Hey everyone,
I haven't had much luck the past year or so with plastics and other artificial, so I am going to give live bait a shot. What would you all suggest to keep shrimp while on the kayak? Im wondering if the troll behind style would be better than a small bucket with an aerator.
Thanks!
Best live shrimp container
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- Ron Mc
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Re: Best live shrimp container
Frabill Flow Troll is still the best.
Made the mistake or ordering a different brand when mine blew out of my dad's boat on the highway.
Went back later and replaced it with a new Flow Troll.
It's possible to turn an Engel cooler into a very good bait livewell - get an inexpensive (diaphram) aerator, drill a hole through the cooler top for an airline, and seal it with 3M Marine.
Engel makes their version and so does Frabil for about 1/3 the cost of the Engel.
Made the mistake or ordering a different brand when mine blew out of my dad's boat on the highway.
Went back later and replaced it with a new Flow Troll.
It's possible to turn an Engel cooler into a very good bait livewell - get an inexpensive (diaphram) aerator, drill a hole through the cooler top for an airline, and seal it with 3M Marine.
Engel makes their version and so does Frabil for about 1/3 the cost of the Engel.
Re: Best live shrimp container
For kayaking with live shrimp, I normally use a small Frabill Flow-Trol like Ron suggested. I pull it behind, unless I'm making a long paddle, and the I'll put water in it just below the rows of holes, sit it on a flat spot and paddle about 100 yards, stop and dunk it to change out the water, etc. The larger one is much harder to drag, paddling, BTW.
I have an Engel 13 qt(?) insulated bait cooler I sometimes use in my kayak, but mostly in my flats skiff. It has a 2-D-cell aerator that works great. I have several Frabill bubblers, and they eat batteries. I use Dollar Tree D-cells, and I can use 2 batteries in my Engel four 4 or 5 fishing trips, but one trip on the Frabills, and they're done. Inside, the bubblers look identical. ? The rubber o-ring seal on my Engel broke, and I called their customer service to buy a new one, and they said, "We'll send you one". A few days later, I got a box in the mail with a brand-new aerator!
I made a mesh liner for my Frabill Flow-Trol, so the shrimp have something to hold on to. If I put live mullet in it, their noses get bloody. They like the smooth surface. My $0.02. TexasJim
I have an Engel 13 qt(?) insulated bait cooler I sometimes use in my kayak, but mostly in my flats skiff. It has a 2-D-cell aerator that works great. I have several Frabill bubblers, and they eat batteries. I use Dollar Tree D-cells, and I can use 2 batteries in my Engel four 4 or 5 fishing trips, but one trip on the Frabills, and they're done. Inside, the bubblers look identical. ? The rubber o-ring seal on my Engel broke, and I called their customer service to buy a new one, and they said, "We'll send you one". A few days later, I got a box in the mail with a brand-new aerator!
I made a mesh liner for my Frabill Flow-Trol, so the shrimp have something to hold on to. If I put live mullet in it, their noses get bloody. They like the smooth surface. My $0.02. TexasJim
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- Joined: Mon Jul 06, 2020 9:06 pm
- Location: Humble, TX
Re: Best live shrimp container
Thank you both for the replies! I think I will start out with the Frabil Flow-Trol and see how it goes after a few trips. Thanks again for your time.
Re: Best live shrimp container
The Flabill works well at keeping shrimp alive no doubt and I've used one for years. I personally don't like pulling it behind the kayak it creates a lot of drag. There's a number of DIY PVC bait tubes YouTube but I think you can buy one for what it costs to build one. I've seen good reviews on this one.https://baitshark.com/catalog
There's also this one https://www.amazon.com/dp/B084P21V2J/re ... UTF8&psc=1
There's also this one https://www.amazon.com/dp/B084P21V2J/re ... UTF8&psc=1
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Re: Best live shrimp container
I have 2 bait tanks that I made from 5 gal water coolers by adding aerators. They are well insulated and keep the bait nice and cool and aerated. One is an Igloo the other is a Rubbermaid. The Rubbermaid has a screw on lid so it stays on better but is more time consuming to remove and replace. The Igloo has a press on lid and is quick and easy to get in and out of but not as secure. The screw on lid would remain on in the event it got knocked over or in the event you turtle your yak. Both work very well for keeping shrimp alive. I use them when I surf fish and keep shrimp alive for a few days. They are a little large for a yak but I have put mine in the rear tank well before and did not have any issues with it. I just fill it a little over half full with water to reduce weight. They also make the Rubbermaid in a 2 gal size that might be more kayak friendly.
here's some links and I will add some pics later when I get home of the actual ones I made.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Igloo-5-Gall ... lsrc=aw.ds
https://www.homedepot.com/pep/The-Home- ... lsrc=aw.ds
https://www.homedepot.com/pep/Rubbermai ... lsrc=aw.ds
here's some links and I will add some pics later when I get home of the actual ones I made.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Igloo-5-Gall ... lsrc=aw.ds
https://www.homedepot.com/pep/The-Home- ... lsrc=aw.ds
https://www.homedepot.com/pep/Rubbermai ... lsrc=aw.ds
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Re: Best live shrimp container
Here's a couple pics of the igloo one
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