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.
Cool video from youtube.
Remember that water weighs 8lbs/gallon. You don't want to move your tank around that much from your vehicle. If you're making one from a cooler, it might be a good idea to use a cooler with wheels or strong handles.
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
Minnows are small fish. Swimming in schools along the banks and coastlines of freshwater and saltwater rivers, 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.
Contributor
By Mark Grady, eHow Contributing Writer Article Rating:
Using live bait greatly increases the likelihood of catching fish. With kayaks becoming a popular platform for fishing, it is no wonder that innovative people have come up with ways to keep bait alive on them. It is not too difficult to build a tank that will keep your bait alive and fresh. Such a tank should be used only with sit-on top kayaks that have a tank well behind the seat.
Tank Considerations - Choosing a tank is a matter of fitting it in the kayak, availability and personal choice. Some options are a 5-gallon bucket, plastic storage container or cooler. You'll need a lid on the tank to keep the bait from jumping out and to keep water from splashing on you. The tank needs to sit on the bottom of the tank well to prevent the kayak from becoming unstable from the added weight.
Plumbing - The hardware should be plastic and stainless steel to eliminate corrosion. Look for 1 1/2-inch plastic tubing, PVC fittings, stainless steel screen, stainless steel hose clamps, a small bilge pump and an adjustable flow spray head.
A T fitting must attach the plastic tubing where it enters the tank. The T should have a valve on one arm that can be opened when pumping out the tank and closed for normal operation.
Electrical - The simplest way to turn the pump on and off is to have connectors you plug in and unplug. A waterproof toggle switch available at boating centers will look nicer and be easier to use when underway.
The wires for the pump will have to be cut either way and the connections must be sealed with liquid tape.
You'll need a 12-volt battery for the pump. This should be a small and lightweight rechargeable battery. Read the pump's information for amp requirements. The battery has to be kept in a waterproof container. A waterproof plastic box attached to the tank or a dry bag will work well.
Spend a little more on the charger and get one that will shut off when the battery is charged to prevent overcharging, which will shorten battery life.
Putting it Together - Decide where you want the overflow to be. It must be high enough that you keep sufficient water in the tank for the bait. About 3 inches from the top is a good starting point. This will allow plenty of water in the tank yet far enough from the top to prevent the water from sloshing out. Put a stainless steel screen on the overflow inlet to keep the bait from being washed out of the tank.
The spray head can either be above the overflow or below it. If the spray head is above the overflow, the water will get aerated as it enters the tank, but will be noisier.
One end of the tubing will be attached to the pump and the other end will attach to the T fitting that goes through the bait tank. It needs to be long enough to allow the pump to hang in the water alongside the kayak and be put into the bait tank to pump it out at the end of the day.
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.
This looks like a decent deal. They sell you just the hardware for $19.95. I'm not sure about this though as there is some price confusion, so I can't endorse it yet. Calling the # gives you the kit for $19.95 where ordering it on the website costs $24.95.
Buyer beware,, though it does look like a sweet setup for a decent price.
How to: Making a portable bait tank
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