Our group base camps and fishes hard for 6-8 days per trip, 6-8 guys in the group. We haul a good amount of minnows and leeches in for fishing (about 4lb leeches and 8 lbs minnow mix). We typically sink the minnows and leeches in 4-8 ft of water by putting rocks in bait tamer mesh live wells. Anyone else find a better way to keep this much bait alive? Different containers?

We use the bigger of the Bait King containers that hold out leeches in camp. We call it the “leech hotel”, it has held 4 pounds of leeches on the first day of the trip. I made a slight modification so the Otters can’t get into the container. Just pinch and install in the thread area to make a simple lock. We also sink them in deep water with a length of paracord.

Wonder how many minnows the large one would hold. These would handle the waves and rock rubbing that occurs better than the mesh.

I've used a similar large size "leech locker" on trips, including several with MS/HS student groups. Held several pounds of leeches well. Never a problem with rocks or waves as it came in the canoe when traveling. Dragging in the water was more of a hinderance than I care to deal with. Would sink in water to change water at each portage. Sunk in lake at campsites when not in use. Mine screwed on very tightly so never a worry about animals opening it (sometimes on so tight was tough for adult to open). Gave it away to a group of young men on Snipe last year as I need to downsize to a smaller one.

CoachWalleye74: "Wonder how many minnows the large one would hold. These would handle the waves and rock rubbing that occurs better than the mesh. "

The larger size BaitKing is about the same size as most other plastic minnow buckets internally. Minnows need cold water, so up there its not a problem. They also need plenty of oxygen, so don’t crowd them.

Savage Voyageur: "We use the bigger of the Bait King containers that hold out leeches in camp. We call it the “leech hotel”, it has held 4 pounds of leeches on the first day of the trip. I made a slight modification so the Otters can’t get into the container. Just pinch and install in the thread area to make a simple lock. We also sink them in deep water with a length of paracord. "

Have you had otters actually unscrew the top? Or just preventive measure?

One good way to keep minnows alive is to leave them at the bait shop. A couple shad raps, swimbaits, gulp minnows and twistertails per person will do just as well. Leaches on slip bobber for some lazy fishing are certainly understandable, but live minnows?

illini79ps: "One good way to keep minnows alive is to leave them at the bait shop. A couple shad raps, swimbaits, gulp minnows and twistertails per person will do just as well. Leaches on slip bobber for some lazy fishing are certainly understandable, but live minnows?"

Hahahaha. Lots of ways to bake a cake. This will be year 29 of bwca trips and my experiences with live bait vs lures is much different than you've described. A debate for another day. We have a saying on our trips that everyone enjoys their trip in their own way.

Keeping this much bait alive and carrying it was much harder when we used to go all the way back to Alice Lake. Now we take a tow, one portage, and basecamp for a week of fishing all day each day. Get the bait fresh at 6am in air bags, keep in a cooler bag for transport (no ice...learned the hard ways years ago), and they're in the water by 11am at camp.

We used to tie the mesh bags on shore and let them float in a deeper area off the campsite. This led to the minnows getting warmer water and the waves effecting them. Now we put a few small rocks in the mesh wells and sink them to have colder water and less effect from waves. It does seem that the mesh deteriorates over the years but does a good job of holding many minnows/leeches and allowing water flow. Not sure the Bait king option provides enough advantages for the size/weight difference.

fadersup: "

Savage Voyageur: "We use the bigger of the Bait King containers that hold out leeches in camp. We call it the “leech hotel”, it has held 4 pounds of leeches on the first day of the trip. I made a slight modification so the Otters can’t get into the container. Just pinch and install in the thread area to make a simple lock. We also sink them in deep water with a length of paracord. "

Have you had otters actually unscrew the top? Or just preventive measure?
"

We had a group of 6 guys one trip, we all a yellow leech mesh bag beside where we sit in the canoes. The main bunch stayed in the big leech container on shore. We came back after a days fishing to find no leeches left. We asked the guys and all said they screwed it back on. Also the mesh screen was poked out on one side that I not seen before. Something tried opening our Leech Hotel. We had seen otters by camp, so…looks like an otter, behaves like an otter…
Anyway this fix will prevent future thievery of tasty leeches.

I've had leeches stolen twice from my leech locker overnight while in camp (I assume by otters) so I devised this solution.