Next Project - Bait Tube - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

taggermike · 09-24-2017, 09:13 AM

Gunner58. I had the same experience. I made several bait tubes and found them to be a PITA, didn't hold much bait, and beat the baits up. And DIY-ed a bait tank. This was 15 years ago when there were no premade kayak assesories.

I noticed in the bait torpedo video it looks like they have pin fish in there. Those things are much tougher than any baits we use here.

A bait tube would be handy on multi day trips where you don't have access to as charger. Mike

isghj · 09-24-2017, 03:02 PM

I build one of these ABS tubes, heavy is not a problem I care about but the hydrodynamics is something I wish I could improve.

My largest complaint is that the holes I drilled for water flow are hard to make smooth, scratchy enough to mark the bait if I'm rough with the tube. I should have made them larger so I can get sandpaper into them but I was worried I might catch live squid and thought smaller holes would prevent their escape. Haven't caught any squid on my sabiki since making it though...

I have two other problems with the ABS: It's black which makes it hot in the sun, I noticed any live bait I caught that wasn't greenback was kinda anemic when I went to retrieve them from the tube. They would revive very quickly if dropped into cooler deep water, at least the mackerel did, lizard fish and bonita are too fragile to keep in the tube in summer warm waters it seems, or at least that was my experience. Might paint your tube a different lighter color to compensate, to reflect some sun/IR. I painted mine with a yellow twist stripe to try to deter sharks after the hammerhead started playing with it.

My dad bought two of those torpedo tubes after seeing mine. The first one he lost at sea, but the second one came busted in the mail. The plastic they use is a bit too thin for my taste, pretty sure I could smash my ABS tube against a tree and it wouldn't break open, the ABS is strong like that at least. With such weak plastic I'm worried I would have to keep rebuying tubes, would rather not have to buy a new tube every year, not at ~$50.

If I wanted to make a lighter weight one, I would have used sewer/septic leach-field pipe instead, which has a thinner wall. Couldn't find = 3.0". Problem there was I couldn't find a twist cap to put on the end to get my fish out, so I gave up on that idea as I was running out of fishing season.

Still thinking about getting my friend to 3d print a different cap for hydrodynamics though, I don't think the cap needs to be all that strong and seems the torpedo has proven you don't need so much water flow through the nose, it can be solid and they still get enough water through the side holes it seems.

09-24-2017, 09:13 AM	#1
taggermike Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Chula Vista Posts: 1,589	Gunner58. I had the same experience. I made several bait tubes and found them to be a PITA, didn't hold much bait, and beat the baits up. And DIY-ed a bait tank. This was 15 years ago when there were no premade kayak assesories. I noticed in the bait torpedo video it looks like they have pin fish in there. Those things are much tougher than any baits we use here. A bait tube would be handy on multi day trips where you don't have access to as charger. Mike

09-24-2017, 03:02 PM	#2
isghj Junior Join Date: Mar 2013 Posts: 18	I build one of these ABS tubes, heavy is not a problem I care about but the hydrodynamics is something I wish I could improve. My largest complaint is that the holes I drilled for water flow are hard to make smooth, scratchy enough to mark the bait if I'm rough with the tube. I should have made them larger so I can get sandpaper into them but I was worried I might catch live squid and thought smaller holes would prevent their escape. Haven't caught any squid on my sabiki since making it though... I have two other problems with the ABS: It's black which makes it hot in the sun, I noticed any live bait I caught that wasn't greenback was kinda anemic when I went to retrieve them from the tube. They would revive very quickly if dropped into cooler deep water, at least the mackerel did, lizard fish and bonita are too fragile to keep in the tube in summer warm waters it seems, or at least that was my experience. Might paint your tube a different lighter color to compensate, to reflect some sun/IR. I painted mine with a yellow twist stripe to try to deter sharks after the hammerhead started playing with it. My dad bought two of those torpedo tubes after seeing mine. The first one he lost at sea, but the second one came busted in the mail. The plastic they use is a bit too thin for my taste, pretty sure I could smash my ABS tube against a tree and it wouldn't break open, the ABS is strong like that at least. With such weak plastic I'm worried I would have to keep rebuying tubes, would rather not have to buy a new tube every year, not at ~$50. If I wanted to make a lighter weight one, I would have used sewer/septic leach-field pipe instead, which has a thinner wall. Couldn't find = 3.0". Problem there was I couldn't find a twist cap to put on the end to get my fish out, so I gave up on that idea as I was running out of fishing season. Still thinking about getting my friend to 3d print a different cap for hydrodynamics though, I don't think the cap needs to be all that strong and seems the torpedo has proven you don't need so much water flow through the nose, it can be solid and they still get enough water through the side holes it seems.