Live Bait Pens

Fishing Live Bait Pens

FISHING LIVE BAIT PENS

Cylindrical, Bait Won’t Hurt Themselves Swimming Into a Corner
All Plastic, No Corroding Parts
1/4″ Netting is High Density Polyethylene, UV Resistant, Semi Rigid and Extremely Durable
Frame is Solid (not flexible conduit) 1/2″ PVC Pipe and Fixtures All Solvent Welded
Lid Opens on a PVC Hinge
Elastic Lanyard Keeps Cover Securely Closed
Collapses to 8″ High for Easy Storage

Keep your live bait fish healthier and alive much longer in this durable, easy to use bait pen.

Now in 2 Sizes

2′ Dia X 2′ deep Live Bait Pen

47 gallons

$105.00

$10.00 FedEx shipping in USA

Get more information…

4′ X 2′ X 2′ Live Bait Pen

107 gallons

$195.00

$50.00 FedEx shipping in USA

Get more information…

28 Comments

By CB, May 28, 2010 @ 4:37 pm

Looking forward to using the Bait pen. Very easy to do busness with these guys. I had questions and they were answered very quickly. I received the product about 2-3 days after ordering it.
By trogan, June 10, 2010 @ 12:00 am

When checking out I checked the manual button which was wrong I wanted to pay by credit card. How would I go about this?
By kurt, June 16, 2010 @ 6:32 pm

I bought this bait pen last year, and it has performed well. While transporting it, it fell out of the boat and onto the road and got damaged. I cannot find the 1/4″ netting anywhere to repair it. Is it possible for you to send me some of this material so I can salvage the pen?
By admin, June 16, 2010 @ 6:57 pm

Hi Kurt,
That net is the most expensive part of the bait pen and only comes in large rolls.

I’m also surprised to hear it was damaged by a fall out of your truck, it is tough stuff. But I guess hitting something at 70 MPH might cause some damage.

Which piece is damaged? How much net would you need? To replace all the netting on the basket would be about $25.00. But if you only need a section or if you could use a patch it might be cheaper. Also do you need cable ties? I could get them to you much cheaper than going to Home Depot.

Tim
By drj200, June 17, 2010 @ 12:41 pm

This is a great design and quality of construction is fantastic! it will get a lot of use, as a bait keeper and as blue claw crab holder. I need more than one! Thanks Joe LoPinto
By charles, July 13, 2010 @ 7:19 am

I got the pen a week ago and am very impressed. I keep all sorts and sizes of live bait; spot, minnows, eels etc. Crabs were tearing through all of my previous nylon pens from the outside and eventually releasing all of my bait. This is not the case with the much more durable, semi-rigid mesh that is used on these pens. Nice product with good components. Thanks.
By joe L, August 10, 2010 @ 1:33 pm

We have been using our bait pen all summer long, and it’s great! We are now using it to store blue crabs, it works better than other keepers! JL
By Dan B, September 13, 2010 @ 6:24 pm

I’m thinking of purchasing one but have a question on the netting. Is your polyethelyne netting something that crabs can tear open? I’ve had the kind similar to that sold on baitpen.com and ended up with lots of holes in it and the bait escaped. We are typically keeping 3 – 6 inch finger mullet and small pogies (menhaden) in it. Also, how much is your shipping to NC and if I ordered today, could I receive in less than 1 week. Thanks.
By admin, September 13, 2010 @ 6:44 pm

Hi Dan,
My basket is currently holding 6 editable sized, blue crabs. They are unable to tear the netting to get out. I have seen a monster crab leave some scrape marks in the netting but they have never torn it.

I also had 3-5 inch finger mullet in the pen with the crabs. I used them up slowly over 3 weeks. The crabs have been in there around 5 weeks.

Shipping is about $10.00 to anywhere in the continental US. I ship by FedEx and to NC it is normally 3 days or less. Order anytime today or tomorrow early and I will get it to Fedex tomorrow afternoon. You should get it Friday at the latest.

Tim
By Gerard, October 6, 2010 @ 2:13 pm

Roughly how many Large size (12-14 inch( Bunker (Menahaden) will it hold?
By admin, October 7, 2010 @ 10:42 am

Unfortunately the bunker here in SW Florida are not that big so I can’t really answer your question. But I would think you could put a dozen in there for overnight to use the next day. But that is a big fish for this bait pen. Especially since menhaden are not happy in captivity. I keep 20 3-4 inch menhaden for about a week. They are pretty tired at the end of that time. I don’t think they get the food they need. My neighbor never takes her bait pen out of the water, it has a thick layer of moss or algae on it and her menhaden do better than mine. We think they must eat that mossy stuff. I take mine out and hose it off when not in use. Mullet and pinfish will live for a long time in my pen. I’ve never kept them more than 2 weeks but they seem very healthy after that time.

I also have a larger pen coming to the website soon I hope. It will be 4′ wide by 2′ deep and 2′ high. It might be better suited for your bigger bait.
By Sheryl, December 29, 2010 @ 1:36 am

We purcahsed the bait pen as a Christmas Gift for my husband
It is compact for traveling THANKS FOR A WONDERFUL PRODUCT We live in the NE
By Rich, March 26, 2011 @ 11:16 pm

Hey there, this looks like a great product you made… I am thinking of using the smaller one to hold eels off of my slip. How do you think this would contain those slippery bastards and how can I order one..
Thanks, Rich
By admin, March 27, 2011 @ 11:24 am

Hi Rich,
It does NOT hold eels. I had a customer try it. While he could not figure out how they were getting out he said they slowly disappeared from the pen. Having fished eels many times myself I know they are slippery and can be very strong. I suspect they were climbing out of the water and forcing their way under the lid which is held down by an elastic lanyard.
By Mike, April 23, 2011 @ 10:55 pm

Can the floats be removed so we can lower to the bottom or just off the bottom ? In my marina the top 36″ of the water column becomes very warm and my baits seems to die much quicker so i lower to a cooler column bait stays better.

Thank You
By admin, April 24, 2011 @ 10:47 am

Hi Mike,
There are 2 floats on each pen attached by 3 cable ties each. It would be simple to cut the 6 ties and remove the floats. You might still want to put a brick or weight in the bottom of the pen to keep it submerged, they aren’t very heavy. Not like a metal pen.

Tim
By Capt.Dill, June 23, 2011 @ 5:18 pm

Tim,
Looks like a great product. I have a 21ft. Maverick Master Angler, which has 90 gallons worth of livewell space. I am interested in your 107 Gallon model. How long do you think it will hold 400 Pilchards if stored in good cool tidal flow?

Thanks, Capt. Jason
By admin, June 23, 2011 @ 6:44 pm

Hi Capt. Jason,
Wow, 400 is a lot of bait. Over the years it has become apparent that if you leave your bait pen in the water for at least 3-5 days prior to putting your bait in the bait will last longer. Part of the diet of Pilchards or sardines is algae so I assume by leaving the pen in the water a few days lets algae get started on the screen which then provides food for the bait.

My neighbor leaves hers in the water all the time taking it out a few times a year to power wash it. I went to pull it up the other day and there was so much algae I couldn’t lift it because the water was extremely slow to drain. She keeps pinfish for weeks and menhaden for up to 2 weeks. Menhaden are not hardy in captivity.

But 400 is a lot of fish. With a nice cool current I’d bet on a week. but I’ve never tried it so I can’t be sure.

Since I don’t know where you’re from how big are the pilchards you get? I’m figuring 3-4 inches?
By Jim, July 25, 2011 @ 1:15 pm

do you make one that will fit in a 5 gal bucket? When I wade fish I pick up some live shrimp in a 5 gal bucket and would like some type of basket to fit in the bucket that I can drag behind me as I fish.

thanks, jim
By JN, September 23, 2011 @ 6:05 pm

Hello
Received my Bait Basket a few hours ago and all I have to say is:
BETTER THAN ADVERTISED!

I already have it tied to my dock and my neighbors where all impressed with it as well.
I have a feeling I may end up be the neighborhood live bait supplier.

Just wanted to thank you for a great product and also mention that I appreciated the super fast shipping.

Very impressed and will recommend your company to others

Regards

JN
Palm Harbor FL
By Rhett, November 17, 2011 @ 3:26 am

I camp/fish for up to 4 days. Saltwater. Sheepshead.
I can’t keep ice long enough to store my catch that long.
You think your big pen would keep 5 -10 sheepshead contained And alive for 3 to4 days?
Say about 15 ” and 3lbs each?
By admin, November 17, 2011 @ 10:58 am

The bigger one would for sure. The 2 foot one might have trouble holding 10 fish that big. My neighbor was catching mangrove snapper, about 10-13 inches long and putting them in her 2′ bait pen for a week. She had nearly 7 or 8 in there once when I saw them and they looked healthy and not terribly crowded. Throw a handful of shrimp in with them.

Tim
By George, December 8, 2011 @ 11:09 am

can somebody tell me is the mesh use in this pens will hold small pilchards ????
thanks !!!
By admin, December 8, 2011 @ 11:29 am

The mesh is 1/4 inch. It will keep all but the tiniest live shrimp so I don’t think you’ll have any trouble with your pilchards even as small as 1/2 inch, which is awful small for bait.
By Nevin Colver, January 5, 2012 @ 5:30 pm

Hi, Is it hard to get bait out of the 2 X 2 pen because of the pole in the middle?
By admin, January 6, 2012 @ 6:35 pm

What I do is lay my net towards the front on the bottom of the pen then lift the pen, keeping it tilted forwards until there is no water in the back. A lot of the bait will end up in the net.
By Rick Rivero, January 23, 2012 @ 4:30 am

I’ve had problems with catfish eating through regular nylon netting to get to the bait and leaving the pen full of holes. Is that a problem with ,the material you are using?
By admin, January 23, 2012 @ 11:03 am

Hi Rick,
The netting I use is also used to hold down loads on trucks. It is extremely tough. Unless you have catfish with razor blade sharp teeth they will not get through my netting. The only animal I ever had get through it was a rat. They are able to slowly gnaw holes. But I have also seen them gnaw through aluminum siding.
Tim