Bait Cooler

Sorry, duplicate

CaptainMusky wrote:

A thermos for minnows!? I just might have found a way to use all these dang insulated cups my wife keeps buying that we don’t need. Brilliant bman!

We gotta keep it a secret

If we don’t, Engel or Frabill will start buying them for $1, slap a logo on them, then sell them for $60 a crack (and people WILL buy them) LOL

B-man used the small wide mouth with emerald shiners on Erie 2 years ago. They worked great but I didn’t have mac and cheese in with the bait.

Take a look at the Mammoth bait bucket. Right around $100 buckes. Its basically a yeti bucket that is insulated. I have two of them with the engel lithium aerators. Work great as beer coolers for the campfire as well during the summer.

CaptainMusky wrote:

A thermos for minnows!? I just might have found a way to use all these dang insulated cups my wife keeps buying that we don’t need. Brilliant bman!

My lady isn’t the only one who buys way to many insulated cups ? I thought I was solo. It’s unreal how many she has for no reason. I have a beat to hell yeti water bottle and she always tells me to get a new one, and I always ask why. Mine still works great.

mxskeeter wrote:

B-man used the small wide mouth with emerald shiners on Erie 2 years ago. They worked great but I didn’t have mac and cheese in with the bait.

That’s the secret bait. And he can have a snack when the bites slow.

The 7.5qt Engels came in just one day from Scheel’s with free shipping – gotta love Scheel’s!

Will have to use it to see how it will work out for size, but if it’s too small I’ll maybe do as suggest and use an insulated cup or thermos as an add on – after I mark it BAIT ONLY!

Do you guys use the bait net insert that comes with the coolers? Looks like it could be handy or maybe a nuisance…

Bassn Dan wrote:

The 7.5qt Engels came in just one day from Scheel’s with free shipping – gotta love Scheel’s!

Will have to use it to see how it will work out for size, but if it’s too small I’ll maybe do as suggest and use an insulated cup or thermos as an add on – after I mark it BAIT ONLY!

Do you guys use the bait net insert that comes with the coolers? Looks like it could be handy or maybe a nuisance…

Never have wet hands in ice cold conditions both winter fishing and cold conditions in the boat. Absolutely use the bait net.

mxskeeter wrote:

B-man used the small wide mouth with emerald shiners on Erie 2 years ago. They worked great but I didn’t have mac and cheese in with the bait.

Minnows gotta eat too

But seriously, a couple dozen small minnows do not require 16-40 “pounds” of aerated water to stay alive for the day when they’re in sub 40° temps.

No need to lug around a big aerated baitwell when you can get by with one that fits in a jacket pocket or backpack.

And for those that get to the bait shop and have forgotten your minnow container all together….try this next time

I pioneered this idea back in the day (well I should say at least I had never had seen or heard of it being done before, so I was like a caveman discovering his first fire lol)

Necessity is the mother of invention

Attachments:

1. 

   Screenshot_20250214-222402-1.png
   

2. 

   Screenshot_20250214-222341-1.png
   

B-man, I also am an old school budget minnow guy. I’ve been using, and I’m on my 2nd in like 15-20 years, Coleman 1/2 gallon thermos. I’ve never messed with an aerator, but I also only use it for ice fishing and crappie minnows and fatheads. I might have to change water once a day, but it fits into a six inch hole. So changing water works pretty easy. I keep a small plastic dipper in with the minnows and we’re good to go.
I was just showing Joe Scegura the other week and he thought it was pretty clever. Any bait shop guy always has to comment on it too.
If you’re traveling light and only taking a scoop of minnows with, it’s hard to beat $15.

Attachments:

1. 

   Screenshot_20250214-2226152.png
   

^^^^ Heck yeah, that’s all a guy really needs to drag with most of the time

(And a couple pocket beers and pocket jerky of course)

Pail of perch I’ve been using one like that for years. It’s one from Pizza Hut we got free when purchasing some pizzas.

Pailofperch wrote:

B-man, I also am an old school budget minnow guy. I’ve been using, and I’m on my 2nd in like 15-20 years, Coleman 1/2 gallon thermos. I’ve never messed with an aerator, but I also only use it for ice fishing and crappie minnows and fatheads. I might have to change water once a day, but it fits into a six inch hole. So changing water works pretty easy. I keep a small plastic dipper in with the minnows and we’re good to go.
I was just showing Joe Scegura the other week and he thought it was pretty clever. Any bait shop guy always has to comment on it too.
If you’re traveling light and only taking a scoop of minnows with, it’s hard to beat $15.

Did you go out and fish with Joe? He’s a great guy. We traded concrete work for a couple days fishing. We became buddies through that, its always great fishing with him.

I use one like pailofperch when using a sled or wheeler but I need to get one with a spout. Mine doesn’t have one and you can suffocate the minnows if you forget to loosen the lid. I use a plain insulated minnow bucket when I don’t have to concern myself with spilling. Found one with minimal air holes in the top and it keeps minnows alive for weeks if you change the water out once a week and keep it in a cool spot.

I got an Engel and so did my good buddy and we both no longer use them. Had seal freezing issues on both even when lubed. My buddies leaked before his first use. Plastic warped from being in the sun. Takes up a lot of space in the sled. Overpriced rubbish imo.

Those flop tops are nice. Fished with a guy who had one this winter. Might have to pony up for one.

If you use a small cooler in the winter and have difficulties because it leaks out the lid or the lid freezes then just leave the minnows in the bag and insert it in your cooler. After opening the bag just twist the top end of the bag a little and leave a small portion of the top of the bag hanging outside of the cooler when your close your lid.

Bearcat89 wrote:

Did you go out and fish with Joe? He’s a great guy. We traded concrete work for a couple days fishing. We became buddies through that, its always great fishing with him.

We’ve had plans to fish together a couple times, but plans usually change for one of us. But we update each other on the current bite when fishing the same lakes. I’ve rented a wheelhouse from him a few times for a kids night or two. He works hard and is the nicest dude. We also hunt almost next door to each other. So I’ve met his brother Jeremy and Dad . Just gave his Dad a bucket of Tullibee for smoking last week.
I was visiting at his house a couple years ago and he’d mentioned you’d been up doing some concrete work for him.

Michael Saal wrote:

Pail of perch I’ve been using one like that for years. It’s one from Pizza Hut we got free when purchasing some pizzas.

I had one of those same ones years ago but busted it long before I ever thought of putting minnows in it. Come to think of it, I just saw a couple of the pizza hut ones at an antique store.

Pail of perch were they asking a couple hundred bucks for one? I might be tempted to sell mine.