Summer bait tanks

[Mainehazmt]

Well when the ground thaws.....june july   Im thinking about starting my bait tank early by making an outside pond kinda   I got 2 8X10 pond liners and was thinking about gluiong them together  and making a cheap pond   anyone have luck with something like that?

[GasBlaster]

 I have never tried that ,But I did see one here once a guy with a tank in the ground under a rain gutter . The gutter emptied into his tank . He said he had good luck keeping bait in that .

[mainedukblaster]

Well when the ground thaws.....june july   Im thinking about starting my bait tank early by making an outside pond kinda   I got 2 8X10 pond liners and was thinking about gluiong them together  and making a cheap pond   anyone have luck with something like that?

always thinking huh hazzy .... about the tank!! 

[Mike G]

I think it's worth a try.  One thing that jumps to mind - 1) heat.  I'd consider putting the pond in shade if possible.  A shallow pond will get wicked hot and maybe kill the bait?  Good luck - keep us posted on myfishfinder.

[jimmyclaude]

Blaster, what is the purpose of the tank/pond? Year round bait supply?

[mainedukblaster]

Blaster, what is the purpose of the tank/pond? Year round bait supply?

not sure, Hazmat is always thinking of ways to keep his hobby, I mean bait tank, going..

[GasBlaster]

Blaster, what is the purpose of the tank/pond? Year round bait supply?

You can fish with live bait in open water to . Hazzy has so many baits he just wants to try to keep them until next year I bet .

[cliffdog54]

hey hazzie, a circulator will help keep the water cooler, 4 ft. deep is a good depth. earth is cool and will help, and putting i lilypads will help shad the fish, at least with a small pond, you an control the growth. good luck

[jknight]

the pond i trap here in sanford shapliegh area is about 5 ft. deep and it produces very well but this year i have had a problem with to many hornpout in the trap.

[Mainehazmt]

Blaster, what is the purpose of the tank/pond? Year round bait supply?

that's one of the things  but caring for the bait tank is therapeutic  lol  relaxing   I can relax working on it for easily an hr or 2 if I want the water sound too   lol  but if I have it outside maybe they'd get bigger and take my time when I want to get bait instead of august Sept rush

[Mainehazmt]

besides with this I know all the fish are destined to die!  much better than a fish tank  lol where ya want em to live!

[rich81]

the pond i trap here in sanford shapliegh area is about 5 ft. deep and it produces very well but this year i have had a problem with to many hornpout in the trap.

i think the hornpout will eventually overtake the pond??  and live bait in open water is fun too although i usually don't need it. it is nice to have a dozen or so if you can't get them to eat anything else or if you want guaranteed action

[grr8d8b8]

what I did was just take a deepfreeze, drilled a 2 holes in the top of it, run a wire thgough, put a light bulb under the top of it, and an airiator, when it freezes over I turn the light on for 24  hours or until the ice melts, works great in the winter, have never tried it in the summer time, my bait traps work plenty well enough during the summer months. Every now and then ya gotta change the water, but a gasline works well for that, takes a day or two, but still pretty easy.

works for me. 

[jimmyclaude]

what I did was just take a deepfreeze, drilled a 2 holes in the top of it, run a wire thgough, put a light bulb under the top of it, and an airiator, when it freezes over I turn the light on for 24  hours or until the ice melts, works great in the winter, have never tried it in the summer time, my bait traps work plenty well enough during the summer months. Every now and then ya gotta change the water, but a gasline works well for that, takes a day or two, but still pretty easy.

works for me. 

 Hold on! you can't make a post like that with out pictures! how on earth am I gonna sell it to my wife?

[Loves To Fish]

Well when the ground thaws.....june july   Im thinking about starting my bait tank early by making an outside pond kinda   I got 2 8X10 pond liners and was thinking about gluiong them together  and making a cheap pond   anyone have luck with something like that?

It should work as long as you do 2 things. One is to have it in shade ( As Mike G stated ), or make covers for your tanks. The second thing is to make sure you have steady water running in and steady water running out. Good luck!!!!

[Mainehazmt]

If  I get the gumption and if... it is affordable I have a spring 500+ft away  now ya gotta add in friction loss in the pipe   so  the water source is never really a problem    where I want it actually is there is a brook on the property but subject to flooding  and this year  I do think it might be 5' underwater  so that wouldnt work out in the long run   I keep trying to figure where to put it  keep peaking out the windows   (north side windows mostly blocked with snow) trying to decide   may make a raised tank   I got a few months left to figure it out   lol

[pfd168]

I would just try to find a small pond near you and empty the bait into that

[mainedukblaster]

I would just try to find a small pond near you and empty the bait into that

[Mainehazmt]

Me thinks  IF&W wouldnt  think much of that  lol

[MaineFishah]

I have a question about the chest freezer idea? Can you still run the freezer to cool the water or is that a no no? I may look into this idea for a yearly bait tank idea out in the garage or basement. I've seen the light bulb trick many times with people who have pump houses for their wells, seems to throw enough heat.

[Loves To Fish]

I have a question about the chest freezer idea? Can you still run the freezer to cool the water or is that a no no? I may look into this idea for a yearly bait tank idea out in the garage or basement. I've seen the light bulb trick many times with people who have pump houses for their wells, seems to throw enough heat.

Yes you can MaineFishah,
                                   I know of at least a half dozen people who have used old freezers for their smelt. The trick is to run it as low as possible without the water freezing. It works great.

[dadstacklebox]

Were on the same page here, again Hazy. I am going to try out a above ground pool this year, I think. Gravity fed water source, I think. If it don't work, well I could just go swimming. 

[fishfry]

Were on the same page here, again Hazy. I am going to try out a above ground pool this year, I think. Gravity fed water source, I think. If it don't work, well I could just go swimming. 

[Fishalot]

Were on the same page here, again Hazy. I am going to try out a above ground pool this year, I think. Gravity fed water source, I think. If it don't work, well I could just go swimming. 

You may be a Redneck!!!

[mainedukblaster]

You may be a Redneck!!!

...... if your swimming pool doubles as your bait tank!

[mud_n_fun]

I wonder if I can descale fish in the wifes washing machine......
Redneck?

[jrelaxin]

Were on the same page here, again Hazy. I am going to try out a above ground pool this year, I think. Gravity fed water source, I think. If it don't work, well I could just go swimming. 

a floating keg won't use up much of the oxygen ...............

[jayswimmer09]

i have heard of many people using the chest freezer idea, sounds great to me. just cant put out the money for a new one, waiting to come across the used one

[beeverfishing]

I'm also looking for an old chest freezer to use as a bait tank.   Sounds like a great idea !

For those of you looking for one.. FREE  you may want to check out Free Cycle.  Everything listed is free and chances are there is a group near you !!   Some require that you post something to give away BEFORE you receive, but that depends on the group.  Never know what you might find.  And best of all, It is ALL FREE ! 

http://www.freecycle.org/

[Coach]

We had the Farm pond dug out bigger & deeper this past fall. So we are going to have our local heron transfer the bait from my house over to to the pond