i want to go fishing at lake livingston monday or something and then the next do fish a little on the trinity,i figured i could catch some perch and shad at livingston and then the next day fish with them.
so my question is do i need to do anything special to keep them alive and can i keep them in the same container?
i have an old igloo cooler put an airator in

The perch should be no trouble, but you will likely have trouble keeping the shad alive that way especially if you mix them. i would keep the perch in your airated ice chest and put the shad in a zip lock and keep them on ice.

Perch will probably be fine in the setup you described. Shad, probably not. I've never heard of anyone keeping shad alive longer than about 12 hours max. Maybe if you had a gigantic, 100 gallon plus, tank with a current machine for them to swim against? I don't know if even that would work.

However just let the shad die and cut them up into bait size pieces right before you fish them. If only one night old they will still be plenty oily and fresh for catfish.

That's my .02 anyway

I used to have a big 300 gallon tote at the house I kept bait in, shad didn't even live in that thing.

Perch can be kept a long time. I have kept perch for several months in either the big tote or 55 gal plastic drums just find something to feed them and change the water every so often with a good aerator and keep them in the shade and you will be fine.

Even if some of them die, they could still make good bait for blues, while the ones that stay alive could be good for flatheads.

ok thanks,i'll keep my perch alive and my shad in the fridge.
i lost my throw net last time so i got to buy a new one ugh...

The PH of perch will kill shad in a live well.

Make sure you put your shad in an oval/round tank, if you put them in a square one they will die much faster. I freeze water/milk jugs and use them as big ice blocks, drop one in their with em...add a little peroxide..when that ice block melts add another, try to keep the water cool and you can keep shad alive for DAYS!

The one way that i have had any success keeping shad alive was keeping them in their own bucket and constantly changing the water out. When i was bait catching, i would stick them in a bucket, drain and refill right before i left, then drained and refilled when i got home and hoped like crazy that they lasted the night. sometimes they did, and sometimes i had only a few, but i agree with the above, it is easier and less work to just toss them straight onto ice and use them as dead bait.

the igloo i have is a round one,its one you put water in and you have a nozzle to get water to drink.
i added rope handle a bungie cord to hold the lid down and a airator.
i'll just keep the shad on ice,its sounds better and the perch in the igloo.i gotta catch them first though
i dont suppose i would could catch a flathead fishing at night at the state park could i?

also how would i hook a perch,and what kind of hook should i use?
i have some #7 catmaxx circles,would that be good enough?

I hook mine over the eyes or across the back behind the dorsal fin I guess.

Don't put too much bait on a circle hook, if you overload them you will miss a lot of hookups.

thanks

Be sure to use lake water for perch, don't use water from a water hose

got it