Live Bait Tank

[Geoff_Atkinson]

I am thinking of putting a built in live bait tank in my tinnie.

I have seen a few different types around in the shops, they vary from a bucket with a battery charged aerator (which I already have but does not seem to keep the fish alive for long) to a set up with what looks like a bilge pump with a heap of plumbing.

How do the bilge pump ones work? Like I said, I want to build a tank into my tinnie, underneath a carpeted floor behind the back seat (if this is going to be the best place for it!).

Does anyone have a photo of theirs they are willing to post so I can get some ideas? Or is there some one willing to have a go at describing how to set one up.

Also any does or donts with keeping live bait?

Thanks in advance.

Geoff

[revs57]

G'day Greg,

I built a 35litre live bait tank into the transom of our last tinny, set it up with a Rule pump mounted on a plate welded to the transom, near the bottom of the hull so a water scoop would feed water while we were motoring from spot to spot. the tank had two overflow drains at the top of the tank that drained through the transom...I'm trying to locate a couple of Photo's to post but they must be on my laptop. I'll dig them up and post them shortly

Cheers

Rhys

[revs57]

pic 1

[revs57]

pic2

[revs57]

pic3

[Geoff_Atkinson]

Thanks Rhys, thats just what I am looking for.

Your tinnie seems to be a little larger than mine (3.95 Quinnie Explorer).

A couple of questions though,

- you say that the water overflows from the top through the transom.
Wouldn't this wash the bait out through the overflow?
Does the water enter the tank from the top or bottom?
How many GPH is your pump and how often does it run i.e. do you run it all the time?
Wouldn't the flow of water be greater when the boat is at rest? Can you regulate the flow?
Are there any changes that you would make if you had to do it again?

Pardon my ignorance but I havn't managed to get a first hand look at one of these things, just the kits in the shops.

Cheers,

Geoff

[revs57]

No Worries Greg,

Dave from Riptide was the brains behind the set up. The boat was a 445 Bermuda Viper that we modified quite a lot with a centre console and a heap of other fish friendly goodies

The 2 overflow drain holes were 19mm one on the port side top the other the S'board side top...never had bait wash out.

Water came in from the pump and scoop set up via a spray bar mounted through the side of the tank at the top. The nozzle was adjustable and was where you turned it off. If we had bait in the tank we would open the nozzel to keep fresh water up. when we stopped, that was when I'd use the pump to keep fresh water up. No I didn't run the pump all the time...perhaps at 10 minute intervals for a minute or two or to top the tank up to keep fresh water changing for the baitfish.

A bung in the bottom drained the tank after a days fishing...It drained into the hull...bad move! This is the only thing i would do differently, bring the drain to the outside of the hull through the transom...a couple of times i forgot to put the bung into the tank and the nozzel was open letting quite a bit of water in...fortunately I remembered to check after a little while, but we did get some water in the hull...enough to give the bilge pump a work out. If the drain plug exits through the hull...no problems if the forgettame isn't working so well.

Cheers

Rhys

[revs57]

I think the pump was 250 gph and flow was regulated via the adjustable nozzle

[revs57]

Sorry Geoff..the dyslexia in names is working well today

[Geoff_Atkinson]

Thanks Rhys, much appreciated

I should be able to take it from here.

I will post some photos when I've finished. (hopefully in a week or two.)

Geoff

[finga64]

be carefull of the extra weight of a tank full of water has on the back of your boat.
Experiment with some drums full of water (same volume that you are thinking of in a bait tank) and go for a run to see if the tank is going to upset the ride/ performance etc of the boat before something permanent is done.
Been there, done that, regret it later.

[Wild_Thing]

Hey Geoff
A Bit Of Bait Tank Advice To Do As You Please With!
Alot Of Tanks Pump Water In From The Top And Then As The Tank Fills It Over Flows Back Over The Side, Got The Picture!
What Happens When The Bait Fish Stress They Sit On The Bottom In Dead Water Where Their Is No Air.
Try Pumping The Water In From The Bottom To Move That Dead Water To The Top Where It Can Flow Back Over The Side.This Is A Major Problem In Deep Bait Tanks!
Good Luck I'm Sure You Will Do A Great Job!

Cheers Payney!