Bait tubes
 

I think I want to make a bait tube to use in La Jolla, I like the idea of keeping everything simple and keeping more space topside, since I fish on a tandem and space is limited. I have read about issues using bait tubes in la jolla in terms of drag, does anyone have any experience with this? I have also heard of mako sharks coming up and chewing on the bait tubes, has this happened to anyone? I would not like to bait sharks to come up that close to my kayak. Thanks in advance

To me, a bait tube is like chumming the water. hope this helps...

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While you call it a bait tube some big sea creatures call it a lunch box.
:D

Bait tubes work fine, try one and decide if its for you.

I'm not sure if it would work in la jolla but it might work at other places

I use a bait tube in La Jolla. Works great for mac's, they stay alive all day. Use the bait tank for chovies. I found that if you use about a 10 foot line or so to tow it with, it will fall behind your yak and not affect the tracking of your yak.

Last year Sharon posted a picture on BWE, showed a mako attacking her bait tube. She called it watch those feet.

I want to see the ratio of people that have used bait tubes in our coastal waters in the history of the sport, to actual attacks caused by using one. Lot of people have irrational fears for no reason.

Make one and give it a try either you will love it for is simplicity and keeping your yak less cluttered or you will hate it because it slows you down and gets hooked up on kelp.

I used a bait tube for years before building a bait tank. One instance of a sea lion pushing it around a bit but never giving it a hard pull. For a minimalist approach bait tubes are great.

Bait barges love 'em too

That's what I mean, I don't want to be unnecessarily worried, but I don't want to be stupid and attract sharks directly to my kayak. It sounds like most people don't have issues, and I could minimize the risk by having a longer tow rope with a quick detach.

i keep my bait tube right next to my side when fishing for concerns of critters taking a swing at it. when on the move, i let out the length of rope that i've measured to extend just pasted the rudder. a little drag but still effective.

Or flyline a bait to then when they come

I've tried all different types of bait tanks and always go back to the tube.

I just bought some 3" PVC from HD to make myself a bait tube. Can you guys post up some pics of different designs for reference? I know it's pretty basic, just curious if designs differ much at all...thanks!

You want to use the ABS (the black pipe) it floats. The sch 40 and 80 (white-gray) does not float.
I'll take a pic of mine tonight.
Easy peasy.

Here is a picture of mine - simple, no batteries required...

http://i1321.photobucket.com/albums/...ps3495eb20.jpg

I've used bait tubes since I started fishing from a kayak 4 years ago, they work great and are a simple space saver.

Cool thats what I bought. I was gonna cement one end cap on and I bought a screw in end cap for the other side. I was going to drill lots of holes in the main cylander for water flow and get the bait out of the end of the tube with the screw in cap. Is that a bad idea? Hard to get the bait out of one end? I ask because of the cool trap door in the pic posted above...thoughts?

Trap door
 

I like having a trap door on the bait tube.

It is easy to slide them in and a little tilt one way or the other and they slide right to you.

Flip the door shut, secure the strap with velcro, back over the side, and you are off fishing.

I haven't used this tube in a while and when I opened the door the velcro came off the strap and stayed stuck to it's mate. I need to re-glue it to the strap.

You don't need to drill the tube full of holes. Just the drain (green) end caps. Glue (ABS glue "black") the trailing end. Glue the leading cap into a slip to thread coupler. Glue a male coupler to the tube. Now you can unscrew the leading cap and tip your tube and out comes a bait.
Always put your bait in tail 1st so they are pointing forward. They won't drown. Also make sure the bait is the size so it can't turn around.

How much bait are you holding in it?

I personally had issues with the threaded caps getting sand and salt in them then getting stuck.

My view on it is no holes in the side but lots in the caps. Slip caps only and sand the tube down a little to make getting off slightly easier. I dont drill holes in main tube just because i feel that it holds a little more water when retreiving bait (while tube isnt in water). Put bait in head first from the back and take them out head first from the front. No need to be fancy at all.

Oh and like Mike said, make it long enough to go all the way behind your kayak.

Alright I'm gonna have to try it. I'm not convinced sharks will be an issue, especially if you don't have to drill the tube full of holes. Thanks doe the real world experience, nice to clear up the speculation

Thanks, so you use slip caps on both ends huh. They never have fallen off? What do you attach your tow line to on the bait tube? zip tie loops?

I have never had any issues even with sanding the tube slightly.

I run my tow line in though the front cap out the back cap and then knot it. Run the line off to one side obviously.

Why didn't I think of that? Simple is always best.

In the picture I added two stainless steel washers, then clip a short length of bungee to the washers, then clip a tow line onto the bungee.

After reading about the sharks and seals going after the tubes, I will be adding a short length of 10 or 15# breakaway fishing line. Something grabs it, and snap, they can have it. I will get it back hopefully with teeth marks (a tooth would be even better) for another good kayak story.

So my bait tank battery does on me during my islander trip and I was love bait less for the whole afternoon so I want to build a bait tube as back up to take along.
Is there a reason that we want to build or use floating pipe instead of sinking pipe? I heard both ABS & PVC float
Thank you for your help!
45

You want to use the black ABS not the gray schedule 80 or the white schedule 40.
If your in or close to the carlsbad area I can make you one for the price of materials. No worries.

Thank you very much for the offer but I'm in la/OC area
I was just wondering why we need to use floating ABS
Is it because of dragging issue? I'm thinking if you are using for live bait then don't you want it somewhat sink down to have water in the tube?
Thank you again!
45

I think the explanation is with tubing that doesn't float it will sink when water is added whereas the tubing that floats will remain neutrally buoyant and stay near the surface, not float on top, this will in turn reduce drag as apposed to having what would be essentially a rock at the end of a rope...

don't forget to send me your $.25! ........royalties you know :D

http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwevb/s...highlight=tube

Not just drag when paddling but also when you stop paddling it will sink and be sitting vertically instead of horizontally making your bait far less happy and making the odds of tangling it in kelp or such far better.

Thanks Andy!
But I can't see the pic of your bait tube.. :cheers1:

Thanks a bunch for all your help!
45

Just made one ima try it out tomorrow at new port. Any1 wanna come? Gonna try n hit corona Del mar kelps or rockfish if someone comes with me http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/06/05/upegu8er.jpg

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

This is becoming more and more interesting. The more I go out the more I realize I only use a few pieces of bait. For the size of my current bait tank would not mind saving 30 less pounds to two around all day and also free up valuable space on the outback. I do like the tank for storing my rockfish as I am not a fan of dangling fish off the side. Will try this as well soon.

So I went to homedepot...

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/06/06/arysu8u7.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/06/06/ryhyvyve.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/06/06/umupabyz.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/06/06/gapa9uda.jpg
I made 2" and 3" version. I am planning to take 2" version with bait tank as a back up and 3" version when I am not taking my bait tank.
We will see how it works this weekend.
Thanks for all your help!
45

That second one with the green drain caps is exactly what I made, 3" ABS pipe, glued one end up, put some duct tape on the other end so the cap would fit in there snuggly, ran a line all the way through and left about 10' to tie off to the yak so the tube will trail the rudder.

Great ideas on her thank guys! Havent tried it yet, can't wait to give it a go.

So I was out at Marina Del Rey briefly this morning and tested out the bait tube and it worked perfect. With the drainer cap the water flows so much there didn't seem to be much drag.
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/06/08/8agyzude.jpg
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/06/08/ary9evy7.jpg

By the way swell was pretty high with short intervals.. Magicseaweed forecasted 1-2' but it was more like 3-5' at 2-3seconds
Almost got sick and made my trip shorter
45

Good Job.
Easy Peasy. You just shaved 40lbs off your kayak.