bait tanks

[honky kong]

the past few summers we have been running bait tanks all summer, so we don't have to go catch bullies every time we head out to the river. using thick (2-3") old styrofoam coolers they work pretty good for a while but end up leaking after a month or so. i'm wondering if any one has a better idea or system that would last for years rather than keep on filling my dumpster with styrofoam.

our tank is kept outside and i need something that can withstand the heat and weather. also some thing that i can have a drain on to make changing the water easier.pretty much a homemade bait station. we have great success just running an aquarium bubbler and no filter. it's time to upgrade though. any help would be awesome. thanks in advance river rats.

[Dirk W]

I use an old chest freezer that I picked up at an appliance dealer. They were happy to give it to me for free so they wouldn't have to pay a recycling fee. Punch a drain hole in it, add an aerator, and your set. I use a plug in Minnow-aire system. Lots more you can do to fancy your new bait tank up if you want - filter systems, seperators for suckers, bullheads, chubs, etc. The key will be to keep your water clean. I'm sure you'll get lots of ideas form others.

[I Da Man]

Last year was my first summer with an out door bait "tank". I posted a request in the classifieds looking for an old freezer the summer before. A fella picked one up from his mothers house and dropped it off in my back yard!

I pulled out the compressor to make it somewhat lighter, then installed a 2.5x8 inch threaded pipe about 3 inches above the floor. I placed a valve I bought from the dairy section of Fleet Farm on the end of that.

The freezer has a defrost plug that I use for draining all water out. If I was to do it again, I would have the drain closer to two inches above the floor.

Placed a wire screen (not window screen) over the inside end of the pipe. IF I had well water, I would have an overflow outlet too...then keep a small about of fresh water running through it.

For the air pump, I bought a dual pump commercial one...I'd have to look up the name and where I bought it. I mounted this on the top edge of the chest freezer...out of the weather.

I've found with my set up that I can handle about 150-175 bullheads for ..well until I run out of them. I tried holding 250 once but the lost their friskyness and I started loosing 4 - 5 per day. I changed half or a little better of the water every second or third day...depending on the temp out side. Even on the hotest days and in full sunlight from 10 am to 3 pm, the water temp never reached more than 63 degrees.

I cleaned the inside of my tank twice last year. Once in the middle of summer and then again when I put it away for the winter. By cleaning, I used bleach and wiped the inside down and then rinsed it out.

Brown alge will start building up and I cleaned it by simply brushing the inside prior to refilling...about once every week or so.

Many people have broken chest style freezers in their basements that they just doen't want to deal with getting rid of.

I now others have buy cattle watering tanks and have very good luck. My thought was better insulation and FREE!

Good Luck!

[I Da Man]

PS I have an article on building a cooler on wheels bait tank for taking out fishing...but it has pictures...and have a tuff time posting them.

[DTro]

guess, I'm cheap. I just use a big ol rubbermaid container with an aquarium aerator. Keep it in the garage and good to go.

Also if anyone is looking for a freezer check out twin cities free market dot org.

[honky kong]

these are all good bits of informaton. i guess its time to start looking for an old freezer. i want to get this done before its time to sleep on the sand bars again. if you hear of anyone looking to get rid of a freezer i'd love any help finding one. thanks to all of you.

[Rainman]

I have been using a plastic 55 gallon drum for the last 3 years. I just plug the top two holes put it on its side up against a wall and set a 2x4 under it so it doesn't roll cut a square hole in it big enough to get the bait scoop in and put a hinge on it. I aerate it with a pond pump, works great it cleans and aerates at the same time. I filled it half full this last year and kept 3 - 4 dzn bullies in it for 3 months and never lost a single one, and I NEVER changed the water either. Works great! Pull the plug and it drains right out in 5 - 10 seconds. When empty just pick it up and put it away!

[I Da Man]

One very important thing to remember about freezers that I didn't mention....

Remember to take off the lock...generally a couple screws will have it in your hand. I don't think any self locking freezers are around anymore...but it's a good idea that all locking features are removed.

Also with the white bottom on a freezer it's easier to see what's left. Hate to find out that you're out of bullheads at the last minute!!!

There are many creative ways to store and keep bait. That's what's so great about these web sites! Cheaper is generally better in my book!

[Ralph Wiggum]

I da,

I know who I'll be pestering for bullies this year!!!

[stam34]

i use a tank that 24d came in i got it from a lawn manicurist its aboat 200 gallons comes on a pallet with a aluminum cage around it and at the bottom it has a nice ball valve for draining water . i only fill it aboat half full works great i hardly even run a bubbler in it for very long each day . if your interested in a tank like this and can't get one for free let me know my friend is the manicurist he's got quite a few to get rid of.

[honky kong]

i think i'm leaning towards the freezer style. do you need to reinforce the thing at all to handle the weight of the water? the last thing i need to find is a pile of stinky dead bait roasting in the june/july/august sun. i've never seen a self locking freezer but good call. i will be putting some sort of locking system on it as i live in downtown mankato and there are some nosey folks rumaging through the neighborhood all the time. once again anyone with some sort of knowledge i welcome it. it may pay off in some bait for you this summer. hopefully we can get a few cat get-togethers this summer. only made it to one last year.

[DTro]

Honky, I realize you are in Mankato, but you can almost always find a freezer on the site I mentioned:

www dot twincitiesfreemarket dot org

In fact there's a couple listed there now.

[honky kong]

i didn't find any on there. am i looking in the wrong area?

[DTro]

Read my post carefully it's dot org

Once there, click "view listings" then select "appliances" on the pull down menu, and select "all counties" on the other pull down.

Good Luck

[honky kong]

aha! i did (Contact US Regarding This Word) not org. got it now.thanks man.i have sent out the APB to everyone i know as well. i'm sure it won't take long now. now to figure out the plumbing......

[I Da Man]

I don't have the measurements of my freezer...but it's considered a 6 footer.

If I recall, I figured it would hold about 150 gallons of water. I don't think you'll have to do any reinforcing, but that's your call.

I guess I shouldn't have said self locking...some of the older ones have a latch, so if you were inside and the lid was closed, you wouldn't be able to get out.

[Blue Kayak]

An old freezer sounds like a really good way to go. If you want something that can be taken down at the end of the season, plastic drums or large coolers would be good.

If you google "tiny tim smith catfish bait tank" you'll get to a pretty good catfish site. One of the links is for "Tiny's Bait Tank." It has lots of pictures for converting a 160 quart cooler to a bait/fish tank. There are good pictures of his filter set up that could be used on a freezer, cooler, or 55 gallon drum.

I wonder with a freezer if the thermostat could be adjusted to cool the water down to 40 or 50 degrees? That should increase survival rates on hot summer days. At least you could start the freezer up for a few hours to cool the water down on hot days.

At my daughter's school a couple of students are building an ornamental fish pond. They are using some type of 4' X 8' X 1" insulating foam sheets (pink I think), reinforced with 2 X 4's, and covered with a black plastic/rubber pond liner. If your freezer ever started to leak, you could probaly use this type of liner.

Plastic 55 gallon drums are really easy to work with. You can put in a drain using a short, threaded connector used for lawn sprinkling systems, a couple of "O" rings, and PVC fittings. They are also easy to cut with a sabre saw. If you have chlorinated, city water you could use a drum to let the water sit for a couple of days before putting it into your bait tank. You could even build a stand for the drum so it could just drain into the bait tank.

For work we bought a used dairy bulk tank for $200. It would make a great bait tank. Lined with stainless steel, cools down to just above freezing (adjustable with a thermostat), 200 gallons, and a large drain. I bet there are a lot of these on old dairy farms.

[honky kong]

thanks for the insight. the tiny tim tank in the cooler looks like a good idea. i wonder how that would hold up to our summer heat. maybe in a combo with an insulated box it would. my brain is fillin with ideas now. i have some ideas for the chest freezer style too. i have plenty of time before i have to have it up and running. i am digging the ideas from all of you. thanks.

[SteveD]

I love the yearly bait tank post. You get some great ideas and a lot of good short cuts from these posts. Last year I ran a 100 gallon stock tank rigged with an Aqua Clear 110 aquarium power filter and two 10" airstones to maintain the water. Basically what I ran was a 100 gallon aquarium and that was how I approached keeping my bait tank. I keep it in a shed in my carport next to my house. I keep it locked up because I was concerned that one of the grandkids might fall in it. They love looking at Grandpa's fish tank. I have it rigged with a pump hooked to a hose so that I can do quick water changes - I do about a 1/3 water change every 3 to 4 days. It takes me about 15 minutes to do a water change and I have the process streamlined so it is really easy. I use city water so I treat any new water with a water conditioner to eliminate the chlorine and chloramine in the tap water.

I ran it last year from April 15th until October when it started to freeze. I maintained about 50 to 75 bullheads in the 5" to 7" range. It worked really well and it was nice to always have bait on hand when I needed it. Late in the summer when the water temps got in the 80 degree range the bullheads get some kind of grey crud. I don't feed them so I think they may be susceptible to disease because of the lack of food. If you feed them they have a tendency to dump up your tank and that increases the ammonia and nitrate issues. I tried to figure out how to treat the crud at first but after a while I figured it was just easier to replace the sick ones and just catch new ones. Gave me a reason to go bullhead fishing every once in a while. I would go out every 2 weeks or so and catch a bunch to replenish my stock. Once the grey crud started on the bullheads they passed it around pretty quick but I could always sustain my 50 to 75 bullhead load without that much effort.

I enjoy the bait tank thing as much as the catfishing. It is kind of fun to catch and maintain your own bait. Adds to the challenge of the hunt for the big flathead.

[honky kong]

i feel ya man. the crawlers are cheap to (Contact US Regarding This Word) near free. other than gas to go catch em the bullies are (Contact US Regarding This Word) near free too. and i do enjoy the bully runs every week or so. it keeps the sport in the fishing. go catch the bait to go catch the monsters.

[rushing]

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[hanson]

Rushing- You guys must be close!

[rushing]

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[honky kong]

hey rob whats up. just trying to get a head start on the season. i found a small freezer today and am picking it up in a bit. it's from pedro's mom. this year i want some nice tanks for our bullies. i'll let you know when i get this first one done.

[rushing]

Good deal! You know I will be filing it up. I am so ready to get out. My truck has been in the shop for like 2 weeks now so I have got total cabin fever. talked to Chris the other night and he is ready to get ut as well. You still living in the same Apt?