Live bait bucket

I was doing home chores and one of them includes changing the litter in the cat box (we have two cats in case one malfunctions) which I have to do more often than I think is really necessary. I was using litter from one of those Purina buckets with the hinged lid and it occurred that it would be an excellent short term bait bucket. All you'd have to do is drill a couple of holes for the aerator hose and bait net and you'd be all set up with a good size bucket with a lid and a handle. Don't know how long the handle would hold up or if the bait wold feel "cornered" with the square sides but for a temporary, or throwaway bucket you'd be in business.

With a pair of cats that have overachieving digestive systems, I probably could supply a hundred buckets a year---the problem being storage and distribution.

Just thought I'd throw the idea out there.

Great idea Mr.Wire :congratulatory:

Now they have 101 uses ;-)

Maybe,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, you should spend more time huntin' & fisin' and less time thinkin'. Just a thought!

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Originally Posted by Pier#r

Great idea Mr.Wire :congratulatory:

Now they have 101 uses ;-)

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Dang, you really are
http://i1102.photobucket.com/albums/...ps7yy8jetw.jpg

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Originally Posted by flyguy

Maybe,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, you should spend more time huntin' & fisin' and less time thinkin'. Just a thought!

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Like the man said, "When I works, I works hard. When I thinks, I falls asleep."

Square buckets aren't very good for bait fish buckets,when they swim they keep hitting there nose in the corner of square buckets,where round with no corner they don't.....bruising it....at least my trying to keep shad alive......not sure the same for the bait fish used down there

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Originally Posted by Haywire

I was doing home chores and one of them includes changing the litter in the cat box (we have two cats in case one malfunctions) which I have to do more often than I think is really necessary. I was using litter from one of those Purina buckets with the hinged lid and it occurred that it would be an excellent short term bait bucket. All you'd have to do is drill a couple of holes for the aerator hose and bait net and you'd be all set up with a good size bucket with a lid and a handle. Don't know how long the handle would hold up or if the bait wold feel "cornered" with the square sides but for a temporary, or throwaway bucket you'd be in business.

With a pair of cats that have overachieving digestive systems, I probably could supply a hundred buckets a year---the problem being storage and distribution.

Just thought I'd throw the idea out there.

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Glad to see you are a recycler. My brother-in-law is into recycling too, here is his latest brainchild!
http://i1102.photobucket.com/albums/...psynf3q1wa.jpg

Those square buckets are fine for ghost shrimp, sandfleas, bull minnows, and even a dozen (or two) live shrimp.
And would work great partnered with the Baby Bubbles Bait Pump (only $6.99 + 2 AA batteries)

They also work for storing castnets, terminal tackle, etc.

As far as the 'flimsy' plastic strap, that can easily be replaced with a piece of poly rope ;-)

I figured they'd work for live shrimp since I often look in the bucket and see the whole congregation lying peacefully on the bottom, waiting for the Rapture.

I shouldn't have commented with no other experience then bait fish (and more fresh water)

You're probably correct about shiners (and LYs) ending up in the corners Bill.
Glad we have so many potential baits ;-)

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Originally Posted by Pier#r

You're probably correct about shiners (and LYs) ending up in the corners Bill.
Glad we have so many potential baits ;-)

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If you paint ARROWS in the corners they will know to turn and keep going. You're welcome!

Sounds like they might even make a good Wilcox Couty shootin house terlet. Maybe line it with one of those Febreeze scented trash bags.

I actually made a bait bucket for use when i come down to the coast out of a cat litter bucket like you described haywire, i've used it for shrimp, bull minnows and even to hold a few extra ly's in and have had no trouble with it

Fit great on a cart and perfect for holding the gaff and rope.

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Originally Posted by Rich1

Fit great on a cart and perfect for holding the gaff and rope.

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That's a great idea!

Shoot, don't toss those buckets. Just bring 'em out to the pier and hand them out! I would take a couple in a heartbeat, maybe even trade you a cup of coffee and a donut for one or two.

When ever we drop those buckets off by the recycle trailers, I always set them by the walkway away from the trailers, go into town to shop, and they are gone when we come back by.

No cats, so no bucket.....I do get the neighbors buckets from his pool chemical's with screw on lids,both short and tall ones......I have a few that fit into each other without 2 people to get them apart

I went out in the garage and checked, and my Ironman gaff fits the empty litter bucket like they were custom made for each other. Even after the rope was added there was room for a couple of dozen donuts and a quart of buttermilk.

Speaking of bait buckets, I have been trying to think of a way to put a divider in a bucket so I can put shrimp and bull minnows in the same bucket. Been having to use 2 buckets because the bull minnows eat the legs off of the shrimp if they are in the same bucket. 2 buckets take up too much room on my cart. Any ideas?

I bit the bullet and bought a bucket holder for my cart. I put one bucket in the bottom of the cart with the shrimp and the other in the bucket holder with bull minnows. I carry a 2 gallon bucket (hang it over the cart handle)and rope to keep the water changed out especially for the shrimp. They seem to poop up the water faster than the bull minnows. Then add rods ,cooler, tackle box, hoop net and I start singing the theme music to The Beverly Hillbillys and head up the ramp.

Haywire, when we moved down here I looked at insulated bait buckets and naturally my wife said "but you have buckets at home" and I explained the insulation aspect and she said "so, keep it in the shade and their gonna die anyway if you're doing it right".. So I inevitably lost that battle and made one from home. Did what Pier#r said and bought 2 Mr.Bubbles aerators and attached them to the sides of the bucket and haven't had a shrimp or bull minnow die yet. Put some J&M stickers on it to make it "official".

TUCK---I thought segregation was against the law, or at least politically incorrect. They gonna come getchoo---

Tuck, get a small piece of plexiglass from HD or Lowes, cut it to fit & drill a bunch of holes in it for water exchange. Then silicone it into the bucket. Just make sure to clean the bucket well before gluing with silicone.

If you've seen those large floating buckets for shrimp, they are lined with plastic mesh for the shrimp to latch onto. That is available in craft stores and can be cut to size, including for a wall between sides of a bucket. I cut a rectangle of white mesh for the sides and a circle black mesh for the bottom (I read that dark bottoms make bait feel safer and run less because it looks like they are over deep water). Of late I get to fish 1 day a year and dream the other 364, so home brew projects involving short money are a blessing.

The only down side the first time I tried it at Navarre was that I poured out water at the end of the day and poured out some of my plastic liner (you can try to make something too simple for me to botch up, but you will fail).