Bait box tip!!
I don't tip often, but when I do, I usually tip big! So is my "tip" on how to build a better bait box!
How many times have you bent over and had half or more of your eggs or shrimp dump out of your bait box right into the water?
How many times have you lost your scissors, or left your scissors somewhere else when you needed them to cut up your bait in your box?
Well if you have experience all of the above, and are sick and tired of doing it again, this idea will totally eliminate those 2 problems. I have been doing it now for over 6 years, and I would never go back to the "old ways" again and it only costs a couple of bucks to do!
This "trick" can be used on almost any style of bait boxes, but I will show you how to use this "trick" on the most commonly used bait box, which is made under the name "Flambeau". It may have other names too! The pictures that I am using are of my "old bait box". It's been well used so pardon its wear!
First, I will explain how to prevent your bait from dumping out of your box when you bend over or kneel down! Secondly, I will explain how to attach your scissors to your bait box. If you're like me, lots the time I never wear a fishing vest when I am bait fishing, especially if it really cold! Almost none of the store bought bait boxes that I have seen have any mechanisms to keep the lids closed or method to attach your scissors to. With my trick method, you will not need to worry anymore about that!
These are the items that you will need to make the "trick" bait box!
1) A bait box (Flambeau) style
2) 4" to 5" of ¼ surgical tubing (same as you use for you pencil lead)
3) Hot glue gun and 2 sticks of glue
4) 3 small nylon ties about 3" long
5) 1/8 " and 1/4 " drill bits and drill
6) 2 ½ " of clear ½ " rubber hose tubing (like large aquarium tubing)
7) 1/8 inch nylon key chain "spring coiled cord". You can get them for about $1.00 at the markets, dollars stores or hardware stores (See picture)
8) This is optional; (2- 3/8 pope rivets and 2 1/8 backing washers and a pop-rivet gun) This is used in my last trick!
I use and prefer using the plastic bait boxes that are made under the name "Flambeau". The first thing that you will need to do is to lay your bait box upside down onto its lid. After your hot glue has heated, you will need to fill in the entire area that is on the "back" side of the lid with hot glue. Be careful not to get glue the front part of the lid that opens on top of the box. The area that you will be "gluing shut" is the "hinge" part of the lid that attaches to the box. These are great boxes, but if you don't glue the "hinge" part of the lid onto the box, the lid just keeps popping of the box (and hot glue works the best)!
Next, you will need to drill a ¼ inch hole about 2 " from the front of the lid towards the rear (see pictures). Next, you will need to drill a second ¼ inch hole in the box section of the box right in line with the hole that you drilled in the lid. This hole should be just under the hinge of the lid (see picture). Next, you will need to take the piece of ¼ surgical tubing and push it through the ¼ in hole in the top of the lid. Next, you need to "tie" a single knot at the very end of the tubing. After you have done this, you need to push the other open end of the tubing through the ¼ hole that you drilled in the box just below the hinge (from the inside out).
How "tight" you pull the tubing before you tie the second knot, will determine how tight your lid pressure will be (the tighter you pull, the more tighter the lid pressure). Give yourself enough rubber at each end of both knots so that you can "adjust" the lid to the pressure that you desire. Once you have decided that you have the "right" tension on the lid, you should then trim off the extra rubber behind each knot. You now have a bait box with is spring loaded lid that will not let your bait fall out until you pull up the lid!
Now I'll show you trick #2; how to attach your scissors to you bait box. First, you need to decide on what size and style of scissor you are going to use. Personally, I like a pair that are made of stainless steel and are about 5 ½ inches long. They need to have about and 1 ½ cutting ability (cutting edge of the scissor), and for me, they need to have large finger holes for my big fingers to fit in. This will very on your own body size, but you need to keep this in mind if you have not used scissors very often before, especially when your hands are wet and cold.
Once you have gotten your scissors, you will need either boil up some water or use a flame to soften up the 2 ½ " piece of clear ½ " rubber hose tubing. It's a good idea to ware a pair of glove during this step because it can really get hot. After you have heated up the tubing to the point that you can reform its shape, you will need to insert your scissors into the tubing and lay it on something flat with the scissors still inserted. Now put something that is also flat on top and hold down the pressure on it until it cools. If you have a vice, it will work just great!
In a couple of minutes, after it cools, it will then take the shape of your scissors and become a holster for them. Next, you will need to decide which side of the bait box that you will want to mount your scissors on. Preheat that hot glue gun again. The glue itself will not hold the plastic scissor tubing to the box for any length of time, so ties must also be used. Next, put a heavy bead of hot glue on the back side of the scissor tubing and press it in the place that you want it to be located (see picture) and hold it there until it cools. Next, take the 1/8 bit and drill one hole on each side of the tubing at both the top and bottom. Next, insert the scissor into the tubing and then thread the tie from the out side in. Pull the tie through other hole adjacent hole and run it through the lock. Pull the tie until it fits firm around the tubing. Repeat this step on the bottom holes. You should now have your scissor holster both glued and held in place with 2 lock ties.
Next, you will need to cut off the metal or plastic clips that are attached to the coiled nylon key cord. Cut only the clip and NOT THE CORD! You will need to keep the factory loop in the end of the cord, so that is why you cut the clip and not the cord. If you were to leave the key lip on, it would be too bulky and in the way of the finger holes of the scissors. Next, you will want to cut of the other end of the cord. After you have cut it, you will need to drill another 1/8 hole (this may need to be a tad bit bigger depending on the size of your spring cord). Now run it from the outside into the bait box. Tie another single knot just like you did with the lid (see pictures). Pull it back until the not is up against the inside of the box and cut off what left behind the knot.
Now take the other end with the "formed" loop of the cord and attach it to the finger hole of your scissors this another small tie. I like using a cigarette lither to melt off the "sharp" edges that always remain when you cut off a pull tie. It also prevents them from ever sleeping back.
Now you have a great bait box, and you won't be loosing your bait or your scissors anymore!
There is one more "trick" that you can add to the bait box if you like to load it up like I do. It really all depends on the type of belt that you use to carry your bait box if you need to use this trick or not. Most guys that fish a lot, have special belts that they use for their bait boxes that allow them to wear and position it in many places. The biggest problem that usually occurred is when you have a box full of eggs and you’re wearing a smaller size belt. The Flambeau boxes that most guys are using are made to accommodate belts up too 2 ½ wide. The wide belts will stop your bait boat from tilting forward when they are full. But most guys don't use belts that are more then 1 ½ wide so it allows your bait box to tilt forward and roll forward on you. This also causes you to dump your eggs when all the weight of a full box pushes up against the lid as rolls forward.
So the easy way that I have found to solve the problem is to leave my special nylon rubber belt attacked to my bait box. I pull it up as high as it can go to the lid and then I drill a 1/8 hole in each belt guide just below (¼) the bottom of my special belt. Then I use my pop rivet gun and put the river from the outside inward with the 1/8 back up washers on the inside. Make sure that your belt is threaded in before you do this or you will need to put something inside the guides to stop the pop rivet from pulling the inside too tight (see picture). Finally, you need to fill the area located just below the pop rivet between the belt guide and the box with hot glue just like you did with the lid.
Now you have one of the best tips on how to improve that old bait box and you should get many years of good use from it!
Now who can say that this was not a fishing post!
Cowlitzfisherman
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