Description
- Main Post 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.
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 107 Gallons
Yet it Collapses to 8″ Tall
Fully opened the bait pen measures 48 inches tall by 24 inches wide by 24 inches deep (about 107 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 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
JeffC (verified owner) –
So far so good. I’m using it to keep shiners and minnows alive for our weekend fishing cabin on the St. Johns River. Happy to say all the shiners stay alive week after week, but I have come in to some dead minnows and I’m not sure why as some of them stay alive just fine. Might have to buy a second one for minnows only. Great construction and great customer service, I highly recommend!
[Owner since 12/2019]
twlack –
Hi Jeff,
There are lots of varieties of shiners, minnows and chubs. But I do know it usually comes down to how well a fish handles lack of oxygen. Menhaden, for instance, need to be well oxygenated. If you do not get them right back into well oxygenated water after netting them many will not survive no matter how well they are treated after that dry time. And no matter how well you handle them prior to putting them in the bait pen they will die overnight if the pen is in low oxygen, still water.
Lots of other variables but that is the one that seems to be the most important.
Thanks for the review,
Tim
P.S. If your dock has electricity the aquarium pumps at Walmart are very inexpensive. Get a big air stone and put a bucket over the pump to keep it dry. Throw the stone in the bottom of the pen to add more oxygen to the water.
Street (verified owner) –
Great product! Floats well, balanced when moving around, held 6 dozen goggle eyes with no issues, would recommend it to others
[Owner since 1/2018]
Mark –
I use this bait pen at my marina dock in Gloucester, MA and it performs as advertised.. I have the 4x2x2 oval pen, and have been able to hold mackerel I’ve caught for a few days, which is what I hoped for when I made the purchase. I don’t keep it in the water all the time, so I’ have not had any issues with algae growth. Fishing for bait a day or two ahead, or keeping spare bait from one outing to the next, saves time when it’s going for the stripers, etc.
[Owner since 8/2016]
jake (verified owner) –
love it. keep the shrimps alive in the tx summer heat
[Owner since 6/2017]
Rex Pendergrass (verified owner) –
I love this product, works very well at my dock…
[Owner since 1/2017]
Christopher Marks –
This is a great product and It worked very well. I would absolutely purchase another one. I use it for a week at a time in the Keys. I like that it folds up and takes very little room to store. A couple of issues.
1 The mess is very sharp it’s easily to cover your hands with gloves, but your arms get torn up when your reach inside.
2 I use it in the Keys, the barracudas tear the mess up trying to get at the bait. Last year I had to use 500 wire ties to fix the damage they did
[Owner since 3/2014]
Richard Gioia –
great product, I have kept bait alive for months. It does need to be taken out and cleaned with pressure washer at the end of season.
[Owner since 3/2014]
Drake (verified owner) –
Always travel with and very happy with it. Will probably by a bigger one soon
[Owner since 10/2015]
Carmen Sferrazza (verified owner) –
I am happy with the bait baskets in general This is my second one. Some issues I have which if fixed would make it better .
– the mesh is too small. My first one when left in the water become very fouled and could not be cleaned. It was so bad I had to throw it out. I will have to take the new one out more often and clean it. Bit of a pain for sure.
– the cut edges of the mesh are VERY sharp I have cut my hand on them many times. I am very careful now
Carmen
[Owner since 5/2015]