Smaller, more portable bait tank?

Frank O · 09-06-2008, 08:42 PM

When I bought my 21' Boston Whaler a couple of years back, it came with a removable baitwell that bolts onto the deck and is fed by a water pump on the stern:

A lot of times, this is a lot of baitwell to be putting onto the boat. I can see that if we're going out for a full day of serious fishing it'd be worth it, but a lot of times I just want a little live bait for a quick session on one of the local reefs ... and that baitwell takes up a lot of deck space, competing with dive equipment and other gear ... not to mention the weight of the water it holds.

Has anybody found a smaller, more portable bait tank that works well enough when you just want a little live bait? Would sticking an aerator in a bucket work?

Carnivore · 09-06-2008, 10:28 PM

LiveBaitLarry.com, Live Bait and Fishing Products Has some smaller bait tanks that might help. If you are looking for even smaller then some of home made set ups for Kayaks could work for ya. I made one out of a igloo cooler and the kayak board has some ideas too if you do a search.

Frank O · 09-07-2008, 06:03 AM

Thanks, sounds like some good ideas to check out. BTW that tank that came with my boat was made by Larry's old company, Kodiak, when he used to own it. One of the hose fittings on the tank was broken, so I took it up to his place in Simi Valley and he fixed it while I waited for not very much. Nice guy!

TheWind · 09-07-2008, 07:10 AM

consider a bait bag..its removable and it's totally out of the way..

coosk8er55 · 09-07-2008, 09:58 AM

dont think that bait bags gunna keep those scales on your little bait fish ... i say bigger is better!

TheWind · 09-07-2008, 10:13 AM

lol ok but the fish stay alive all day..I have to give them away when i'm back..6 hrs is good I'd say

Frank O · 09-07-2008, 02:08 PM

Interesting idea about the bait bag. But I'm wondering how it'd work on my transom:

Port side is pretty much taken up with the swim step. Starboard side has a pump for the existing baitwell and a sonar transducer (actually a bigger one installed after this picture was taken). Top of the transom is notched.

Is the bait bag installed so that it's mostly submerged? It doesn't interfere with running on plane?

grantar2 · 09-07-2008, 08:49 PM

The answer to the bait bag is no. But a 10 gallon white trash can might work just fine. They have bait tanks made from them ready to go at both West Marine and Bass Pro Shops.

Herbo · 09-08-2008, 04:32 PM

Depends on how big you want to go, try liquidfishing.com, they have 'yak tanks that might work for you good luck.....

H