Custom Bait Pen

[Fdm33]

I have been looking into building my own bait pen for spot fish, any suggestions? I have seen information online about one using pool noodles to float and balance the pen, anyone use this method?

[saltflyfisherman]

To get ideas of something id like to try and how to build it, I'd search places like eBay for pictures or YouTube for ideas.

[JoeyZac]

Use pool noodles for floats. They only last 1 year, but for $1, so what.

Do a search on the Barn for existing threads. We've had many.

You can go big and bad using crab wire. You can go light and easy using a little bit of flex tube and plastic mesh. You can go halfway with PVC and some type of plastic mesh from Home Depot.

Go really big using the blue 50 gallon drum with 200 holes drilled in them.

Depending on the type of water flow you have, your location, the type and quantity of bait you want to use, and how you want to catch it and store it, you may want to consider sinking it, or floating it.

[striperInk89]

would sink it do to theft have heard of multiple theft of bait pens

[Doctorsrh]

I have a 55 gallon drum with 3/4inch holes drilling in the sides for water flow. I cut the top off of the drum and secured a wooden top, with hinges and lock, for easy access to my spots. The drum sinks.

I have a smaller, 10 gallon plastic bucket with a lid (I think it was from a pool supply company). I drilled 3/4inch holes in it, and used a foam noodle around the top, secured to the bucket with zip ties. This is my floating pen.

I'm using the floating pen, now, since the 55 gallon is bulky and cumbersome. Once the fall bass season is here, I'll use the bigger drum.

[med]

here are some simple plans...

[C-phase]

Taken from an older post I made

Note: The crabs could nip thru the material I used. I wound up getting some plastic mesh from home depot and replaced he original mesh in this post. Worked fine.

I always wanted to try keeping Herring & Bunker for Some fishing action. This time of year the bait is thicker than thieves under the lights at our dock, but when you get there in the morning they're nowhere to be found.

Reading through my March 2007 Saltwater Sportsman magazine I found an article about how to build a bait pen, So I figured I'd give it a try.

I modified their instructions to suit my needs.

I started with my shopping list which consisted of the follow
(3) 20' lengths of 3/4" schedule 40 PVC (I added some crossbraces and needed 1 more 10' piece)
(14) 1" PVC Tees
(16) 1" to 3/4" PVC reducer bushings
(1) 4 way 3/4" fitting
(2) 90 degree elbows
(16) SS #8 1 1/4"screws
(150) 7" black tie wraps or "zip ties"
(3) swim noodles

Start off by using some PVC glue and glue the reducer bushings in 8 of the 1" PVC tees for the uprights.

Then Cut 2 of the 20' pieces of PVC to 14' (remember to not cut off the bell end) with the remaining PVC stock, cut 4 28" uprights and glue 4 tees with reducer bushings on them (one end only).
Slide those 4 pieces and 4 tees without reducer bushings one one of the 14' PVC lengths staggering accordingly, as seen in the photo. Bend the PVC into a circle and glue into bell.





Slide the remaining tees into the other 14' piece and bend and glue. Place that ontl the other end and glue it up.


Add bottom cross brace with 4way in middle glue, drill and screw all tees. I painted with anti-fouling paint.


For netting I used a Trampoline saftey net and it worked great !!!! ( worked and looked great in the pool, add crabs & they snip right thru it, get the plastic mesh from Home depot) Zip tie the netting on.

[C-phase]

Next I made a half lid with the 90 dergee fittings. *NOTE* when attaching the lid to the upper cross brace don't cinch up th ezip ties too tight, This is your hinge. I made the lid so it fits "inside" the opening and added some left over PVC so the lid will not fall down into the pen.


Now trim up all netting and add the noodles. This can be done many ways , but I did mine like this. The extra noodle mounted horizontally can be moved "up or down" to dictate the hieght of the pen in the water.





Only thing left to do is catch some bait.

HAPPY FISHING !!!!!!!

[Dunk]

http://www.memphisnet.net/product/27...g_plastic_aqua

This is stuff I used for minnow pens when I was in the biz. Made just about the same way as above. Crabs won't get thru this stuff.

[dream_catcher]

otters ripped the plastic mesh and had a feast in the pen I had. I am going to try a can with holes.

[Fdm33]

Thanks for the input fellas!

[RobaloFrank]

Use pool noodles for floats. They only last 1 year, but for $1, so what.

Do a search on the Barn for existing threads. We've had many.

You can go big and bad using crab wire. You can go light and easy using a little bit of flex tube and plastic mesh. You can go halfway with PVC and some type of plastic mesh from Home Depot.

Go really big using the blue 50 gallon drum with 200 holes drilled in them.

Depending on the type of water flow you have, your location, the type and quantity of bait you want to use, and how you want to catch it and store it, you may want to consider sinking it, or floating it.

Joey:
Thanks very much for the barrell and the help on how to configure it. It's full of holes, and I'm moving to create a "hard" top as my marina has confirmed that we have otters.

Much appreciated Brother. Why don't we get together when the stripers hit this fall? Hopefully Barnegat will be as hot as it was in the spring.
I'll post some pictures once I get it in the water.

Thanks!!!
Frank

[JoeyZac]

Make the hardtop. If you've got otters, then there is no choice with a floating pen.

Getting together this Fall should be easy enough to work out once we figure out where they're going to be this Fall. Personally, I'm hoping for a repeat of last Fall, but we'll see.