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General Maintenance Tips => General Procedures => Topic started by: Tightlines667 on December 18, 2017, 10:29:47 PM

Title: Cheap/Easy/Portable Dockside Bait Pen
Post by: Tightlines667 on December 18, 2017, 10:29:47 PM
All,

I had a need for a dockside pen, that could hold a few dozen Mackerel Scad for a week or so.  The idea is that I can go make bait some evening after work, and have somewhere to store them until I am ready to head offshore.  My live bait well is onboard, and uses battery and pump power, so I would prefer to limit its use to days when I am actually onboard fishing.

I looked at purchasing a rebuilt one, and there are some great options available out there, but all were going to cost more then I wanted to spend, and shipping to HI and portability/storability were not what I had in mind.  

After spending some time online, I decided to go cheap/light/quick.  If it works.. great.  If not, it didn't cost me much to find out.

The pen I built has about 30 gals equiv. Capacity, and folds down to a small size.  

I bought a collapsible laundry hamper online.  

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Whitmor-Collapsible-Laundry-Hamper-White/13905967

I ordered this one from Wall Mart online, but they are also available at Bed, Bath, and Beyond, Target, and other places.

Picked up a pool noodle, a small mesh bag, and a bag of large zip ties.  Zip tie the pool noodle around the top rim, zip tie the collapsible mesh bag over the top hole, as a hatch, the ropes to the handles yo secure yo the dock or boat.  And that's it.  About $15 total cost, and took about 5 minutes to assemble.

I will let you know if it works.  If it gets damaged, or too much marine growth, I will simply throw it away and make another.

John
Title: Re: Cheap/Easy/Portable Dockside Bait Pen
Post by: Swami805 on December 18, 2017, 10:58:18 PM
One of my friends had a similar pen he bought but it was a bit bigger and had larger mesh. The marine growth started very quickly but we figured it camoed it from the sealions. We'd be amazed that mackeral and sardines would live for weeks just fine. The mess became it's biosphere after awhile. Looks like it should work fine.
Title: Re: Cheap/Easy/Portable Dockside Bait Pen
Post by: sdlehr on December 18, 2017, 11:19:16 PM
Well done, McGuyver!
Title: Re: Cheap/Easy/Portable Dockside Bait Pen
Post by: handi2 on December 18, 2017, 11:37:48 PM
I buy the expensive collapsible bait pens from Cabelas. They are about $70.00 shipped. I have one the hangs on a pulley attached to my small boat lift. I can pull it up easily and set it on the dock.

I use it when I'm fishing too. I put the fish I catch in there and drop it down. If I dont have enough for 4 I let them go.

The top tubes on the Cabell's pens hold air so the top always floats. Just like the one John is doing. I looked at the laundry baskets and will try one myself for small sardine type baits.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Floating-Bait-Cages/701763.uts
Title: Re: Cheap/Easy/Portable Dockside Bait Pen
Post by: oc1 on December 18, 2017, 11:47:17 PM
Good going John.  If you ever need any 1/4 or 1/2 inch black plastic mesh or ABS pipe floats just let me know.  I'm downsizing the fish pond stuff and have plenty extra.  For scad you'd want to stitch a mesh cover over it to keep them from jumping.   Stitch the plastic mesh together with weed whip line.
(http://www.raingarden.us/snap/pond-5.jpg)
(http://www.raingarden.us/snap/pond-7.JPG)
-steve
Title: Re: Cheap/Easy/Portable Dockside Bait Pen
Post by: conchydong on December 18, 2017, 11:48:42 PM
Nice economical way to go. Unfortunately  in most South Florida locations the "soft" pens don't work because we have Great Barracuda and some species of Shark that enter our canal system and reek havoc on the cloth pens. If you keep the bait for a while they will eat so you must feed them to keep them healthy.
Title: Re: Cheap/Easy/Portable Dockside Bait Pen
Post by: oc1 on December 18, 2017, 11:55:32 PM
It's this kind of mesh except square instead of diamond.  It would not keep out a determined shark.
http://www.masternetltd.com/vexar-other-vexar-products-04.php (http://www.masternetltd.com/vexar-other-vexar-products-04.php)
-steve
Title: Re: Cheap/Easy/Portable Dockside Bait Pen
Post by: Swami805 on December 18, 2017, 11:59:11 PM
I think that cabella's pen was the one my buddy had. Thing lasted for a few years until he sold his boat. That harbor crawls with sea lions too. Averytime we saw it we couldn't believe it was still there.
Title: Re: Cheap/Easy/Portable Dockside Bait Pen
Post by: FatTuna on December 19, 2017, 01:22:32 AM
I've been building these types of bait pens since I was a kid. Typically, I go to home depot and buy some PVC pipe to build the frame.  I drill some holes in the PVC so the water can flood in easily to decrease the buoyancy. The bottom ring gets packed full of old lead weights. Then I get some of that black plastic fencing material to wrap it up. I use zip ties to secure the mesh in place. The top ring gets the foam pool noodle. On the top I cut a door and secure it with zip ties also. That's about it. They work really well provided that the water temperature is suitable for the species you are holding.

At the end of the season, I snip all the zip ties and remove all the mesh. The marine growth gets really bad so I just toss it and redo it in the spring.

Over the years, my design has evolved somewhat. In my experience, it's best to make it really wide. The fish like to swim in a circle at the edge of the pen. The wider it is, the more fish you can put in there. If I'm keeping them for a while, I give them a little bit of food. Usually little bits of mackerel. They typically stay alive for a while provided the water temperature is cool. 

I've seen a few other designs. My friend built one that is made with the same materials used for lobster pots. He keeps it in the outer harbor on a lobster buoy. It sinks like a rock and sits on the bottom. It works but it's really heavy to haul up. I'm not a big fan of his. It's also is difficult to pull up without having it touch the side of the boat. The good thing about his is that it's huge and stays in cooler water.

I'm curious to see how your laundry basket design works. I might have to try switching over it gets the thumbs up.
Title: Re: Cheap/Easy/Portable Dockside Bait Pen
Post by: Tightlines667 on December 19, 2017, 01:49:14 AM
Quote from: FatTuna on December 19, 2017, 01:22:32 AM
I've been building these types of bait pens since I was a kid. Typically, I go to home depot and buy some PVC pipe to build the frame.  I drill some holes in the PVC so the water can flood in easily to decrease the buoyancy. The bottom ring gets packed full of old lead weights. Then I get some of that black plastic fencing material to wrap it up. I use zip ties to secure the mesh in place. The top ring gets the foam pool noodle. On the top I cut a door and secure it with zip ties also. That's about it. They work really well provided that the water temperature is suitable for the species you are holding.

At the end of the season, I snip all the zip ties and remove all the mesh. The marine growth gets really bad so I just toss it and redo it in the spring.

Over the years, my design has evolved somewhat. In my experience, it's best to make it really wide. The fish like to swim in a circle at the edge of the pen. The wider it is, the more fish you can put in there. If I'm keeping them for a while, I give them a little bit of food. Usually little bits of mackerel. They typically stay alive for a while provided the water temperature is cool. 

I've seen a few other designs. My friend built one that is made with the same materials used for lobster pots. He keeps it in the outer harbor on a lobster buoy. It sinks like a rock and sits on the bottom. It works but it's really heavy to haul up. I'm not a big fan of his. It's also is difficult to pull up without having it touch the side of the boat. The good thing about his is that it's huge and stays in cooler water.

I'm curious to see how your laundry basket design works. I might have to try switching over it gets the thumbs up.

Great info there!

Sounds quite similar to the design my friend suggested.  I think this would be a much better option for long-term use.  I just thought I'd try something quick/cheap/easy for short-term storage of a few baits.

I don't think this one will stand up to the elements/growth, or predatory GTs/Sharks veey well, but if it keeps them alive for a few days here and there, I will be happy.

John
Title: Re: Cheap/Easy/Portable Dockside Bait Pen
Post by: FatTuna on December 19, 2017, 02:13:21 AM
I've actually seen a few of the accordion, mesh style bait pens recently. All of them were manufactured. This is one that I actually saw the other day at a tackle shop in NY on my drive down to FL. Looks pretty similar in style to yours.

The reason mine gets so nasty is that I leave it in the water full time from May through Nov. Who knows, it might actually give the mackerel something to pick at while they are in there.

Mine works well but it's a pain to transport unless you have a pickup truck. Also, unless I'm in the mood for a project, redoing the mesh is just another thing to do. I'd prefer to have a mobile design that folds up easy.

If you end up with a shark problem, the metal cage, lobster pot style pens are bullet proof. My friend just takes a power washer to it at the end of the year.
Title: Re: Cheap/Easy/Portable Dockside Bait Pen
Post by: David Hall on December 19, 2017, 05:22:03 AM
I have been thinking of adding one of these to my slip.  I just saw one in a slip near me the other day,  I was hashing around ideas for building one.  What great timing to have this thread pop up right when I needed it.
That clinches it for me, I'm going to build one.
Title: Re: Cheap/Easy/Portable Dockside Bait Pen
Post by: Reel Beaker on February 04, 2018, 11:03:13 AM
Quote from: Tightlines666 on December 18, 2017, 10:29:47 PM

I had a need for a dockside pen, that could hold a few dozen Mackerel Scad for a week or so.


How will the Mackerel Scad stay alive for a week, wont they need to eat to live?
Title: Re: Cheap/Easy/Portable Dockside Bait Pen
Post by: wailua boy on February 04, 2018, 05:04:57 PM
I wonder if its large enough for opelu, without flowing water they do seem to require a fair amount of space.
Title: Re: Cheap/Easy/Portable Dockside Bait Pen
Post by: oc1 on February 04, 2018, 07:48:41 PM
If you can keep them long enough to starve them to death then you are doing pretty good.  That could take a month. The first hurdle is to get them into the cage without damage and then keep them from freaking out and banging themselves on the cage walls.  The slime and scales are their first line of defense against microbes.  When that cuticle is broken they become susceptible to all sorts of skin infections and fin rot.  If the infections persist they become systemic and it's good bye.
-steve
Title: Re: Cheap/Easy/Portable Dockside Bait Pen
Post by: wailua boy on February 04, 2018, 10:17:01 PM
Steve,
What do you raise in your ponds, if you dont mind me asking?
Thanks
Brandon
Title: Re: Cheap/Easy/Portable Dockside Bait Pen
Post by: oc1 on February 05, 2018, 05:40:33 AM
We've grown a lot of different stuff but it has been all ornamentals for the last decade.
-steve
Title: Re: Cheap/Easy/Portable Dockside Bait Pen
Post by: wailua boy on February 05, 2018, 05:45:42 AM
Oh, wow; I'm a breeder myself.

Thanks
Brandon
Title: Re: Cheap/Easy/Portable Dockside Bait Pen
Post by: Reel Beaker on March 03, 2018, 02:19:05 AM
Quote from: oc1 on February 04, 2018, 07:48:41 PM
If you can keep them long enough to starve them to death then you are doing pretty good.  That could take a month. The first hurdle is to get them into the cage without damage and then keep them from freaking out and banging themselves on the cage walls.  The slime and scales are their first line of defense against microbes.  When that cuticle is broken they become susceptible to all sorts of skin infections and fin rot.  If the infections persist they become systemic and it's good bye.
-steve

Wow i didnt know fish can go so long w/o food. That explains a long period of low fish feeding activity at the local pier.