Inspired by a recent ride-along with The Bombay, I'm thinking of adding a bait tank to the tin missle. I have a few questions for the community before I embark into the world of redneckinuity. Please fill in the blanks for me:

1. A 15-18gal bait tank is sufficient in size to keep ______ # of baits alive.
2. A 15-18gal bait tank requires _____gph bilge pump to adequately circulate the tank.
3. I use _____ as my filter material.
4. _______ is why I bought a $$$$ bait tank.

Why such a small tank, you ask? Small boat.

Please share any DIY knowledge if you have built your own bait tank. Bonus points for pictures!!!

How small of a boat? I have a 15 gallon tank on 12 and 1/2 ft kayak. With pump and filter. So a boat even if small should be able to handle a good size one.Plus how big of baits are you talking about.

Small enough that it requires a 15-18gal bait tank. Its not the size so much as its the weight. 15gal x 8.3lbs/gal = weight of a small person.

Big baits or small shad?

Yes.

Look, poly fill is cheap and effective.Smallest pump I found is 350 fps made by rule. 20 bucks online. My advice is to buy a good tank. Put a small pump on it and buy a wheelchair battery deep cycle. 89 bucks will run a 2.5 amp 350 fps pump 8 to 10 hrs and keep the size tank your talking about good. A 20 gallon tank I personally would throw a couple of handfuls of rocksalt in the water before shad go in. Should be good. Should hold a dozen big ft longer gizzards or 50 small finger sized thread fins.

I can't answer the first two but.. I built my own tank 2 years ago out of a 55 gallon drum cut down. It is probably around 25 gallons. I stole a bunch of my wife's back scrubbers and bought some quilt batting to use as filters. It works pretty food I guess but I found I just kept spending money trying to make it better. A friend decided to sell his greyline tank not long ago and I got it from him for a great price. My advice (it ain't worth much but it's free) would be to buy one already built and ready to go. That way if your bait dies you know it's your fault and not the tanks. If you decide to build your own, PM me and I can save you some headache for sure. Good luck!

Oh yea if you fish in the heat I would buy an insulated tank. $$$$$$$$$$

What did you add after your initial build?

Trust me spend it now or later.$$$$$$$$$$$$$$! Your choice . Good luck! There is a big difference between alive and lively shad.

I have a hunch the big difference is science, not money. While I have no doubt that a $500 bait tank will give me lively shad, I suspect that its not because the company worked out a lively baitfish compensation contract with the local shad union.

Well let me tell you ,to insulate a tank is easy. Now when the insulation that you made in your garage gets wet because you have not been making bait tanks and or insulated bait tanks for 20 years you'll know why. I've made home made bait tanks,insulated and non. The connections in the plumbing will start leaking ,filter system will require alot of attention,deadly ammonia gas will not vent properly, but hey what do I know. I sensed you might be hard headed when you answered my question about bait size with a non answer! Lol

Good luck greenhorn.

Build you a nice bait tank..Go online and check out the tanks others have designed and made themselves..some are pretty nice and do a great job for less money that do and will keep your shad alive for a long time.The oval tanks seem to work better as the shad hurt themselves less inside the tank..
There are many online and some on youtube.
((The main thing is to read, and KNOW HOW to care for your shad after you catch them and place them in the tank..If you do not know how to care for them in the tank-- then it is all a waste anyways if they all die.))
I would know just how to care for them and keep them alive in the tank -before I built one,or purchase one..That,s just me..just saying..

Well sounds like you guys got it figured out!