Well I'm out of school so it's officially summer. Decided I should get a bait tank in order before La Jolla really starts poppin. In true college student fashion, decided cheaper was better and set out to make the cheapest possible functioning bait tank I possibly could. I don't fish bait much anyway, so I'll only be using it when that's all they want. Anyhoo, first stop was walmart, picked up an attwood bilge pump, a $3 lantern battery and a drain plug. Then it was to home depot, got a bucket, lid, some tubing and a hose clamp and went home to think about how to put it together.

The reason I bought the bilge pump instead of the bait pump (same price) was so I didn't have to buy a bunch of fittings and valves. I just gotta plug it in and dunk it when I want aeration. It'll drag beside the kayak while the tank is on.

Ok, first step was to stare at the bucket and decide where to drill holes. Put one in the bottom for the drain plug, one fairly high on the tank for outflow and stared some more thinking about inflow. Finally decided to just stick the hose through a hole in the lid and call it good. Had to put about three 1" holes side by side and connect em so the hose could go in at a good enough angle to get some circular flow in the tank. I also cut out the middle of the lid.

After that, clamped the other end of the hose to the pump (didn't really need the clamp) and tested. Turned out the flow was a bit excessive, so I added another outflow hose just in case.

Rod rack was converted from my old float tube rod rack. That actually took awhile, but it came out pretty good. The two through bolts holding the mounting bracket are above the water line and there's no other connection to the actual bucket below water level.

Total Cost: $30 plus $5 for a 1" spade bit to drill holes in bucket.

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That looks awesome, i need to get one of those rigged up for my Kayak. Have you checked out how it fits in your kayak yet?
Dan

Yep, test fitted as I built. The drain plug points directly at the scupper hole, hense the wacky angle.

What about when all the baits jump out? Ok, other than that it's pretty sweet :)

Jumping bait! Sloshing water! Here's how to reduce that. Get a small round waste basket that has a lip with a diameter that will just overlap the hole you cut in the lid but a basket diameter that will slip into the hole when cut off at about 2-3 inches from the top. Set this into the hole you cut so the basket's lip rests level onto the tank lid. Use three or four small stainless screws through the basket's lip to secure it to the tank lid. This reduces both water and bait sloshing out. I borrowed this idea from a tank I saw at West Marine a few years back--worked for my homemade tank until I got a real one. I hope you can visualize how it would look.

Big Hammer Swimbaits-Hammerhead Jigheads
www.swimbait.com
Pro-Cure Scents
www.pro-cure.com

Cool, I'll make mods as necessary once it's been on the water tested. Seems like a lot of guys use this same lid with the hole cut out, but I'll see how it works.

Of course, you do know that you have to use the yak to use bait tank? Maybe this Sat at Newport?

Amish Ed
You Can't Catch it again if
it's Dead!

Cross-Over Bait Co.

hmmmm too bad I'm rigged up for LJ already. I think bay bass hate me anyway.

Nice rig but my favorite is still the boogie board slash bucket setup.:7

Jake

Brain,
Nice setup bro,I have about the same well on my yak.Bucket style.Dont worry about bait getting away,unless you are useing flying fish.The rim around the bucket will keep em in when they try and climb up the sides.I have made bait many times at the kelp and never had one escape.Just make sure the h2o level dosent reach the very top,I like it 5-6" below.Your ready to rock.Make sure you got a little net to scoop up the little buggers.Good luck out on the big pond.
Billy.