- 1). Cut the plastic barrel lid off. Drill a pilot hole, then insert your jigsaw blade and cut just under the lid all the way around the barrel to remove it.
- 2). Choose the size you would like the bait tank to be. If the barrel was left uncut and filled completely with water, it would weigh almost 500 pounds. Take this into consideration when choosing the size you want the bait tank to be.
- 3). Cut a section of the plastic barrel off to shorten it. After choosing the appropriate size, cut a section of the plastic barrel off, then re-attach the lid by pressing it onto the bottom, and secure in place using some duct tape.
- 4). Cut a hole in the lid of the barrel to allow for access to and removal of bait, as well as water when filling and emptying.
- 5). Drill and/or cut a hole in the lid and insert the aerator. These aerators can be found at aquarium supply stores and, if powered by a 12-volt motor, they can be easily powered by the battery in your boat.
- 6). Fill with water, add bait fish, insert the aerator, connect the positive and negative leads to the matching terminals on your boat's battery, and you are ready to start fishing.
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