Aerators for portable live bait - do they work
Printed From: The Fishing Website
Category: Saltwater Fishing
Forum Name: Hints,Tips and How To's
Forum Description: Rigs, tackle, baits, angling techniques, tips and hints & your DIY projects here
URL: https://www.fishing.net.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=37810
Printed Date: 16 Jun 2026 at 1:16am
Topic: Aerators for portable live bait - do they work
Posted By: johnny_A
Subject: Aerators for portable live bait - do they work
Date Posted: 10 Feb 2009 at 10:57pm
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Hi, I'm planning to target kingies, and need to keep some livies alive long enough to get to the hunting ground. To target the kingies at first light I was thinking of catching the live baits in the evening and keeping in the shed overnight - so an aerator with an oxygen diffuser would be required, rather than a bilge-pump type arrangement as I wouldn't be near the sea water. Thinking of getting a cheap 12V aerator for around $50 and use it on a large bucket/chilly bin. Any thoughts on how well these units work? Is it unreasonable to think I'd have a few small livies in the morning after leaving them bubbling away with an aerator for about 6 hours? Thanks, John |
Replies:
Posted By: Joker
Date Posted: 19 Feb 2009 at 12:38pm
| Try one of those 12v (about $12) air bed fan type inflators through a piece of hose pipe with an air stone or if you can get it a semi-porous piece of irregation soak hose. This will bubble for hours and not use heaps of battery power as a bilge pump would. |
Posted By: Bungel_
Date Posted: 07 May 2009 at 2:21pm
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how did you get on Johnny??? ive used airators in the past with little success. ------------- here fishy, fishy fishy..... |
Posted By: johnny_A
Date Posted: 07 May 2009 at 2:34pm
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Hi Bungel, I went ahead and bought a 12v aerator. Have only used it once so far, but was happy with it. Kept a single jack mackerel alive and swimmin' for about half an hour whilst I changed location and messed around setting up the heavier gear with a livie rig - so not a really good test as it probably would've lasted that long in a bucket anyway.
10 mins later the livie was no gone - but so was the thing that took it. Trace bitten through cleanly (might be time to up the ante on the trace).
Looking forward to a real kingie chasing session when I plan to catch a bunch of baits prior to heading out. We shall see how it goes then...
Cheers.
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Posted By: Bungel_
Date Posted: 07 May 2009 at 2:44pm
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you might find this of interest... have just been discussing land based options in the Walk-about section. i expect you fish from a boat.. but still, some ideas there like the floating cage. http://www.fishing.net.nz/asp_forums/forum_posts.asp?TID=40663 ------------- here fishy, fishy fishy..... |
Posted By: johnny_A
Date Posted: 07 May 2009 at 5:15pm
Classic link 
- don't think I've got enough room on the boat for a paddling pool though!
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Posted By: ceejay77
Date Posted: 11 May 2009 at 10:17pm
| I had a aquarium Aerator pump in the shed and placed it in my boat bait tank and kept the live bait alive nicely |
Posted By: OffTheHook
Date Posted: 20 Jun 2009 at 11:17pm
| ive got one of these in the garage havent gotten round to using it yet. will be interesting to see how you get on keeping them alive overnight. has anyone done this before with this setup? i was under the impression that the water would need to be changed every hous or so??? |
Posted By: Tagit
Date Posted: 21 Jun 2009 at 10:47am
| I used to run a small pump on a standard sized fishbin as a live bait tank in my tinny. The pump sucked water out of the bin and then sprayed it back onto the surface in about 6 - 8 small streams. This oxygenated the water and I could keep 5 - 10 Jac Macs alive for many hours as long as the water did not get too hot in the sun. |
Posted By: jakepitsville
Date Posted: 28 Jun 2009 at 6:14pm
| best to keep your lives in the dark.. they are calm and last alot longer that way.... I often catch my livies the night before while out snapper fishing.... make up a cage for them out of plastic net, I usally then just sit it on the bottom with enough weight and a boey to be picked up in the morning. works well. |
Posted By: CEEBEE
Date Posted: 29 Oct 2009 at 1:35pm
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Hi I have an aerator that will keep livies alive all day no sweat, not that they are in it for as long. Also keeps scollies alive all day as well. Fish always look relaxed in it. It is a X2 "D" size battery operated unit.------------- I STARTED THE DAY WITH NO FISH AND I STILL HAVE PLENTY LEFT |
Posted By: CEEBEE
Date Posted: 29 Oct 2009 at 3:37pm
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Hi Forum members
Just found these on Trade me, same as mine and great type in this number. 250388630 (No I don't not get any cut out of this AD either.)
Cheers CeeBee ------------- I STARTED THE DAY WITH NO FISH AND I STILL HAVE PLENTY LEFT |
Posted By: fishin mad
Date Posted: 19 May 2010 at 4:35pm
were u get that from |
Joker wrote:Posted By: Norseman
Date Posted: 06 Jun 2010 at 5:59pm
| The problem with not changing the water is your bait is pissing taking a dump in the water and after awhile the water will become toxic to your bait. The aerator is a good idea but you will need to change the water often depending on how many baits you have in the bucket. |
Posted By: Mark Mac
Date Posted: 28 Jun 2010 at 12:54pm
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I purchased an aerator from Keepalive. There is a bloke in Christchurch that sells them. I paid about $100 for it. I can keep livies alive all night with it. It runs off a 12 volt supply. It is easily the best unit I have used to keep livies in good nick.
I previously hooked a 12 volt tyre pump into a drum, but it was incedibly noisy and didnt keep baitfish alive for very long
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