How to: Making a portable bait tank
G asked me about this so I decided to post up some resources for him and all of you. There are several ways to go about it depending on what your needs are and how you will use it.
Budget bait coolers:
This is for the shore based fishermen who don't have the money to buy a custom bait cooler, or the guys who want to make a small portable cooler.
5 gal bucket
The simplest portable ones are 5 gal buckets with battery aerators. That's what I use when I'm creepin around the concrete and have to be mobile. Sometimes the 5 gals is way too small. For that reason I have an 8 gal, and usually carry 2 buckets with me. Nothing is more googanish than going to the trouble to get live bait and then having it die on you.
That being said, here are the ways I usually go about solving a problem like this:
1. What are my bait objectives?
2. What is the primary bait I will be dealing with?
3. Where will I be fishing?
4. Do I have a source of constant salt water handy to change out the ammonia and waste, or will that be difficult?
5. How much bait do I need at one time (that's why I sometimes have 2 bait buckets, keeping the bulk of the bait hidden somewhere accessible in deeper water.)
6. How involved does this need to be?
Simple is best, and different answers to the above will cause you to design or set up different systems.
How to make a minnow tank
You can use this for your leftovers at the end of the day or bring it around with you, depending on the size you choose.
How to Make a Minnow Bait Tank
By Charlie Rainer Gaston
http://cdn-www.trails.com/Cms/images...shing_Full.jpg
Minnows are small fish. Swimming in schools along the banks and coastlines of freshwater and saltwater rivershttp://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/2_bing.gif, lakes and ponds, minnows are prey to larger fish such as the bluegill and largemouth bass. Minnows are easy to store in a tank and can be kept alive if housed in the right environment and under the correct conditions.
Instructions
Difficulty: Moderate
Things You’ll Need:
- Holding tank
- Water tank lid
- Drill and drill bit
- Spigot-style drain
- Epoxy
- Hose
- Aerator
- Bubbler
Step 1
Purchase a bait-holding tank with at least a 20-gallon capacity. Situate the tank in a kitchen or bathroom where a facet and an electrical outlet is available.
Step 2
Use a drill bit to drill a hole and install a drain. Mark the bottom of the tank and drill the hole. Install a spigot-type drain plug in the hole. Seal the drain plug with epoxy. Allow to the epoxy dry before continuing.
Step 3
Run a standard water tank hose from the drain to the bait tank. Fill the tank with water. Adjust the water output so the right ratio of cold to hot water is used. (Use a thermometer to check the temperature if necessary.) Once the tank is filled, it is not necessary to continually check the water temperature. It can remain at room temperature, which is generally around 75 degrees F.
Step 4
Install an aerator to oxygenate the water. Place the aerator pump inside the tank and allow the hose to hang over the side of the tank. This will allow the system to draw in air through the hose. Tank aerators generally operate silently and are small in size.
Step 5
Attach a bubbler to the inside of the tank. Bubblers create turbulence and current, which minimize stress and may increase the lifespan of your minnows.
Step 6
Cover the tank with a water tank lid, which is available at pet stores, filter stores and online.
http://www.trails.com/how_35634_minnow-bait-tank.html
Feedback about aerators and cooler setup
Bear in mind that if you do this a lot you have to figure out a way to use batteries efficiently.
That's one of the biggest challenges I faced, and now I look for aerators which use regular d or c batteries. A car battery is the most efficient. At one time I was using a motorcyle battery as well and found that to be great for an all-day trip. Once you start using car batteries, you want the deep cycle marine battery types. You have to ask yourself what the reward to weight tradeoff is, and if it's worth it to drag all that extra weight along.
Some comments from others:
Those aerators work well I have one that runs for 3 or 4 all night trips with one set of cheap dollar store batteries. I get about 10 more hours out of premium batteries,but can buy four sets of the cheap ones for the same price as one set of premiums,so you get many more hrs. of use for the same money.
I just hang mine on the clips on back from a bungee wrapped around the bucket I use but recently purchased a bunch of five gallon bait bucket lids from ebay with a snap open lid and hole for hose and clip hanger onthe side,
I'm building a new one for bait gathering out of a 120 quart 5 day cooler and a 12 volt extra boat areator with a powerbar style spray bar,can plug it in on the pickup,van,car, boat,camper,etc.
Gonna try to rig it up so that I can flip a valve to either fill,empty or recirculate the water,the idea being to drop a hose in the water and suck the tank full without having to move it by hand then recirculate the water while bait is present then toss a hose out on the ground and flip the valve to empty it,then carry the empty cooler into the garage for storage or till needed again.
