How To Prevent Foam Lid From Freezing to Bait Bucket?

[blackdog1101]

No matter what I try, it seems that the lid to my foam bait bucket freezes onto the top lip of the main bucket. I just bought a new bait bucket, the larger one that fits inside a 5 gallon spackle bucket. It there a way to prevent the lid from freezing on? Has anyone tried tried coating it with something like vaseline or chap stick?

[fishwater]

One solution is to use a 2 gallon coleman water jug. The screw top gets frozen, but you can simply flip it upside down and/or set it near your heater for a few minutes. Styrofoam isn't durable enough, the screw watertight lid can be priceless.

[CrewJones]

try what you will save up your money for the 5 foam ones you buy in a year you can buy a nice insulated one with a top.

now they still freeze but usually you can beat the lid open with your scooper

[blackdog1101]

try what you will save up your money for the 5 foam ones you buy in a year you can buy a nice insulated one with a top.

now they still freeze but usually you can beat the lid open with your scooper

Do you mean one of these?

[JimmyJames]

I use a small coleman cooler , the perfect minnow bucket.

[slipperybob]

Get a minnow bag...simple and way effective.

[blackdog1101]

These are all great suggestions, but none answer my question. Is there a way to prevent the foam top from freezing to the foam bucket?

[efgh]

Try a piece of freezer paper shiny side down facing the inside of the bucket, it will last quite a while till it needs to be replaced, I used two pieces of waxed paper but but is good for only one trip.

[slipperybob]

Get beeswax. Not sure how you're going to close your lid after applying the wax on.

[Ed Carlson]

No matter what I try, it seems that the lid to my foam bait bucket freezes onto the top lip of the main bucket. I just bought a new bait bucket, the larger one that fits inside a 5 gallon spackle bucket. It there a way to prevent the lid from freezing on? Has anyone tried tried coating it with something like vaseline or chap stick?

Wax helps, ChapStick does too, depending on how badly you freeze it up.

Vaseline is a petroleum product, and tends to react to Styrofoam poorly...so avoid that.

[basssmasher*]

Ive' always used vaseline and it has worked well for me

[18 inch Crappie]

These are all great suggestions, but none answer my question. Is there a way to prevent the foam top from freezing to the foam bucket?

Dont use the foam top.

[ONE BIG POLACK]

use PAM spray! the canola oil will keep the water from touching both surfaces.... this is safe cause it is food grade!

[muskE]

Place a minnow on the ice until it freezes solid, then stab it into the top rim of the styrofoam bucket so the lid never seats all the way around the bucket.

[IamZombie]

Don't fill the bucket so high?

One thing my buddy does that gets a bunch of strange looks is, he puts a small hunk of 2x4 in the bucket and supposedly it's suppose to help stop the water from sloshing around too much.

I use one of these:

http://www.frabill.com/bait-care-management/portable-aeration/1405.html

[hunterpete]

i just keep my bucket off the ice in my portable. when i fish alone i keep it on the other seat, or on a crate, never freezes, but i keep it warm in there

[BehindtheHead]

just get a small coleman lunch box cooler. the lid will freeze on but but a good punch will brake it loose.

i find mine at garage sales for like 2 dollars. they last a long time till the handle brakes off.

[Smoker]

I put the foam bucket in a 6 gal pail with the lid on the pail only. Fill the foam bucket a little over half full of water. I never have had a problem with getting the lid off the bucket.

[PrairieLakeLogJam]

These are all great suggestions, but none answer my question. Is there a way to prevent the foam top from freezing to the foam bucket?

EZ FIX: "NO!" Not on a $2.50 Bait Bucket! By the time you Buy the Wax and what ever else come's up on here You could have Cashed in on A Nice one.

Just Thinking for Fun..

Now if you Really Like that bucket? Go to Northern and get a Honda EU1000 Generator and a Electric Blanket and wrap the Bait Bucket with the Blanket and set on High..

[TruthWalleyes]

Never had any luck with foam coolers in the winter. I use a hard cooler, fits probably a 6 pack. Lid comes off, and rotate the handle to lock the lid on...Even then it will freeze a little...But it won't break when you pry it off.

[Black_Bay]

Sprinkle a little salt on the edge of the bucket.

[herefish101]

I'v always used a foam bucket, that is until last saturday, I usually smear some chapstick around the lid to keep it from freezing, but last saturday for the first time in my life, the darn lid froze on of course I punched a hole in it. I'm now using my old lunch box plastic cooler, with chapstick smeared around the lid of course.

[bikeoutback]

I never found a fix for the foam lid so I gave up. Now long trips up north I use a regular 5 gallon bucket and aerator. It will freeze up on the inside of the bucket a little during the day but we bring it in at night and it thaws back out. I use an aerator with this setup too, both battery for on the lake and 110 when in for the night.

Around town/day trips I use a small cooler like everyone else.

[Ed Carlson]

The best answer really is a Styrofoam lined pail with a good firm plastic lid, like the Mino-O-Life Frabills. The lids don't break as easily and the lids will upon when you need it to. There is enough tolerance in the lid as to keep them from freezing up. That is unless you allowed it to really freeze up, then..it's very likely dead bait and thaw out time no mater what you have for a pail.

[fivebucks]

I just figure I need to buy a new one every now and then. I like the styrofoam cause it breaths whereas a plastic cooler will not allow air for the bait once the top ices over. I have my lid freeze up a little going out on a cold morning. I just try to hang or hold it above my mr. heater a ways until the cover pops off.