Keeping live bait alive without a pump

Keeping live bait alive is a challenge! After going to all the trouble of catching your live bait, you don’t want it dying due to lack of oxygen or dirty water.

The best way of keeping you live bait alive is to keep it in a naturally plumbed tank built into your boat.

By creating a sealed section in your boat you can drill holes in the bottom so your bait is always swimming in clean naturally aerated water. Even upside down herring which are notoriously hard to keep alive. They get a second wind after being placed in these tanks. 

I’ve been using plate aluminium boats for my charters for 30 years and right from the get go had LIVE BAIT tanks built into the boat.

Keeping live bait alive in this way has an added advantage.

You can screw your transducer mounts straight onto the boat adjacent to these sections. As they are fully sealed and won’t sink your boat if electrolysis creates a leak.

In recent years I have noticed aluminium boat manufacturers moving toward using plate over pressed aluminium. If you have a plate boat or are in the market for a new tinny, these sealed tanks are a must.

The tank can also be used for other purposes like defrosting bait, bleeding fish, washing hands…

AND, when not filled with live bait, doubles as a toilet for my wife when she comes aboard!

Watch the video below for my tips on how to best build a naturally plumbed bait tank (or two) into your boat. Keeping live bait alive doesn’t have to be difficult.