# Keeping Skipjack Alive



## spc7669 (Apr 15, 2015)

I fish out of a Towee so a large bait tank is a no go. Skipjack won’t live in a 5 gallon bucket even for a little while. Has anyone used a floating mesh bait bag or anything else that works?
Striper season is here and I’d like to solve this problem.


----------



## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Throw them on the deck of the boat as hard as you can, they’ll live longer than they will in a livewell.


----------



## Mako 181 (May 1, 2020)

You can put a "Black Cat" up their ass and light it.....Works just as well as throwing them on the deck.


----------



## spc7669 (Apr 15, 2015)

You guys are as useful as a politician in an ethics class.


----------



## Chasntuna (Mar 21, 2016)

Being they have to have alot of water flowing through their gills, "tuna tubes" are about the only way to keep them alive. They're vertical where the bait stands upside down with forced water coming up the bottom.


----------



## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

Actually.. there is a way to keep them frisky- without a bait well. Make up two bait lines , one for each side of your boat, using small hooks (three or for for each line, set about twice as far apart as the length of your baits - not so long that one line can reach the other…)

Your first livie goes on the farthest hook - then back up the line towards your skiff until you have three or four baits swimming beside and under your skiff. Then fill the other line if you can.

To use them reverse the process taking the closest bait each time…. As you can guess, it’s a PITA keeping bait alive this way - but it is do-able…


----------



## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

Forgot to mention.. I learned how to tether baits (as noted above) on standard sized charterboats that had livewells that wouldn't support constant swimmers (like speedos, bullets, and skippies). That's why if you ever have a choice, a circular live well is always best to keep a variety of baits live and kicking....

The only downside of tethering baits on a small skiff is that you might just attract something really large and hungry - right up alongside or under your skiff. Some days the adventure factor might just be a bit more than you're looking for (like the day, while hook and lining my old SeaCraft - miles offshore, when a small great white came up and checked me out....). On that occasion my first response was to move so that my center console was between me and that critter.... I was very glad when it decided there was nothing it wanted... In my Maverick the most excitement I've had in a while was the day along the Gulf coast of the Everglades that a medium sized tiger shark did the same thing... At around 11' long it got our attention...


----------



## spc7669 (Apr 15, 2015)

lemaymiami said:


> Forgot to mention.. I learned how to tether baits (as noted above) on standard sized charterboats that had livewells that wouldn't support constant swimmers (like speedos, bullets, and skippies). That's why if you ever have a choice, a circular live well is always best to keep a variety of baits live and kicking....
> 
> The only downside of tethering baits on a small skiff is that you might just attract something really large and hungry - right up alongside or under your skiff. Some days the adventure factor might just be a bit more than you're looking for (like the day, while hook and lining my old SeaCraft - miles offshore, when a small great white came up and checked me out....). On that occasion my first response was to move so that my center console was between me and that critter.... I was very glad when it decided there was nothing it wanted... In my Maverick the most excitement I've had in a while was the day along the Gulf coast of the Everglades that a medium sized tiger shark did the same thing... At around 11' long it got our attention...


I already thought of that. 6 skippies swimming beside the boat could make for seriously interesting trip if you passed over an active school of stripers.


----------



## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

That’s a lot of BS to go through to keep bait alive. I’d imagine you’d be fooling with bait more than fishing.


----------



## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

Worth doing when you’re hunting big offshore fish (marlin, tuna, wahoo, etc) or when tournament fishing years and years ago when most bait wells were still square and your baits would die off on you…

Remember as well that it’s the mate’s job to keep baits in good condition (and everyone else was fishing except me and the guy running the boat…).


----------



## finbully (Jan 26, 2013)

A mesh bag is not going to work. Tuna tubes are what me and my long range buddies have used for decades. You'll need the tubes and a high volume pump to keep them alive. They don't do good in ANY bait tanks. They won't take any more room than the 5 gallon bucket the OP mentioned. I would love to see tuna tubes mounted on a Towee!!!


----------



## spc7669 (Apr 15, 2015)

I was tabulating the price for the tuna tubes. I think I’ll just stick to catching them, putting them on the hook, and repeating til all rods are baited. Thanks for the info from everyone. I wasn’t sure it was a doable project anyway.


----------

