrimp Keep Dying (And How to Fix It!)
Before we dive deep into the solutions, let’s be real – we’ve all been there. You buy a bunch of live shrimp, and before you know it, they’re floating belly up. It’s frustrating and expensive! But after learning from bait shop pros like Stanley Sevin from Bait House Seafood, I’ve picked up some serious knowledge that I’m excited to share with y’all.
The 4 Golden Rules of Keeping Live Shrimp
1. Your Livewell Setup Matters (Like, A Lot!)
Listen up, cause this is important! Your livewell setup can make or break your bait game. Here’s what you need to know
- Color Matters: Forget white livewells! Go for gray instead. Why? Because Louisiana shrimp are used to muddy waters – it’s their natural habitat!
- Size Formula: Follow this simple rule – 10 shrimp per gallon of water. So if you’re using a 5-gallon bucket, don’t stuff more than 50 shrimp in there!
- DIY Hack: Add a divider mesh or screen to:
- Break up wave action while your boat’s moving
- Give shrimp something to hold onto
- Reduce stress on your bait
Pro Tip:
I’ve seen folks use old window screens as dividers – works like a charm! Just make sure it’s clean and rust-free.
2. The Temperature Game
Temperature control is super crucial! Here’s what works best:
- Keep water temp about 15 degrees cooler than the fishing water
- DON’T use regular ice (contains chlorine – big no-no!)
- DO freeze bottles of canal or bayou water the night before
- Monitor temps regularly throughout your trip
3. Oxygen: The Life-Blood of Live Bait
Here’s something most folks get wrong – they keep adding new water thinking it helps. But check this out:
- Bad Practice: Constantly adding new surface water
- Why It’s Bad: Surface water is:
- Usually warmer
- Lower in oxygen
- Can stress your shrimp
Instead, focus on:
- Recirculating existing water
- Using a good aerator
- Maintaining consistent oxygen levels
4. Don’t Overcrowd Your Live Well
Y’all, this is where most people mess up! Here’s the magic formula:
10 shrimp : 1 gallon of waterSo for different container sizes
- 5-gallon bucket = 50 shrimp max
- 10-gallon livewell = 100 shrimp max
- 20-gallon livewell = 200 shrimp max
Extra Tips for Success
- Morning Purchases: Try to buy your shrimp early in the morning when they’re freshest
- Transport Tips:
- Keep your container in a shaded spot
- Avoid sudden temperature changes
- Don’t slam your boat or move containers roughly
- Water Quality:
- Change about 25% of water every few hours
- Remove any dead shrimp immediately
- Keep container clean
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Look, we all make mistakes, but these are some big ones I see all the time:
- ❌ Using tap water
- ❌ Overcrowding the container
- ❌ Letting water get too warm
- ❌ Using regular ice
- ❌ Not having proper aeration
My Personal Setup
I’ve tried pretty much everything over the years, but here’s what works best for me:
- 5-gallon bucket with:
- Custom mesh divider
- Battery-powered aerator
- Pre-frozen bayou water bottles
- Gray-painted interior
- Secure lid with air holes
FAQ: Your Burning Questions Answered
Q: How long can live shrimp typically survive?
A: With proper care, they can last 2-3 days, but for best results, use them within 24 hours.
Q: Can I use my baitwell for both shrimp and other bait?
A: Yes, but clean it thoroughly between different types of bait to prevent contamination.
Q What’s the best container for transporting live shrimp?A A 5-gallon bucket with proper aeration works great for most recreational anglers
The Bottom Line
Keeping live shrimp alive ain’t rocket science, but it does require some attention to detail. Follow these tips, and you’ll see a huge difference in how long your bait stays lively and active. Remember, healthy bait = better fishing!
Hope these tips help y’all catch more fish! If you’ve got any questions or your own tips to share, drop ’em in the comments below. Tight lines, everyone!
Would you like me to explain or break down any part of this article in more detail?
What Are You Using To Keep Shrimp Alive?
One big mistake that anglers make when trying to keep shrimp alive is to use a regular bucket. You can certainly take a regular bucket and modify it to work. It is much easier to just buy a shrimp aerator or filter bucket. It is also important that your shrimp bucket be clean before you use it – every time you use it. When you have a designated shrimp bucket, you tend to use it only for shrimp which cuts down on many pathogens that may kill the shrimp.
- Adding ice directly to the bucket is a common mistake.
- Not cleaning the bucket well enough before you add the water and the shrimp
- Not keeping the bucket out of the sun while you fish
- Adding too many shrimp to the bucket, especially with an aerator.
How To Keep Shrimp Alive Longer
Like all living organisms, there are parameters that must be met to keep shrimp alive. Those are:
- Plenty of air
- The right water temperature
When you take shrimp out of the water and put them in a bucket or a Livewell, you are putting them into an artificial environment. That means you have to manage the environment to create one that sustains life, even if it is for a short while as you fish. Here’s some more on how to do that.
- Limit How Many Shrimp You Put in Your Bucket or Livewell – For three gallons of water Keep no more than about 18-shrimp. For five gallons of water keep no more than 24 shrimp. Too many shrimp deplete oxygen and foul the water. When the water is dirty it kills the shrimp. Live shrimp is a better bait option over dead shrimp – though both will catch fish.
- Add Oxygen – Warm water holds less oxygen than cold water. Because the shrimp are in a bucket, the water will warm quickly. To counter the loss of oxygen, use a bubbler. There are battery-operated bubblers that will aerate the water for you. As an alternative, there are flow-through shrimp buckets that you drop into the ocean where you are fishing. The tidal pressure forces water through the bucket so you don’t have to worry about an aerator.
- Use a Shrimp bucket – Unless your Livewell is small you probably want to go with a special bucket for live shrimp. They make them. They are set up to hold an aerator. Plus, they are small enough that you don’t have to hunt for shrimp.
- Use small ice packs to regulate the water temperature. If the water is too cold or too warm the shrimp will die. By using small ice packs or even small amounts of frozen water in a bottle or container, you can keep the water in the bucket just right. Do not add ice directly to the water. It will shock the shrimp and cause them to die. It also will melt and dilute the water in the bucket. Saltwater shrimp need salt water and if you add ice to the bucket, it will drop the ratio of salt to the water.
- Limit the time you have the shrimp in the bucket – On the way to go fishing, pick up your live shrimp from the bait store. Trying to keep them overnight is a hassle. By limiting the amount of time you have the shrimp, you stand better odds of getting to the fishing spot with live shrimp.
- Keep it Shrimp Only – The shrimp bucket is for shrimp. Don’t put anything else in there. Not only do you risk your shrimp becoming a meal for other things in the bucket, but those other things will use up oxygen and pollute the water, both of which put your live shrimp at risk of dying.