Live Bait Tank Suggestions

[spence]

Hi all,

I fish from a tinnie in the harbour. I use a small live bait net for my livies which is okay but is no good when travelling/trolling.

I have a good quality bilge pump not being used and am wondering if any resourcefull fisho's can give me some suggestions on making a live bait tank. The ones I have looked at in the shops are expensive and only aerate the water (don't re-circulate) thanks rod

[Central coast Mariner]

I used an old esky, with the bilge pumping from the inlet (which I just drop over the transom when using) running thru the top of the esky and an outlet pipe (twice the size of the inlet) at the level I want it to drain from (this runs out over the transom too).

I have to have the top of the tank above the boat so gravity get the water out for me.

I just connected the bilge to a ciggie lighter adapter and plug it in when I want it on!

She works a treat on the yakkas (they last all day), but haven't tried it on the squid yet.

Just secure the esky with ocky straps or such! its fun fishing all the yakkas out of the bottom of the boat when you stop a bit too quick!!

Nice and cheap and works well for me!

Edited February 5, 2009 by Central coast mariner

[leatherjacket]

Central coast mariner,

That is a v.good post and I have a similar system where a scarper picks up sea water while we are moving and the velocity gets it over the transom and centrifuge force splashes it into the 20ltr live bait bucket. Then there is a out-flow valve over the transom.

When the inkers mess up the bucket they are transferred into another! And I empty and change the water.

I decided not to use a battery, but I am considering adding a 9volt to the system to increase efficiency and remove the second 20ltr bucket. The negative being weight in a dingy.

Cheers,

Andrew

Edited February 5, 2009 by leatherjacket

[gregg.michael]

Thanks for the advice mariner,

I'm setting up a similar system to the one you described at the moment.

Having the esky above the waterline is something I hadn't thought of, as

was strapping it so it doesn't slip!

I'm taking a 40 litre esky and running some tubing through the lid to an old

fishtank filter outlet. the long cylindrical type that has holes all along its length.

This has been affixed to the underside of the lid and is fastened with some cable ties

connected to a small plastic mount for slipping the ties through.

It is powered by a 250 gph pump that was originally a simple live bait aeration system.

I have tamped with it so that it is now connected to my 'in' line. It has plastic suction cups on

the underside so I intend to simply stick the pump to the transom when stationary.

I inherited the esky from a mate because there is a significant crack in the top layer of the lid. It

doesn't affect the vessel being watertight - infact it made tapping into the esky easier.

so all up this live bait tank has cost me 29.95 for the pump, and about fifty cents for the cable tie mount.

Can't wait to get it up and running. Got all the ides from fishraider. And people like you CentralCoastMariner.

thanks

time to pimp my tinnie

Mike

P.sill post some before and after picks in the boating section when I'm done.

[Central coast Mariner]

The only problem ive found is the ciggie lighter adapter I put on the end of the pump, is starting to rust...

Took me a little while to get it positioned on the boat right, when youre comfy everything works, seal up the outlet to make sure no water leaks into your boat.

Happy live-baiting!

[spence]

Thanks for that guys they are good idea's and I'll probably do something like that.

I was looking in the shops at large round water containers - they might decrease any sloshing of the water and keep the livies from getting sloshed and sick? I think the containers are tall enough so they could sit on the floor and be higher than the edge of my tinnie (quintrex explorer - which has low sides). They also have a small tap style outlet valve at the base which would make it easy to get the water out.

Also what about a pump that sucks the other way? Could it be mounted in the esky with a simple hose over the transom to pull the water in and a gravity fed release hose over the side?

Edited February 5, 2009 by spence69

[tide'n'knots]

I have a cigarette lighter socket in my boat attatched to the rear seat upside down with gaffer tape covering the exposed side and so far no rust problems!

[spence]

Good idea, i will look at a cigarette lighter type or similar, I might even put an on off switch in. I run a good quality deep cycle battery for the electric motor so I think it will handle running a small pump, but I think having read all the comments I will mount the pump in the esky/container although I may have to manually add some water unless I can get one that runs dry. I will have a hose over the transom and an outlet valve over the side. thanks for your help, spence

[Danielsan]

Hi all,

I fish from a tinnie in the harbour. I use a small live bait net for my livies which is okay but is no good when travelling/trolling.

I have a good quality bilge pump not being used and am wondering if any resourcefull fisho's can give me some suggestions on making a live bait tank. The ones I have looked at in the shops are expensive and only aerate the water (don't re-circulate) thanks rod

Hey mate. I use the esky scenario. not ideal, but it works, and you can get something of a watertight seal when moving to stop to much water splashing out. Yakkas are pretty hardy so consider the humble water cooler. you can get them on various sizes to suit the boat, and they're not expensive. a portable aerator will be enough to keep them alive, AND because they're insulated, it maintains the temp of the water really well. On top oif all that, they can be sat upon, locked down and fished around...not big tank to negotiate when hooked up!

You can plumb them easily to attach a bilge to supply fresh water to the tank, and have an outflow where the tap attachment is...

I'm putting on in my boat this week!

Cheers

Dan