Fishing Live Bait Pen 4′ x 4′ x 2′

(5 customer reviews)

$429.00

1/4″ mesh net, Extra-Tough High Density Polyethylene, UV resistant, no metal parts to rust or corrode, solvent welded frame, collapses to 8″ tall, cover is hinged with an elastic, ball ended, lanyard for quick access.

UPC: 860002041827 SKU: BP48x48x24 Category:

Description

  • 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.

Cylindrical Design

No Cornering

The cylindrical design of this bait basket will prolong the life of any bait fish that likes to swim because there are no corners or even vertical supports for them to swim into (commonly called cornering) and hurt themselves. This includes menhaden, herring, sardines, mullet, silver jennies and many others. As they swim around they will contact no obstacles but the smooth 1/4 inch mesh screen.

Bait Pen 4'x4'x2'

All UV Resistant Plastic

No Metal, No Corrosion

The bait pen is made completely of plastic with no metal parts to rust or corrode in the water especially salt water which is where I use mine. The basket offered here is brand new, has never been in the water. The frame is solid (not flexible conduit) PVC pipe and fixtures all solvent welded. The net is a special high density polyethylene, UV resistant, semi rigid and extremely durable 1/4 inch mesh. Sturdy enough for long years of use and fine enough to use for shrimp if that’s what you need to pen. All net and ties are of UV resistant plastic for many years of use in direct sun.

Spacious 210 Gallons

Yet it Collapses to 8″ Tall

Fully opened the bait pen measures 48 inches tall by 24 inches wide by 48 inches deep (about 210 gallons) but by removing the 2 center rods (store them in the collapsed bait pen) the bait pen will collapse to just 8 inches high (including handle) by 48 inches by 24 inches for storage. I wrap the dock line (10 feet included) around the collapsed bait basket to keep it secured in the collapsed state. It is quickly returned to full height by inserting the 2 center rods into the top and bottom fixtures in the center of the basket.

Lid is PVC Frame and Hinge

Wide Opening, Secure Seal

The lid opens on a PVC frame and hinge to reveal one half of the entire top of the bait pen. An elastic lanyard is stretched over the handle to keep the lid firmly closed but is easily grabbed by the plastic ball on the lanyard for ease of releasing the cover when netting your bait fish.

High Density Polyethylene Netting

Rugged, Durable, Long Lasting

A foam column is attached on the top, to keep the basket afloat when in the water. It is attached inside the basket to keep it from catching and tearing on dock pilings, boat motors, rocks or anything sharp it may come into contact with. The polyethylene mesh is more than heavy enough to keep from tearing easily on these obstructions. I’ve walked out on my dock in the early morning to see a small alligator sitting on top of my bait basket, tired and hungry but unable to bother my bait fish. I often use it to keep crabs alive until I get a chance to cook them. They try but they are unable to cut there way out, therfore your bait is save from crabs trying to get in.

See the new Instructional Video

The video shows the 2′ X 2′ fishing live bait pen and how it expands for use and collapses for storage. You also get a good idea of the toughness of the netting and simplicity of it’s construction. The 4′ X 4′ X 2′ fishing live bait pen works in the same way except it has 2 uprights on either side of the door instead of the single, centrally located, upright shown in the 2′ X 2′ pen video.
View Video

Additional information

Weight 16 lbs
Dimensions 49 × 25 × 13 in
Brand

Bait Baskets LLC

5 reviews for Fishing Live Bait Pen 4′ x 4′ x 2′

  1. Marty Jimmerson (verified owner)

    So far so good! Very pleased that bait seem to do well and thrive so long as the water is good but that is always an issue. Overall, bait survives better in this pen than tanks with oxygen and same water. Further more you don’t have to change water. I left bait in pen for one week and when I returned they were much better and happier than when I left them. I have added a few extra tie wraps to make sure but probably an overkill on my part. Only thing I am trying to figure out is best way to lift pen out of water and get bait when you are by yourself. When water water is down it means further to bend over. I created a long handle dip net to help but it is not a major issue. Easy to clean by washing down when you are done and want to store pen until next trip.

    [Owner since 6/2018]

    • twlack

      The rope is attached to the pen in two places. That forms a loop which you can pull up and onto your dock. Put one knee in the loop and your pen will hang from your dock in a pretty convenient place.

  2. Marty

    Is the float easy to remove if we want to lower basket into deeper cooler water?

  3. Marty

    How do you think this basket will hold up over time in saltwater. Plan would be keep bait in water a few days when fishing and remove and store in closet when not fishing?

    • twlack

      It was originally designed for salt water. There are no metal parts. It will get completely covered with algae and barnacles if you leave it in the water all the time. Take it out once a month or so and leave it in the sun a few days or power wash it. My neighbor’s (2×2) is about 10 years old. I had to replace the float 3 times, the cover lanyard and most of the cable ties once. The netting and frame are still original.

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Guest
Brandon
9 months 21 days ago

Hey twlack I was gifted the 4x4x2 bait pin and my buddy lost the support pvc pipes can you tell me how long and what size they should be thankyou

Support
9 months 20 days ago

Hi Brandon,
The uprights are 1/2″ CPVC (not PVC) and are 22 5/8″ long.

1/2″ CPVC is much smaller than 1/2″ PVC (I never could figure out why) and is flexible so it can be bowed to slide into the pen’s 1/2″ fittings.

Guest
Brandon
9 months 17 days ago

I went and got the cpvc and the 22” is to short the uprights need to be like 4ft tall

Guest
Brandon
9 months 20 days ago

Thank you

Guest
Althea
1 year 3 months ago

For classroom
Project: would these be ideal for a creek?
We are studying Brook trout for 3 months. Creating a creek bed on the bottom cage possibly
What are your thoughts?

Support
1 year 3 months ago

A couple things.

1. A strong current would cause a problem anchoring the pen. You’d probably have to rig an anchor on the bottom to keep the current from dragging the bottom out horizontally.

2. And again the current might overpower the elastic lanyard which keeps the cover closed so extra tie down might be needed there.

Simple modifications and I think it would be great for your use

Thanks,
Tim

P.S. I’m a little confused by your wording “Creating a creek bed on the bottom cage.” If my response doesn’t make sense with your purposes please explain a little more.

Guest
Althea
1 year 3 months ago

Adding a substrate to the bottom as an anchor and to mimic a more real environment for the Brook.
Is the mesh algae resistant?

Support
1 year 3 months ago

No, I take my pen out of the water once a week and let it bake in the FL sun for a couple days. In our warm brackish water a pen will become mostly clogged with algae in 5 or 6 weeks.

Guest
Greg Foley
1 year 6 months ago

PVC sinks and the design seems like it would allow water into the pipes at the center support. Does that ‘drag’ the pen down after several days when the floats get saturated?

Support
1 year 6 months ago

The bottom ring of the pen has 2 holes drilled on the bottom of the two tees to ensure the PVC fills with water. This is to let the bottom sink faster when you throw it in.

The float is a simple pool noodle, it doesn’t get saturated. If you leave the pen in the water all the time the float should last at least 2 years before it starts to degrade. If, like me, you only leave your pen in the water for a few days and store it on the dock most of the time the floats last closer to 5 years.

Guest
TWF
3 years 7 months ago

How does the netting hold up to blue crabs

Support
3 years 7 months ago

I’ve used mine to hold blue crabs for several days until I had enough for a meal. They leave scratch marks where they’ve tried to get out be don’t damage the net.

Throw something in there for them to eat or they eat each other.

Guest
Sergio L. Jordan
4 years 4 months ago

I’m in south Florida. I currently have a plastic garbage can with holes, works well, but gets covered with barnacles. My concern would be predatory fish, such as barracudas cutting the netting. Have you had issue with that, being that the netting is not steel?

Support
4 years 4 months ago

BTW, my net will also get covered with barnacles. Remove it from the water at least once per month and leave it in the sunshine for 3 days. This will kill the barnacles that get started before they can cause a lot of trouble. I also power wash it once a year when I’m doing the dock and paver patio.

Support
4 years 4 months ago

I had one customer claim the netting was cut by barracuda. It really takes a razor edge to cut it. It doesn’t seem like the pointy teeth of a barracuda would do it easily.

These are the reports I’ve received about the net getting cut:
1 barracuda
1 shark
1 guardrail after it flew out of the guys boat
1 got wedged against an oyster bed under the guys dock.

I do sell netting patch.

Guest
Wayne
4 years 9 months ago

Will the pen. Work for holding bunker/ menhaden?

Support
4 years 9 months ago

Menhaden is very sensitive to oxygen deprivation. When you net it or catch it you need to get it into aerated water as quickly as possible and keep the oxygen level up during transport.

And then, when you get it into your bait pen, it must have enough water movement to keep fresh water moving thru the pen. The better the current the longer they live. But Menhaden are one of the most challenging to keep alive for long periods of time.

My experience is with smaller menhaden, 2-4 inches. Not sure if they get hardier as they get bigger.

Guest
Erica
5 years 6 months ago

How long do it take to get the product after purchasing?

Support
5 years 6 months ago

https://baitbaskets.com/shipping/

I try to ship orders received before noon the same day.
I ship via FedEx Ground or Home delivery. In FL delivery is almost always overnight but 5 days to TX is average and CA might even be a little longer.