DIY Bait Tank -- will this work?

[SDSeville]

I am finally going to take my 19' Sea Ray BR out to the local kelp beds (less than a mile off shore) and I am constructing a a bait tank for the 1st time.

I am 45 years old, but very much a rookie saltwater fisherman. I was hoping that some of the experts would tell me if my plan will work.

I know I can buy one for a couple hundred dollars, but that is not in the cards this week. I have about $20 into the following: 20 gallon storage container (with lid), 1000 gph HF bilge pump, and plenty of flexible tubing and PVC pipe.

My plan is to:

mount the tank on the swim platform with tie downs
temporarily mount the bilge pump on the lower swim platform support
Run flexible hose from pump to tank
switch to 3/4" PVC at the tank
install 3/4" PVC ball valve at the tank and close partially to reduce flow (1000 gph seems high for this application)
Run PVC to the bottom of the tank to fill
Drill several small holes about 5 inches from the top of the tank for drainage

Does this sound like it will work?

 

[colbyt]

Re: DIY Bait Tank -- will this work?

Is the lower swim platform under water? Most pumps are submersible (they need to be under water).

Depending on the bait I might wrap the tank in Styrofoam cut from 4x8 sheets.

 

[SDSeville]

Re: DIY Bait Tank -- will this work?

Is the lower swim platform under water? Most pumps are submersible (they need to be under water).

Depending on the bait I might wrap the tank in Styrofoam cut from 4x8 sheets.

Yes, the lower swim platform support is under water. It is just a few inches from the bottom of the transom.

I will be using sardines or anchovies (whatever they sell at the bait dock). I didn't think about keeping it cool. The container I was going to use is actually black -- will switch to a different color.

With a constant flow of fresh sea water, will I still need to worry about the temperature?

 

[colbyt]

Re: DIY Bait Tank -- will this work?

The Kentucky sun in late June can kill worms in .75" styro container. Most of the minnows seemed to live for the day in chilled water in the same style container. Parts of CA are the same as us and others are hotter than Hades. In full sun my guess is probably yes.

 

[dingbat]

Re: DIY Bait Tank -- will this work?

A local popular method is to cut a 55 gallon plastic barrel in half for use as a live well. Stick washdown hose in the barrel and let the water flow over the top. Works very well. No need for insulation with the constant flow of water. The water in the tank stays the same as the supply (ocean) water which is the same temp your bait lives in

 

[kahuna123]

Re: DIY Bait Tank -- will this work?

As long as you have new water coming in it can be anything and hold bait. A lid helps a lot down here with the sun.

 

[rickryder]

Re: DIY Bait Tank -- will this work?

This is my bait tank/live well

 

[SDSeville]

Re: DIY Bait Tank -- will this work?

This is my bait tank/live well

Very nice Rick!

 

[SDSeville]

Re: DIY Bait Tank -- will this work?

Yes, the lower swim platform support is under water. It is just a few inches from the bottom of the transom.

I was wrong. The lower swim platform support is underwater....but only when you are not on plane! We used it last night and had to stop every 15 minutes or so on the way out to get the anchovies some fresh water and a current. It worked well (not many died) and we caught a bunch of fish, but it was a real PITA.

Does anyone have a suggestion for where or how to temporarily mount a pump (bilge pump in my case) on a BR? My buddies were screaming thru hull, but I am not quite ready for that, especially since we are wakeboarding and tubing 95% of the time.

 

[dingbat]

Re: DIY Bait Tank -- will this work?

I'm not sure how a thru hull would negatively affect wakeboarding or tubing.
Install a scoop type intake with a sea **** behind it and be done with it.

 

[colbyt]

Re: DIY Bait Tank -- will this work?

Why not add a switch and a ball valve on the drain line? Surely they won't die in the time it takes to get to your spot.

 

[SDSeville]

Re: DIY Bait Tank -- will this work?

I'm not sure how a thru hull would negatively affect wakeboarding or tubing.
Install a scoop type intake with a sea **** behind it and be done with it.

Won't affect performance. Just don't want to go through the trouble if I don't fish very often. I was hoping there was a good temporary option.

 

[arnoldclan]

Re: DIY Bait Tank -- will this work?

zip ties and a piece of pvc pipe, im sure theres somethning you can zip too..

 

[SDSeville]

Re: DIY Bait Tank -- will this work?

zip ties and a piece of pvc pipe, im sure theres somethning you can zip too..

True. I could probably just attach the pump to a 4 ft piece of pvc and zip tie it to the swim platform. not sure why I didn't think about that. Last time we went out, we just dropped the pump in the tank while we were going and dropped it back in the water when we got where we were going.

 

[natureschild88]

Re: DIY Bait Tank -- will this work?

Just don't run the pipe too deep. Did that on the first bait tank I built it picked up a good amount of kelp. Also wouldn't hurt to put a small filter over the end of the pvc pipe, that way it doesn't suck up any kelp bulbs or anything else that could clog the pipe.

 

[Live-liner]

Re: DIY Bait Tank -- will this work?

This is what I did. I atached smaller hose to a transom mounted bilge pump and large blue hose goes overboard for discharge. Much to my surprise, while under way the tank fills with fresh water without turning on pump. I only need to use the pump when on the hook. If I had to do it again, I would install a small pump to empty when necassary. Right now, I only have a valve at the bottom of tank.

 

[SDSeville]

Re: DIY Bait Tank -- will this work?

This is what I did. I atached smaller hose to a transom mounted bilge pump and large blue hose goes overboard for discharge. Much to my surprise, while under way the tank fills with fresh water without turning on pump. I only need to use the pump when on the hook. If I had to do it again, I would install a small pump to empty when necassary. Right now, I only have a valve at the bottom of tank.

Very nice Live-liner. Do you have any pics of how the pump is mounted to the transom?

 

[Live-liner]

Re: DIY Bait Tank -- will this work?

No I don't. But it is actually a "transom mount" pump. I believe Atwood. It come with its own bracket for mounting. Very easy, but if I remember, not very cheap. I think it was about 850 gph.
The smaller hose is connected to a piece of PVC that goes down along the side of tank, the across the bottom. I drilled 1/8" holes that airate the water with pump on. I am in the middle of building a smaller one now.

 

[Live-liner]

Re: DIY Bait Tank -- will this work?

BTW, I learned quickly that you need a screen on the overflow so smaller bait cannot escape. While keeping bait overnight at home, I woke up to a yard full of very dead, very expensive eels....

 

[SDSeville]

Re: DIY Bait Tank -- will this work?

BTW, I learned quickly that you need a screen on the overflow so smaller bait cannot escape. While keeping bait overnight at home, I woke up to a yard full of very dead, very expensive eels....

ooops. I will install a screen before I go out next time. No telling how many anchovies I have lost over the side.