Anyone have an outdoor bait tank?

[JLH]

Has anyone come up with an outdoor bait tank for the winter?  Would love to see some pics or a description of how it is setup.  Being in a condo I don’t really have the option of setting one up inside but do have an deck with a power outlet that I could keep a setup on.  I was thinking that using a cooler I could keep the water from freezing especially with the bubblers going but am not sure how to keep the air pump from getting wet and shorting out.  Possibly a waterproof box with a couple of smaller air holes so it could feed the pump? 

[Pats]

Heres mine

[jss111678]

whats in the cooler a pump or filter of some sort

[Pats]

whats in the cooler a pump or filter of some sort

A cannister filter is in the cooler and an air pump is in the bucket to keep it dry,300 gal plastic tank with plywood sides wrapped with insulation keeps it from freezing

[elcapitanmas]

Once I saw whose tank it was I had no doubt it would be BADASS!

its almost here

[Blaine]

I have a 300 gallon tank in my unheated shed. Normally just the aerator is good enough to keep things from freezing, but on the coldest nights,  I use a birdbath heater to keep the water from freezing. Next time you're in the shop remind me to show you the kit made for using aerators in coolers... They are on clearance now 

[Oldfart]

I'm setting up a 100 gallon as we speak, but it's in the basement. If you set up a large one indoors in your condo AND HAVE A FEW BUCKS you can buy an aquarium chiller. It dose the opposite of a heater. We used one years ago for a tank of North Pacific fish. You can keep the temp in the 50's indoors with one.

[beeverfishing]

I'm setting up a 100 gallon as we speak, but it's in the basement. If you set up a large one indoors in your condo AND HAVE A FEW BUCKS you can buy an aquarium chiller. It dose the opposite of a heater. We used one years ago for a tank of North Pacific fish. You can keep the temp in the 50's indoors with one.

But wouldn't that cause condensation ??   I have thought about doing something like that myself, But was afraid that the stand / carpet would get soaked...

[Oldfart]

No more than my beer did! Just put a pan under the aquarium, no problems.
 On another note...........dead bait/live bait..........anybody ever try a frozen trout, 9"-12" for pike baits? I mean, we throw a lot of 9 inchers back down the hole. Does CT. have any laws against using a stocked fish for bait? ::)Just wondering....... All this time jigging bait.....just wondering...

[spanky1]

Does CT. have any laws against using a stocked fish for bait? ::)Just wondering.......

No can do . You do know it'll work though!

From the Angler's Guide under definitions...

BAIT: Any animal or vegetable, or their parts, living or dead, used
with a hook for the purpose of attracting and catching fish. Any
fish legally acquired, except largemouth bass, smallmouth bass,
chain pickerel, northern pike, trout, salmon, carp and goldfish may
be used as bait.

Trout are great striper bait too, they use them down south and hammer the fish in the rivers.

[1MOFISH]

a pond heater will work if you insulate the tank mine always freezes on the outer sides used a light bulb to keep air warm how cold does it get there plus will the sun shine on the tank  good luck
mo

[northwestslayer]

Hey oldfart. do you have problems with the fish shocking when you bring on the ice when the inside temp was fifty. Let me know. I always keep the shiners in the garage.It would be nice to bring them in.

[Blaine]

Slowly cool them down before you use them.... Drop some ice, shavings from the holes or a couple of handfulls of snow in the bucket.

[P.Dona]

This is what we do:

Not much in there, right now. We don't measure the bait in there by dz, this will hold lbs.  It doesn't ice up, too bad in the winter time and the bait is always the temp of any lake or pond..

[Oldfart]

Hey oldfart. do you have problems with the fish shocking when you bring on the ice when the inside temp was fifty. Let me know. I always keep the shiners in the garage.It would be nice to bring them in.

I was working. Yeh, what Blaine said. Chill em down on your way to the lake. No shock, no problems.
 On another note....if anyone needs dead pike baits and cat baits....Atlantic herring just came in! I'm going to jig up a hundred or so up to 12" next week. Use what I need for bait, brine-smoke and eat the rest!

[PIKEKILLER1]

I was working. Yeh, what Blaine said. Chill em down on your way to the lake. No shock, no problems.
 On another note....if anyone needs dead pike baits and cat baits....Atlantic herring just came in! I'm going to jig up a hundred or so up to 12" next week. Use what I need for bait, brine-smoke and eat the rest!

You need some help jiggin those up

[Oldfart]

Any day, any time.