# Bait tank?



## skiff89_jr

I've been thinking about building a bait tank out of a deep freezer since i've started flathead fishing a lot. Keeping bream isn't really that hard you just have to change their water a lot when you first get them and then keep them cool and aerated. I was wondering if anyone on here has build one before. I'm wanting to keep it as cheap as possible too. Thoughts and comments would be greatly appreciated.


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## drifterfisher

I use an inground gold fish pond,it stays green but it works well.I dont see why the freezer wouldnt work,just make sure to seal it up well.


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## CatHunter

I'm in the same situation trying to figure out how to keep them alive for extended periods of time. I'm thinking of building a concrete holding box until I buy the lot next door and dig a small pond either that or a small swimming pool.


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## MathGeek

A few years back, I was using a 300 gallon rubbermaid livestock trough for this purpose. It worked well, but I don't remember how often I freshened the water or how long the bait would last. I think there were occasions where bait was kept for over a week.


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## drifterfisher

Here ya go,just dig a hole and add water....
http://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay...051&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=3136741


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## skiff89_jr

Something like this is what i wanna build

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.311723498895446.70525.119106441490487&type=3


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## FishWalton

I have access to a 100 gallon fish acquarium for free and considered setting it up to hold crappie size minnows. It should work for small bream as well. However, changing the water often was not appealing in case I got lazy and forgot to do that.
Was going to look into a filter system where the water would not have to be changed so often but never got around to it. Next time you are at Bass Pro ask them how they care for the water in the fish tank. I bet there is some kind of filter rather than changing the water.


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## FishWalton

Skiff. take a look at this outfit http://tinyurl.com/7vkdt8e They might consult with you on what kind of filter will work for your setup.


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## skiff89_jr

Yeah that is what i was wanting to do. I want to put a filter on it that i can rig up to a timer. Then rig up some airstones to run into the bottom of it. I wouldn't hardly ever need to change the water in it because i would put the bait in a 55 gallon drum first to let them dirty it up first. We have an old deep freezer at the school ag shop that my teacher said i could have after we take the compressor out of it. It in pretty good shape.


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## skiff89_jr

Finally found a chest freezer and i'll be picking it up today. I'll be posting pics of the project as we go along.


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## FishWalton

*bait*

You going to put flathead bait in there or minnows? I know there is a bait dealer in Slocomb and Bristol that sell minnows by the pound, but don't know who they are. I guess you could do both but you would have section off the chest.


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## skiff89_jr

I'm making it specifically for flathead bait, but if i can keep bream and small cats alive in it then I can keep anything. I have seen a few where guys rounded off the corners to keep shad and minnow alive. You could do that or you could use the tube out of a washing machine or take a drum and cut it and put holes in it and just set it down in there and put the minnows inside of it.


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## jcoss15

good deal, I want to see how it goes...


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## skiff89_jr

So here is what i'm working with. I got it home and cleaned it up pretty good and I think this is gonna turn out really good. Next step is to caulk/silicone the seams for extra protection. Then put a drainage valve in the botton and hook up the pumps. From what i've measured it's a 20 cubic foot chest freezer. The conversion is 1 cubic foot= 7.48*** gallons. Unless I've had a blonde moment I think i'm working with an insulated 150 gallon bait tank :thumbup:


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## FishWalton

That's going to be a bigun'. Should hold a lot of bream with a good water filter and circulating system. 
I have crappie size minnows in a 5 gallon bucket that are doing very well with treated water and a/c bubble maker. These things are actually growing in size. Got them Dec 5.


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## skiff89_jr

I got to where I could keep about 10 bream alive for a month or so in a 55 gallon drum but if I added more they would start dying. Hopefully I'll be able to keep 75 easy in this thing.


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## DAWGONIT

Cool DIY.
Look forward to your future posts on results as I had a friend back in VA Beach that kept eels alive for over a year in a 55gal poly container mounted horizontally w/ a bubbler.


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## jakec

keep us posted man im looking to do this myself soon.


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## skiff89_jr

Sorry for not following up on this post. Pet smart's shipping is slower than molasses. But any who, keep following. Hope to have more pics up soon. This silicone was kind of holding me up.


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## CatHunter

That thing should work good


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## skiff89_jr

The bait tank is 99% completed. We filled it with water today. Hopefully I'll be putting some bream in it soon and I'll post up a video.


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## skiff89_jr

Here's a pic for now. Can't really tell much, but i'll explain everything in the video when I make it.


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## skiff89_jr

Here's my other project that i'm working on. It's just gonna be a stationary transport tank. When I'm catching bait out of creeks or ponds it will be recirculating water. Also it will help keep my bream lively on trips to tournament since the apalachicola is about a 2 hour drive.


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## CatHunter

skiff89_jr said:


> Here's my other project that i'm working on. It's just gonna be a stationary transport tank. When I'm catching bait out of creeks or ponds it will be recirculating water. Also it will help keep my bream lively on trips to tournament since the apalachicola is about a 2 hour drive.


Nice work, fishing projects are a blast to do.


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## skiff89_jr

Here's a few more pics. The pump on the drum will be wired directly from my truck battery and run under my toolbox where i'll connect them with a trailer plug in.


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## jakec

nice!


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## johnsonbeachbum

Do the sides of the freezer bulge out from all of that water?

Too bad the compressor is not still in it and working.
You could use it to chill the water a bit once in awhile.


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## skiff89_jr

johnsonbeachbum said:


> Do the sides of the freezer bulge out from all of that water?
> 
> Too bad the compressor is not still in it and working.
> You could use it to chill the water a bit once in awhile.


No they don't bulge at all. We did have to support it really good underneath because all that water is heavy. 

We have ports attached to a water hose to run fresh water (well water) into the freezer and an exit port on the other side. That is all the cooling we will need.


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## johnsonbeachbum

here is a filter that might work for someone
http://pensacola.craigslist.org/grd/3571952382.html


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## skiff89_jr

Just as an update on how it turned out: 

I've had 254 small bream, crappie, shiners, and sucker in there since friday and only 5 have died. 

I am gonna add another pump in the near future, but for right now it's getting the job done.


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## Splittine

Post up some pics of it loaded.


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## skiff89_jr

I've been trying to get a good pic of all the baits, but every time go to check them out they all swim to one corner of the freezer. It's like one big black ball. This weekend i'll stick the gopro down in there to show ya'll how it's setup.


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## skiff89_jr

Oh and another thing is that the ones that are dying are crappie. I can live with that. I figured they wouldn't be a hardy bait anyways.


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## Blue Falcon

*Bream in Talquin*

Hey Skiff,

You fish those Flathead tournaments in Wewa? I do too with a couple of buddies. We catch our bait in Lake Talquin. 

If you get short on time to catch bait and haul it to the tournament, remember Talquin. In a few hours you will have plenty for a night of Flathead fishing.

BF


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## skiff89_jr

Pm sent Blue Falcon.


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