I’ve been trying to find a way to keep my menhaden alive overnight so that I can just stock up on bait the day before fishing. I was thinking about buying a bait pen but have never used one before. Anybody have any tips/ideas or know where I can buy a decent bait pen?
I would say keeping them alive in anything other than an acre, round tank that has a million dollar filtration system is (**() near impossible. Those things die if you look at them wrong. What are you using them for…??
Haha you ain’t kidding Redstripe, all I keep reading about is people using huge 40-60 gallon baits wells that weigh like 350 lbs. I use them (and whiting) for cobia, redfish, and offshore bottom fishing. I heard that ice works well but I can’t imagine that’s the “magic solution” to keeping pogies alive.
Greenies would probably stay alive longer than pogies.
Striped bass anglers regularly use 30 to 50 gallon aerated, insulated bait tanks to keep blue back herring alive and healthy for several days. However, the trick is to change the water after the fish have purged themselves of waste, plus keep the tank from 60 degrees to no more than 68 degrees (F). When using freshwater, rock salt or sea salt is added…using about 1 cup per 30 gallons plus a commercial bait saver product (mostly to negate clorine).
I used to keep greenies and menhaden in my 40 gal Ron Vest bait tank. As TennentJr said, greenies are much easier to keep overnight. Menhaden are much “dirtier” (more poop per gallon 
) plus have more delicate slime layers. I would gradually cool the seawater down with frozen jugs, but I always let the fish purge themselves and changed the water at least once first.
All in all…a lot of trouble and time consuming.
The bait pens are a much better alternative, although you are likely to lose some overnight anyway. This one is one of the best…around $265 with shipping:
This is their smaller version good for muddies & shrimp…$130 with shipping
Thanks, wildlifesc
Its prolly easier to just catch them every time you fish…ha…We saw a big school off MI today.