I am thinking about getting a new bait tank, the one I have takes up to much space on my boat. To keep shad alive, which do you guys think is the best. To circulate water from the lake or just recirculate or aerate the same water? Thanks,

I'd say one that aireates the water thats in it,you dont want to put no 90 degree water on your live shad.All the insulated shad tanks have a filtration and aireation system on them.

From what I have heard and seen on one boat you need a high end bait tank to keep the bait alive whn the water starts warming up. Some guys use ice to keep th ewater cooler but you need to add salt to your water and filter it so you need to be able to recirc your watewr as well as put air in it, Talk to some of the mopre experienced striper fisherman that use live bait a lot they should be able to help you out more than me

I have exp with both the boat for ocean fishing has a fresh water tank and does great, however there is the plumbing that may be in your way with one of them. The rec ones work fine as long as they are ROUND and insulated as was posted. Get the better bait/shad saver from BIBT and you should have no problems. I do suggest a small bucket 5 gal+ or tank to dump the Shad in 1st and let the scales come off then put them in the bait tank. Hope this helps.

Any of the commercially available tanks will work wonters. Creek, Superior, Bluewater, Greyline, etc. If you don't want to drop some serious coin, the homemade versions will work just as well. There are literally hundreds of designs on the web that use plastic 55 gallon drums cut down to 30 gallons. Insulation will help in summer and winter, but is not necessary in spring or fall. Your main concern is a design that will allow you to remove waste and aerate the water.

My bait well is home made. It was a 55 gallon plastic barrel cut down to hold 30 gallons. As prior posts mentioned the main key is adding better bait or shad keeper, salt, foam off and ice when the water gets above 65 degrees. I never change the water just clean out the filter. Each time you get back from the lake fill it with chlorinated water to help reduce bacteria buildup in it. I put about 10 gallons of water in mine. Occassionally clean out the pipes because of the scale buildup. I am referring to the chemicals used not fish scales. I also agree with the statement about the commercial wells. You cannot beat em!!!!!

Bo

$$ is the big determining factor here. If you baitfish a lot, you will be better served in the long run buying top name tank. They do however fetch top dollar! If you just fish Spring and Fall as Bo said you really need no insulation, but if you don't have insulation, after about 9:30 or 10AM yur done in June , July, Aug. and Sept. You must have filtration and airation. Use the polyfil batting for filtration and use a venturi of some type to infuse air bubbles into yur tank water. The simplest veturi is made by drilling a hole in output side of bilge pump under the water level with a tube extending out of the water level. This forces the pump to suck air into the water stream without introducing air pockets into the impeller of the pump which will shorten the pump life. Really all you need is Rock salt, but I use the Morton Purifier pellets in the 40# bag..it is 99.5% pure and Much cheaper than Rock salt. When I get foam, I just sprinkle a lil coffee creamer in the filter box. Foam is an oxygen robbing enemy. I have a 40 gallon Grayline, but when I buy another tank it will definately be a Creek Bank!! Hope this helps

Linesider a guide from south carolina told me about the coffee creamer several years ago. Its amazing how well it works. I also will add baking soda at times along with salt. I use table salt which works just fine. You are definitely right about the venturi and oxygen. Another guide said to leave the lid open. I tnink thats fine in early spring and mid to late fall but in the summer I close mine to a crack. I lay the dip net across the opening and let the door rest on it. It works for me so thought I'd share. Good fishing to all.

Bo

do any of you guys have any idea's on how to change regular built in bait wells into recirc baitwells?

Funny you would mention table salt Bo. I have always heard that "iodized salt is deadly to shad" but I know others that use it all the time with zero problems. Those Morton pellets are about $4 for a 40 lb. bag so can't complain about that. I just throw 'em in the tank with some well water nite before and they are dissolved by time I get to lake, or if in a hurry, I just put pellets in the filter box and the running water disolves quickly. With the polyfil batting, I just cut sheets to size and lay 5 or so to start and just peel off 1 at a time when water is going over top and not thru the sheets. After the shad slime and poop from the initial stress the sheet changing slows way down. Don't let # of sheets get down lower than 2 before ya put a few more back in!

When I first started live bait fishing I used only rock salt and noniodized. But, got caught with no salt so raided the pantry and only had iodized. What the heck I tried it. The shad did great. I didn't even use bait saver or shad saver then. I froze lake water in 2 liter bottles and let them dissolve into the well. I have tried all types of concoctions. You know shad come to the surface when electrolytes are low. Empty a jug of gator ade into the well.
Everybody has a secret formula just like ol colonel sanders KFC!! Ha!!!! Good fishing to ya!

Bo