# Can you keep mullet alive ??



## livin2fish5 (Jan 8, 2009)

Does anyone use live mullet ? I've been finding schools with my cast net latly and catching tons of nice finger mullet and some a little bigger , i was wondering if anyone keeps them for longer periods then just the day there fishing .....


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## Lightload (Nov 30, 2007)

I've kept them alive for a week in a cube shaped 48qt cooler. But you can't crowd them too much, you have to have a good aerator AND you have to change the water at least once a day.


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## Puppy Mullet (Dec 5, 2003)

I keep them in my toilet tank with the eels, crabs, crawdads etc..

Just hope the wifey never lifts the top off that thing!!

Drain and flush them, drain and flush. (this part is true)


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

Yep, they're pretty hardy. Like they said don't overcrowd them, a large cooler will help, and keep them cool. Also they'll need saltwater every few days, and an aerator wouldn't hurt.


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## BubbaHoTep (May 26, 2008)

Lightload said:


> I've kept them alive for a week in a cube shaped 48qt cooler. But you can't crowd them too much, you have to have a good aerator AND you have to change the water at least once a day.


Bingo.

Changing the water and a good aerator are the keys - not one of those little air stone things, which are fine for a day or so, but over the long haul, lightload is on the money here.


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## troutfishr (Nov 30, 2005)

*Keeping mullet alive*

I know of two guys around here who catch them late in the season and use live bait all winter. I asked one how he did it and he showed me, In addition to an aerator, he uses a recirculating pump that keeps the water moving in an old bath tub in his garage. only changes water once a month. It does work. Bought the pump from Cabellas.


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## DarkSkies (Aug 16, 2008)

livintofish, all good advice given here. I set up a bait tank in my basement where I keep eels or mullet depending on the season. I use freshwater but put salt in it, which keeps down on the parasitic diseases when fish are held tpgether for a long time. If you have well water as opposed to city water, your fish will last longer. A pond pump with a good circulator is a must like these guys said. 

I didn't spend a lot on mine, I used a poly 55 gallon drum, cut to 3/4 height, and cut the holes for the drain on the bottom, which I think I used 1" pvc tubing for as the drain, and auto water line black rubber hose to vent the drain at the bottom together with a petcock where I drain it into the basement sump. You can put something like that ogether ina few hours if you're handy. 

Here's a tutorial I posted somewhere else:
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=1424

I would also say that I have found mullet a lot easier to keep alive than bunker using a standard 5 gal bucket (or the 7 gallons, I like them a little taller). The trick for me is I use a few aerators wwhen I bring it to a bulkhead or bridge to fish. Make sure you have enough batteries in case your batteries give oiut.

I drilled about 50 holes in the top sides, and have a screw on lidtogether with a sturdy rope, so I can plop it down in the water whenenve needed to get fresh water.

If you make something like that, post it here and let us see how it turns out. Hope this helps.


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## shb (May 1, 2007)

My friend has a house on a canal connected to the ICW, he has a big (2X2) square cage that looks like a crab trap with out any trapping appartatus on or in it. I just keep the mullets in that cage and hang it underwater off the dock.


I had good luck catching them by stuffing the bait holder of a crab trap full of Old Roys dog food. Or by chumming with cheap dog food and then castnetting later in the day.

has any caught mullet like that before?


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