Hobie Bait Tank Vs. Thresher Tank. - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

Billy V · 09-02-2009, 01:18 PM

I have long been a user of the Thresher Tank and do not have any complaints about this well designed product.

However. because I own a Hobie I am considering a change to the Hobie Live Well just because I may be able to benefit from a few tweaks as it is designed to fit my boat.

Can Anyone share their experience with the Hobie Bait Tank ?
-Are there any special tweaks that the tank needs.
ie. Do I need a screen to cover the pick-up tube.

How does it work compared to what you have already had for a bait tank?

Thanks in Advance
BV

dorado50 · 09-02-2009, 01:33 PM

The hobie livewell circulates water from the bottom of tank, providing for more livelier and healthier baits.

erinoo · 09-02-2009, 02:21 PM

I use a small piece of net cut from an aquarium seine /minnow scooper; cost about 2-bits @ Wal-Mart…I also shorten my intake hose so the hose/black end piece sticks out under the yak about an inch or a little less… tweaks worked for me…ffice

ffice" />>>

forefrazier · 09-02-2009, 04:00 PM

I have to say that I am a bit disappointed so far with the Thresher tank with anything other than macs. Have not put any 'chovies in it yet but all of my 'dines have been rolling pretty quick when getting bait at the receiver in Dana. Using a 6V batt and over the side bilge pump. Didn't have that problem with the Hobie tank. Might be the rectangular shape or just plain bad bait?? Anyone else notice this?

You will be happy with the Hobie tank...

fishinkid2010 · 09-02-2009, 04:03 PM

I've had great luck with my Hobie bait tank. I've ran it all day from 6 am until 4 pm full of Sardines and Anchovies. I've also run it all day full of bass, the battery never died, and the bait and bass were still very lively. The only time I use a screen over the intake tube is when I'm fishing in thick kelp mats. Since I have a Revolution, I did not have to trim the intake tube. I believe though, that other Hobie models require some adjusting.
For me, the self priming nozzle works great. The tank works so well that my friend doesn't even bother to bring his bait tank when he goes fishing with me.

erinoo · 09-02-2009, 04:04 PM

I have had the same problem with dines at the reciever at dana in my hobie tank. Not sure if it's the dines or not.

MVC · 09-02-2009, 04:12 PM

I have used both tanks on my Hobie Revo and I like the Hobie tank much better. You can adjust the water level and you don't have to drag a pump over the side. I have had some problems picking up kelp and eel grass through the intake hose.

Whizz Bang · 09-02-2009, 06:47 PM

Yep,
With a thresher tank the dines are on borrowed time...even healthy happy ones ripped fresh out of the ocean, if I can, the dine goes from the sabiki to the hook...

I give dines about an hour in my thresher
tank before they are tits up.

Gino · 09-02-2009, 06:55 PM

i thought the thresher tank was a pretty good product. i was thinking about buying one.your guys reviews are giving me secound thoughts.

the hobie tanks im not much of a fan of, i know some people who have had a couple issues where bait kept diing on them, And they had to modify it or do some sorta change to fix it.

I use an self made tank and i have never had problems with bait dieing. total cost me 60 bucks to make, much more efficient than the $275 hobie tank.

Billy V · 09-02-2009, 08:33 PM

Thanks for the replies guys.

I have had good success with the Thresher Tank loaded with a dozen Macs.
Using a 6 volt- 12 amp. battery.
Dines tend to take a beating from the Macs, even if there are only 6 Macs. They are fragile bait.

I use them as soon as I catch them, and carefully hook them with the thinnest hook in the tackle box so they live long.

dorado50 · 09-02-2009, 08:50 PM

Think about this.. On the thresher tank water from sea is pumped into the tank from the surface,this fresh sea water then exits from top scupper on tank(as to prevent overflow). Therefore this new fresh water with all the oxygen does not reach bottom where it is needed most. That is why dines don't last as long especially in warmer water times. Not as much of a problem in winter months. The hobie tank deposits water from the bottom thus going upward (circulating oxygen before exiting thru scupper). I also use a thresher tank(three years now,same tank) and have never had a problem with it at all;I really like it.

FISHIONADO · 09-02-2009, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dorado50

Think about this.. On the thresher tank water from sea is pumped into the tank from the surface,this fresh sea water then exits from top scupper on tank(as to prevent overflow). Therefore this new fresh water with all the oxigen does not reach bottom where it is needed most. That is why dines don't last as long especially in warmer water times. Not as much of a problem in winter months. The hobie tank deposits water from the bottom thus going upward (circulating oxigen before exiting thru scupper). I also use a thresher tank(three years now,same tank) and have never had a problem with it at all;I really like it.

But do you have any shark safety tips?

dorado50 · 09-02-2009, 09:00 PM

Ha..ha..the shark shield is a must Dave!!! you know that.. that guy from the philappines says so

Adam12 · 09-02-2009, 09:18 PM

I absolutely love my Hobie tank, the only problem Ive run into is it getting clogged with eel grass or loose crap on the surface of the water.

What I did to alleviate this was, purchase more of the clear tubing from West Marine and made a longer intake. After the pump is primed I lift the front of the tank (while on the water) and turn the intake tube 180* ,so the scoop is pointed backwards. the intake has to be long enough so that when you lift it, it doesnt suck air and stays in the water. This works very well.

Hobie needs to come up with some sort of solution because the livewell costs $250 and its a real pain in the ass to have to lift your tank full of bait and rods in the holders then clear the clog and re-prime.

h2ofishfo · 09-02-2009, 09:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dorado50

Ha..ha..the shark shield is a must Dave!!! you know that.. that guy from the phippines says so

ha i read that thread it seems to effect guys who are paddeling a hollowed out palm tree

Whizz Bang · 09-02-2009, 10:17 PM

It is not my intention to bad mouth the thresher tank. I like it, and have never owned anything else. I adjust for the dines fragility and as for the macs....well the macs you can beat em up, smack em around, leave them out of water, and squeeze lemon juice in their eye and they are just fine. God bless em.

deepdvr · 09-03-2009, 06:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dorado50

Think about this.. On the thresher tank water from sea is pumped into the tank from the surface,this fresh sea water then exits from top scupper on tank(as to prevent overflow). Therefore this new fresh water with all the oxygen does not reach bottom where it is needed most. That is why dines don't last as long especially in warmer water times. Not as much of a problem in winter months. The hobie tank deposits water from the bottom thus going upward (circulating oxygen before exiting thru scupper). I also use a thresher tank(three years now,same tank) and have never had a problem with it at all;I really like it.

When making a homemade 5 gallon bucket bait tank can you install the inflow at the bottom of the bucket? Most every homemade tank I've seen with an Attwood type self-priming pump has both the inflow and outflow at the top.

I've lost the majority of my kayak scoop of dines and/or chovys within 30 minutes or so after leaving the point loma bait receiver.

Holy Mackerel · 09-03-2009, 07:21 AM

I rarely use Sardines in my kayak tank, so I can't really comment, but dines/chovies have been rolling lately in my boat, and friends boats.

Water is warm as hell in the harbors, and bays right now, where the bait recievers are located. We usually are greeted with that caveat by the bait guys, when buying bait for running offshore, and most of it rolls in our boat tanks too.

That said, Hobie tank looks like a nice, quality, solid tank. I obviously use a Thresher, and like its low profile, works fine for my mackerel, and dines I sometimes sabiki up.

steveooo · 09-03-2009, 11:03 AM

Here is what I did, mostly from other guys that I have seen on here.

I liked the design of the Hobie tank, but it seemed too pricey to buy, and modify. Hobie does a good job of listening to customers, I’m sure the minor things that people tweak will be fixed soon enough.

I did the through hull pump, to an external petfood container.

The intake- no noticeable drag, never gets hung up. This is my 4th kayak with a through hull. I’m hard on my stuff, and I have never had a leak.

You can also barely see the flushmount transducer near the front of the yak in this pic

Inside the yak

Inside top of the yak

Garden hose fitting on deck

My fittings inside the petfood container. It holds about 3 ½ gallons.

In the crate

All hooked up

So far I’m very happy with this system. Its nice to be able to just put my seat and tank on and go ( If I ever actually got out and fished)

Andy @ OEX Sunset beach helped me lots as I worked out ideas of how I wanted it rigged. Andy, and all the OEX guys are also good at doing the through hull pumps if that isn’t something you are comfortable doing, plus they have all the fitting you need. Again, lots of great ideas on this site. Also both the Hobie and the Thresher tanks are well-built, solid tanks too.

Holy Mackerel · 09-03-2009, 12:29 PM

That's pretty cool Steve, you got me thinking about doing something like that!

09-02-2009, 01:18 PM	#1
Billy V Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bay Ho Posts: 1,382	Hobie Bait Tank Vs. Thresher Tank. I have long been a user of the Thresher Tank and do not have any complaints about this well designed product. However. because I own a Hobie I am considering a change to the Hobie Live Well just because I may be able to benefit from a few tweaks as it is designed to fit my boat. Can Anyone share their experience with the Hobie Bait Tank ? -Are there any special tweaks that the tank needs. ie. Do I need a screen to cover the pick-up tube. How does it work compared to what you have already had for a bait tank? Thanks in Advance BV

09-02-2009, 02:21 PM	#3
erinoo Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Carlsbad,,Halfway up the Hill Posts: 485	I use a small piece of net cut from an aquarium seine /minnow scooper; cost about 2-bits @ Wal-Mart…I also shorten my intake hose so the hose/black end piece sticks out under the yak about an inch or a little less… tweaks worked for me…fficeffice" />>>

09-02-2009, 04:03 PM	#5
fishinkid2010 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: La Mesa Posts: 386	I've had great luck with my Hobie bait tank. I've ran it all day from 6 am until 4 pm full of Sardines and Anchovies. I've also run it all day full of bass, the battery never died, and the bait and bass were still very lively. The only time I use a screen over the intake tube is when I'm fishing in thick kelp mats. Since I have a Revolution, I did not have to trim the intake tube. I believe though, that other Hobie models require some adjusting. For me, the self priming nozzle works great. The tank works so well that my friend doesn't even bother to bring his bait tank when he goes fishing with me. __________________ Need a custom rod wrapped? PM me! http://s686.photobucket.com/albums/vv222/fishinkid2010/Sample%20Rod%20Wrapping/?albumview=slideshow

09-02-2009, 08:50 PM	#11
dorado50 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: La Jolla Shores Posts: 1,626	Think about this.. On the thresher tank water from sea is pumped into the tank from the surface,this fresh sea water then exits from top scupper on tank(as to prevent overflow). Therefore this new fresh water with all the oxygen does not reach bottom where it is needed most. That is why dines don't last as long especially in warmer water times. Not as much of a problem in winter months. The hobie tank deposits water from the bottom thus going upward (circulating oxygen before exiting thru scupper). I also use a thresher tank(three years now,same tank) and have never had a problem with it at all;I really like it. Last edited by dorado50; 09-02-2009 at 10:09 PM.

09-02-2009, 09:00 PM	#13
dorado50 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: La Jolla Shores Posts: 1,626	Ha..ha..the shark shield is a must Dave!!! you know that.. that guy from the philappines says so Last edited by dorado50; 09-02-2009 at 10:10 PM.

09-02-2009, 01:33 PM	#2
dorado50 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: La Jolla Shores Posts: 1,626	The hobie livewell circulates water from the bottom of tank, providing for more livelier and healthier baits.

09-02-2009, 04:00 PM	#4
forefrazier Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: OC Posts: 397	I have to say that I am a bit disappointed so far with the Thresher tank with anything other than macs. Have not put any 'chovies in it yet but all of my 'dines have been rolling pretty quick when getting bait at the receiver in Dana. Using a 6V batt and over the side bilge pump. Didn't have that problem with the Hobie tank. Might be the rectangular shape or just plain bad bait?? Anyone else notice this? You will be happy with the Hobie tank...

09-02-2009, 04:04 PM	#6
erinoo Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Carlsbad,,Halfway up the Hill Posts: 485	I have had the same problem with dines at the reciever at dana in my hobie tank. Not sure if it's the dines or not.

09-02-2009, 04:12 PM	#7
MVC Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Costa Mesa Posts: 278	I have used both tanks on my Hobie Revo and I like the Hobie tank much better. You can adjust the water level and you don't have to drag a pump over the side. I have had some problems picking up kelp and eel grass through the intake hose.

09-02-2009, 06:47 PM	#8
Whizz Bang Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 396	Yep, With a thresher tank the dines are on borrowed time...even healthy happy ones ripped fresh out of the ocean, if I can, the dine goes from the sabiki to the hook... I give dines about an hour in my thresher tank before they are tits up.

09-02-2009, 06:55 PM	#9
Gino Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 520	i thought the thresher tank was a pretty good product. i was thinking about buying one.your guys reviews are giving me secound thoughts. the hobie tanks im not much of a fan of, i know some people who have had a couple issues where bait kept diing on them, And they had to modify it or do some sorta change to fix it. I use an self made tank and i have never had problems with bait dieing. total cost me 60 bucks to make, much more efficient than the $275 hobie tank.

09-02-2009, 08:33 PM	#10
Billy V Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bay Ho Posts: 1,382	Thanks for the replies guys. I have had good success with the Thresher Tank loaded with a dozen Macs. Using a 6 volt- 12 amp. battery. Dines tend to take a beating from the Macs, even if there are only 6 Macs. They are fragile bait. I use them as soon as I catch them, and carefully hook them with the thinnest hook in the tackle box so they live long.

09-02-2009, 09:18 PM	#14
Adam12 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Whittier Posts: 126	I absolutely love my Hobie tank, the only problem Ive run into is it getting clogged with eel grass or loose crap on the surface of the water. What I did to alleviate this was, purchase more of the clear tubing from West Marine and made a longer intake. After the pump is primed I lift the front of the tank (while on the water) and turn the intake tube 180* ,so the scoop is pointed backwards. the intake has to be long enough so that when you lift it, it doesnt suck air and stays in the water. This works very well. Hobie needs to come up with some sort of solution because the livewell costs $250 and its a real pain in the ass to have to lift your tank full of bait and rods in the holders then clear the clog and re-prime.

09-02-2009, 10:17 PM	#16
Whizz Bang Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 396	It is not my intention to bad mouth the thresher tank. I like it, and have never owned anything else. I adjust for the dines fragility and as for the macs....well the macs you can beat em up, smack em around, leave them out of water, and squeeze lemon juice in their eye and they are just fine. God bless em.

09-03-2009, 07:21 AM	#18
Holy Mackerel Señor member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 1,627	I rarely use Sardines in my kayak tank, so I can't really comment, but dines/chovies have been rolling lately in my boat, and friends boats. Water is warm as hell in the harbors, and bays right now, where the bait recievers are located. We usually are greeted with that caveat by the bait guys, when buying bait for running offshore, and most of it rolls in our boat tanks too. That said, Hobie tank looks like a nice, quality, solid tank. I obviously use a Thresher, and like its low profile, works fine for my mackerel, and dines I sometimes sabiki up.

09-03-2009, 11:03 AM	#19
steveooo Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 1,921	Here is what I did, mostly from other guys that I have seen on here. I liked the design of the Hobie tank, but it seemed too pricey to buy, and modify. Hobie does a good job of listening to customers, I’m sure the minor things that people tweak will be fixed soon enough. I did the through hull pump, to an external petfood container. The intake- no noticeable drag, never gets hung up. This is my 4th kayak with a through hull. I’m hard on my stuff, and I have never had a leak. You can also barely see the flushmount transducer near the front of the yak in this pic Inside the yak Inside top of the yak Garden hose fitting on deck My fittings inside the petfood container. It holds about 3 ½ gallons. In the crate All hooked up So far I’m very happy with this system. Its nice to be able to just put my seat and tank on and go ( If I ever actually got out and fished) Andy @ OEX Sunset beach helped me lots as I worked out ideas of how I wanted it rigged. Andy, and all the OEX guys are also good at doing the through hull pumps if that isn’t something you are comfortable doing, plus they have all the fitting you need. Again, lots of great ideas on this site. Also both the Hobie and the Thresher tanks are well-built, solid tanks too.

09-03-2009, 12:29 PM	#20
Holy Mackerel Señor member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 1,627	That's pretty cool Steve, you got me thinking about doing something like that!