Shad Bait Tank

Considering a bait tank for shad, already have a 6ft castnet. What's a good budget option?

To save some money on a shad bait tank, I bought everything to copy this tank exactly and ended up spending about $250. If you are not handy with the tools, you can just buy one already made from the link provided for $390 plus shipping. This tank seems to work for me but I only used it 3 times so far. It is not insulated. After I finished building mine last year, I found couple of post on TFF for grayline tanks for $300 which are insulated. I think there is a recent classified post selling a grayline tank for $300. If I could do it again, I would have waited for the used grayline tanks. I usually don't fish with shad much. And summer time, I don't fish that long in the hot sun so hopefully this moeller tank I made will meet my needs. If you are a hardcore live bait guy, wait for a used grayline.

https://stripersoup.com/wpress/bait-tanks/#!/Striper-Soup-Moeller-M-26F/p/41253126/category=6630113

Thanks. These plastic tanks seem wildly overpriced for what they are. We built out first one, looks like we might build the 2nd one too.

Bite the Bullet and buy a Creek Bank Tank and be done. Best tank out there hands down. Striper soup tanks have to be the absolute worse tank design ever. To get to the pump is a pain in the [censored]. Horrible design

Make sure you get one that runs the water through a charcoal filter. I see tanks at Cabelas that don't do that and they will be less than ideal. I also add Zeolite to the charcoal and it really helps. I fish shad all the time. If they die it is seldom about Oxygen in the water, it's the ammonia. I put around 6 dozen shad yesterday in my 17 gallon shad tank and they lasted all day. Before I used the Zeolite, I could barely get 3 dozen to make it all day.

I also put a cup of salt in the tank. Once the water gets over 80 degrees, I'll mix that half and half with shad keeper.

RIP Sunshine George

If you find someone who has a Gayline or Sunshine for sale, that is a purchase worth considering.

I have a Grayline. It's a good tank.

Make one out of half a barrel and a pump from Wal-Mart. Not very hard. If you end up using it a ton then make a better one.