custom bait tube...
 

What's up ladies and gents, I'm new to the kayaking scene and have concluded that I am now obsessed with this "thing"... I went out today and bought all materials to build a bait tube... I just had some questions and would greatly appreciate any input you folks might have... Personally, I feel as if having a bait tube would be far easier to manage than a live bait tank in the back of the kayak... The only downfall or disadvantage I see, is the amount of live bait I will be able to store... Any other disadvantages? Any input will go appreciated... Thanks.

:you_rock:

A bait tube is all I have ever used since I've been yakin, and the two disadvantages I see is first, the obvious drag while paddling or peddling , and second, sardines do not travel well in a bait tube. They get beat up pretty bad, and if you have a mixture of macs and dines, the dines really suffer. In my tube, which is an 8 inch tube, 5 or 6 pieces of bait is about all I try to carry.

Good luck

The Rossman

Rossman, thanks for the info... However, I did manage to get my hands on a 4' foot pvc pipe, 4" in diameter.... I would suspect that I will only be able to store approx. The same amount without suffocating the bait... Easy project. Thanks again. Oh one more question, I recently saw a post regarding 40 lbs test on the main line for a sabiki lure, is this lure what you will need for la jolla? How much would you recomend on the main line for a sabiki lure to catch bait on la jolla?

Bait tube is a great idea to store a couple macs, but on a day that your burning through bait quick you may wish you had a method of storing more so your fishing more... Honestly there are some really creative rad threads on here for making a bait tank, that will hold plenty of bait alive all day, plus that kfs ultimate tank is a good price and looks solid, I almost bought one of those before buying my current tank..

I got really tired of my bait tank not working at the worse time due to bad contacts or corrosion or a bunch of other things that always seemed to pop up on the water.
I now use a 2'' by 2' piece of abs with drilled caps. I can get 5 or six macs in there. Greenbacks will last a long time, spanish not as much, but still as long as a bait tank.
One problem I haven't found a solution to is the tube banging the side of the kayak when I am not paddling
Also twice Iv'e had the bait tube get grabbed. Once by a young seal, and once at night by something strong enough to pull me backward at a scary speed. I now use a break off(40lb mono)connector on the tow line.
I am all for Low Tech if I can get a way with it. Yaky yak

40 lb seems a bit of an overkill if you are specifically trying for macs or dines. A lot depends on what you use for the bottom weight. I have traditionally used an ounce and a half krocidile spoon, and I have caught and lost some pretty big fish that decided to hit the Kroc. Just last week I lost a fish that I couldn't,t get off the bottom. Ling I suspect. My son actually landed a thresher on his bait rig tipped with a Kroc. I generally use a sabiki with 12 or 15 lb main line, and if I don.t want to have my heart broken by breaking off a larger fish, I just tip it with a torpedo sinker.

Good luck

I tried the bait tube for a while but ended up making a battery powered bait tank. I didn't like the drag of the tube and some times the tube would knock or hit the yak as I paddled and that bugged me. Also the baits ended up coming out of the tube looking very beat up and not giving me the quality live bait I was looking for. Like yaky yak said the powered bait tanks can let you down for a number of reasons and at the worst times. Mike

4" has way to much drag, go with 2" hole's drilled everywhere and make sure you clean the burr's out so you don't damage the bait.

livewell is better:reel:
good luck

bait tubes were a passing fad.........like roller blades :D

http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwevb/s...ight=bait+tube

Yeah.... Getting "pulled by something strong" is what I'm trying to avoid... At all costs. Unless her name is priscilla the gorilla... I will def. Consider tying a mono break off.... All posts have very good information.... Thanks guys. Much appreciated....

Show off! :eviltongue:

Let me guess, you were also probably one of the first to start using yoyo jigs on the yak @ LJ too? Yeah right, thats a believable story...:spam:

I like black ABS pipe because it floats. I am experimenting with having the tow line more centered on the tube (with a hose clamp)so it doesn't plane out to the side and cause more drag while paddling.
I got my idea of using a bait tube from Icemans post those many years ago. Thanks.

Yaky yak, I used a 4' black pipe, maybe abs?... It's about 3 ft. Long and I drilled the cap side and all thru out the tube... The top end has a removable (threaded) cap, that needs to be removed to extract the bait... I sanded the inside down, as to not harm the bait. Got the heads up from one of the more senior fisherman on the forum. As far as the drag, I spoke to one of the OEX guys today, and he said that on a malibu pro explorer, I shouldnt really feel a whole lot of difference... Only one way to say for sure, I need to get paddling ASAP... I'll probably hit the tidelands a few more times before heading out to the kelp and attempting a beach launch. There's one thing for sure, I'm extremely pumped about heading out there... Thanks for the info. :cheers1: