DIY portable live bait tank cost $46

[Guest Guest123456789]

Here are the materials I used:

*15 litre round cooler drink jug $25

*jarvis walker portable aerator $13

*wire basket $2

*2 x 316 stainless 30mm m4 bolts and nuts $2

* 4 x 316 stainless spring washers $1

* about $3 worth of adhesive (pref sikaflex but I had some leftover liquid nails)

I removed the drink nozzle and bogged it up with liquid nails. I also removed the handle. I also removed the metal clip from the aerator and drilled 2 x 5mm holes in the front face for the bolts.

The lid is screw on. The chiller is foam insulated.

Should keep a small amount of bait going, when I need a livey or to change the water the wire basket simply lifts out. 

 

 

 

Edited January 29, 2021 by Guest123456789
Typo

[Green Hornet]

Looks good.

You may find you need a breather hole in the lid, as pressure from the aerator will build up and stop it working efficiently.

In my landbased game days we used large Nally buckets, drilled a small hole in the lid and fitted about 100mm of aerator hose, 50mm above and 50 under the lid. That way water can still slosh around in the tank, but won't spill out of the tube. 

[Guest Guest123456789]

Thanks @Green Hornet im going to drill two breather holes now in the lid.

water wont seep from the aerator tube its a firm fit and up high in the tank anyway.

[Green Hornet]

1 hour ago, flatheadluke said:

Thanks @Green Hornet im going to drill two breather holes now in the lid.

water wont seep from the aerator tube its a firm fit and up high in the tank anyway.

Yeah, I didn’t mean the tube to your aerator. I meant the tube you put in the lid. 

I used to drive around 30km from where I got my yakkas, then down some pretty rough tracks with a full bucket and wouldn’t spill a drop.

[Guest Guest123456789]

5 minutes ago, Green Hornet said:

Yeah, I didn’t mean the tube to your aerator. I meant the tube you put in the lid. 

I used to drive around 30km from where I got my yakkas, then down some pretty rough tracks with a full bucket and wouldn’t spill a drop.

Tube is in the tank not the lid. I’ve not done anything to the lid in the photo. The circles on the lid is how it was built - might be drink holders.

[noelm]

The metal basket inside will probably knock the bait around, once their scales come off, they die fast, and if they go all sad looking, they don't work anywhere near as good as a fresh bait, with scales and protective slime still intact.

[Guest Guest123456789]

41 minutes ago, noelm said:

The metal basket inside will probably knock the bait around, once their scales come off, they die fast, and if they go all sad looking, they don't work anywhere near as good as a fresh bait, with scales and protective slime still intact.

We shall see but I suspect you’re wrong.

[noelm]

Years ago we used to keep bait in those tall round washing baskets, made out of plastic "mesh" most baits would be dead or looked like they were "second hand", we changed to putting smooth sided drums, with lots of holes drilled in it, and the baits were like new the next day. Strangely enough, the basket/drum had to have floats around the top to keep it on the surface (with a lead weight in the bottom) if the whole lot was under water, they died every time!

edit....I should add, we kept ours tied to a mooring over night in the harbour.

Edited January 29, 2021 by noelm

[Fab1]

Very nice mate.Love it!! Your baits will be bigger than my fish.

[Guest Guest123456789]

13 minutes ago, Fab1 said:

Very nice mate.Love it!! Your baits will be bigger than my fish.

Thanks Fab.
 

It does look big in the photo but it’s really compact, only 15 litres, 250 wide and about 400 deep. Not even as wide as most legal fish.

I wanted a smaller one cos it will be placed at the transom starboard side yet still leave me space to place my feet next to it when sitting on the bench seat fishing from the back of the boat. I had a 30 litre esky as a bait tank before and it took up the whole space

[Fab1]

15 minutes ago, flatheadluke said:

Thanks Fab.
 

It does look big in the photo but it’s really compact, only 15 litres, 250 wide and about 400 deep. Not even as wide as most legal fish.

I wanted a smaller one cos it will be placed at the transom starboard side yet still leave me space to place my feet next to it when sitting on the bench seat fishing from the back of the boat. I had a 30 litre esky as a bait tank before and it took up the whole space

I have a Barrel here that would make a good tank.50cm x 30cm.

[Fab1]

My live bait tank.😂🤣😂

[Fab1]

I even have homemade downrigger balls made from white metal.

What for I don't know.

[Guest Guest123456789]

That barrel would make a great plumbed live bait tank.

[Fab1]

1 hour ago, flatheadluke said:

That barrel would make a great plumbed live bait tank.

I know.It would sit nicely in the boat.I've never caught live bait except nippers.I made a mullet trap to have a crack to see what happens.

 I've always bought live bait like beach worms and pumped yabbies a few times but generally(Like 99.9% ) of the time buy bait.

[Fab1]

A bit off topic but do I just submerge this trap in the shallows laced with bread or bread crumbs for bait like mullet?

 Trap I made and have lead weight and name tag not pictured.

[Guest Guest123456789]

3 hours ago, Fab1 said:

A bit off topic but do I just submerge this trap in the shallows laced with bread or bread crumbs for bait like mullet?

 Trap I made and have lead weight and name tag not pictured.

That will do it @Fab1

The hole - they might swim out as easily as they swim in. You can cut a big cross then push the sides in so the flaps create a bit of a tunnel (kind of a non return valve). That plastic might not be suitable - a clear 2 litre juice bottle works well. 

 

[Guest Guest123456789]

@Fab1 what you could do is fashion a clear cylinder (diameter a few mm less than your hole) with a square footing. The footing you could affix to the lid with contact adhesive. 

[Fab1]

7 minutes ago, flatheadluke said:

@Fab1 what you could do is fashion a clear cylinder (diameter a few mm less than your hole) with a square footing. The footing you could affix to the lid with contact adhesive. 

I'll make one up later as it will be a shed day for me today. 

[Guest Guest123456789]

Bit off topic @Fab1 bit check out the coffee bar I made recently. Using a piece of dressed pine that I then painted white.

 

[Guest Guest123456789]

13 hours ago, noelm said:

Years ago we used to keep bait in those tall round washing baskets, made out of plastic "mesh" most baits would be dead or looked like they were "second hand", we changed to putting smooth sided drums, with lots of holes drilled in it, and the baits were like new the next day. Strangely enough, the basket/drum had to have floats around the top to keep it on the surface (with a lead weight in the bottom) if the whole lot was under water, they died every time!

edit....I should add, we kept ours tied to a mooring over night in the harbour.

I just inspected the wire basket. It’s tightly woven and plastic coated - very gentle on the skin I can’t see it removing scales on a bait but we will see.
 

It will float which as you mentioned might be a good thing. I guess when the fish hits the side there is a bit of give and less pressure on their skin. If a floating basket is no good a 4oz sinker should keep it in position.

If it doesn’t work I will exchange it for one of those small prawn nets so I can just pour the tank out into that - also costs about the same.

Edited January 29, 2021 by Guest123456789
Typo

[Guest Guest123456789]

Plenty of room for the tootsies 

[Guest Guest123456789]

@noelm you’re right the basket is getting exchanged for the prawn net. Tank is small as is - I don’t want to make it even smaller.

[Guest Guest123456789]

Tank leaked, both outside the tank and into the aerator housing (lucky it was fresh water). 

I replaced 5mm spring washers with 4mm spring washers. I also made a seal washer from white electrical tape folded over a few times which the bolt was pushed through a small hole. I also added some plumbers tape to the thread of the bolt. She is water tight now.

 

 

Edited January 29, 2021 by Guest123456789
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[zmk1962]

Hey Luke,

I see you have wood working skills as well. I was thinking you could knock up a plywood base to raise the bait tank so that you could plumb a large hose that goes straight over the side (put mesh or plastic grill over the hose outlet at the tank so the livies don't get jammed there) You could then change the water simply by pouring in fresh water with a bucket  - the excess would flow over the side. You would not have to worry about lifting out a basket or net. The raised plywood base would also give you extra room underneath the tank for your feet.

Something like this quick sketch.

Cheers Zoran