Any of you guys gather your own minnows for the ice season? What's needed to keep them alive through the winter?

I'm sure a little fish tank w/filter would work just fine.

 I trap my own bait every year for ice fishing. I usually end up with around 2000. I keep mine in a bait box I built in my friends brook. You could also keep a bait box in local pond or lake. Check the bait laws in your state. Laws very different from state to state. Keeping them outside has several advantages, doesn't cost any money, no upkeep such as cleaning, and they are already acclimated to outside conditions.  I have attempted to keep them inside.  It is costly and time consuming. You have to clean the tank periodically, pay for the lights, pay for filtration pumps, possibly even feed them, and when you want to use them you have to properly cool them down from an indoor environment to an outdoor environment.

 I trap my own bait every year for ice fishing. I usually end up with around 2000. I keep mine in a bait box I built in my friends brook. You could also keep a bait box in local pond or lake. Check the bait laws in your state. Laws very different from state to state. Keeping them outside has several advantages, doesn't cost any money, no upkeep such as cleaning, and they are already acclimated to outside conditions.  I have attempted to keep them inside.  It is costly and time consuming. You have to clean the tank periodically, pay for the lights, pay for filtration pumps, possibly even feed them, and when you want to use them you have to properly cool them down from an indoor environment to an outdoor environment.

This is the way to do it. Great post.