Engle bait coolers- love em or hate em

After reading comments about how great the bait coolers are I broke down and bought myself a 19 qt. at Bass pro last weekend. I'm taking it back this week for a refund. I don't really hate it but it's just not my thing! First off one of the pins that hold the latch on has a defect. It was never riveted on and the pin fell out.
I used it for the first time yesterday and put 100 medium minnows in it, put batteries in and the pump wouldn't turn on. I took the batteries out and turned the little pimp by hand a few times and then it worked ok after that although it was a little noisy to suit me. What I disliked the most was it takes 2 hands to get a minnow out. One to lift the basket and the other to pick up the minnow. When I'm baiting up I usually have my hook in one hand and can dip up a minnow, set my net on top of bucket, and retrieve a minnow with the other hand. I ended up taking the mesh basket out and just used hand net.
I had maybe 30 minnows left over and brought them home late yesterday evening. Left the pump running all night. It's still running but probably 30% of the remaining minnows are dead.
Going to get my money back and buy a good 12v minnow pump and a good plastic cooler. I can keep my minnows in the cooler and just dip out a dozen or so to put in my little minnow bucket as needed.

Putting your hands in the water kills minnows...

You will like the 12v pump, I mounted mine near the transom tucked away. It's wired to the cranking battery with a toggle switch, then ran 2 aquarium hoses. First hose drops at the console second hose drops at the bow. I just use an insulated 5 gallon bucket with a yellow store bought bait lid and keep a length of hose and air stone in it. I couldn't stand the noise those disposable battery pumps make, don't even notice it now.

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Originally Posted by Beuxdock

You will like the 12v pump, I mounted mine near the transom tucked away. It's wired to the cranking battery with a toggle switch, then ran 2 aquarium hoses. First hose drops at the console second hose drops at the bow. I just use an insulated 5 gallon bucket with a yellow store bought bait lid and keep a length of hose and air stone in it. I couldn't stand the noise those disposable battery pumps make, don't even notice it now.

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:hesaid
Exactly

Clifford, I don't stick my hands in the water

Fred, I have the Marine Metals 12 volt 2 outlet pump on my boat. Have one lead split with a T and throttling valve. One runs to small bucket next to me and other goes to 5 gal bucket with bucket liner for majority of minors. I then ran second outlet around and into my livewell with large round air stone. It helps everything good. Had it around 6 years. Couple years ago one side of pump quit working. Called them trying to buy pump. Took my address and next day I had new internal pump and air stone at no cost.

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Originally Posted by deltabull

After reading comments about how great the bait coolers are I broke down and bought myself a 19 qt. at Bass pro last weekend. I'm taking it back this week for a refund. I don't really hate it but it's just not my thing! First off one of the pins that hold the latch on has a defect. It was never riveted on and the pin fell out.
I used it for the first time yesterday and put 100 medium minnows in it, put batteries in and the pump wouldn't turn on. I took the batteries out and turned the little pimp by hand a few times and then it worked ok after that although it was a little noisy to suit me. What I disliked the most was it takes 2 hands to get a minnow out. One to lift the basket and the other to pick up the minnow. When I'm baiting up I usually have my hook in one hand and can dip up a minnow, set my net on top of bucket, and retrieve a minnow with the other hand. I ended up taking the mesh basket out and just used hand net.
I had maybe 30 minnows left over and brought them home late yesterday evening. Left the pump running all night. It's still running but probably 30% of the remaining minnows are dead.
Going to get my money back and buy a good 12v minnow pump and a good plastic cooler. I can keep my minnows in the cooler and just dip out a dozen or so to put in my little minnow bucket as needed.

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U made this for my 30qt engle,works awsomeAttachment 335255Attachment 335256

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Originally Posted by blueball

U made this for my 30qt engle,works awsomeAttachment 335255Attachment 335256

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Also i use a cheap aquraium pump from wally world when i get home.

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Nets work great and you can now buy em. Here’s one on a 30 qt
Attachment 335270

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Originally Posted by Boatbottom

Nets work great and you can now buy em. Here’s one on a 30 qt
Attachment 335270

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The one i cut and notched sets down in the groove,you can shut the lid with the net in the groove

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Neat!

Never had any issues with the bait cooler itself, but like you said the aerator that comes with it leaves a lot to be desired. Mine worked for about 2 trips and was loud as all get out. I've said before Engel ought to offer the bait cooler alone without the aerator as an option. I use a 5 gallon bucket as well in the big boat, take my Engel 13qt with me in my little 2 man. Pretty neat idea blueball!

Attachment 335277

I saw this cooler at Walgreen's and noticed the top had a lid with a small compartment in the top. It was around $15.
I cut out the bottom of the compartment so I can just flip up the small lid and dip a minnow. It's an Igloo Cube, not sure what size in quarts but it holds 4 to 6 dozen with no problems. I have the Marine Metals 12 volt bubbler with the 2 hoses in it. I think the influx of oxygen is the most critical factor in keeping them alive but you can't ignore the heat when it gets really hot in late summer. A frozen bottle of water works wonders then,

I , like most have replaced the pump on my 19 qt. Engel . I have no problem keeping minnows alive 8 doz. is normally what I get . I too have a 5 gallon bucket with a liner but have turned it over a few times . Not a fan of the net system really but have several old style dip nets .

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Originally Posted by Boatbottom

Nets work great and you can now buy em. Here’s one on a 30 qt
Attachment 335270

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Where did you get that net? Link Please?

Mine came with a little tray to hold the minnows in once scooped out. Have seen the ones with the big net inside them and not fond of that system.

I heard that net thing was so you could pick up all your minnows then dump and refill the cooler with water. I never change the water so don’t know for sure. I love mine.


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I have a plastic container, square shaped with holes drilled in it. It is about the height of my live well. It has a lip around the top that rests on the inside of live well. Once the live well is full and circulating it keeps minnows all day , unless water gets real warm in the summer.

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Originally Posted by blueball

The one i cut and notched sets down in the groove,you can shut the lid with the net in the groove

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I did the same thing with the net and cutting the groove....love my engel 30 quart


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Academy has the larger nets .

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Originally Posted by Beuxdock

You will like the 12v pump, I mounted mine near the transom tucked away. It's wired to the cranking battery with a toggle switch, then ran 2 aquarium hoses. First hose drops at the console second hose drops at the bow. I just use an insulated 5 gallon bucket with a yellow store bought bait lid and keep a length of hose and air stone in it. I couldn't stand the noise those disposable battery pumps make, don't even notice it now.

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X3


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Just my opinion but if you fish a lot you bought the right cooler. I’m not sure how you use something that works and return it but what do I know. I should start buying and returning a set of waders every year! Back to the cooler.... if you did decide to keep it you will want to keep water in it if your gonna leave it in the boat transporting it. I’ve had 3 blow out. Buy the 12 volt aerator and put it in the back of the boat. Get some hose from Lowe’s and run it up front to where your fishing. You can buy kids beach nets online and cut it to fit perfectly in your cooler. The net that comes in them is just for changing out water or transferring them to another cooler.

I can return it because it's defective. One of the latches was messed up from the factory.

Love mine. First thing I did was replace the aerator with a 12v. I use the plastic tray, you only need about 1/4" of water in it. Makes it easy to grab them with 1 hand.

I like mine so well I have bought 3 of them. Someone else likes them a lot they got one of mine. I run pure oxygen most of the time I hate to hear a viberator pump run


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Many years ago I put the 2 outlet power bubbles aerator under the deck because I could not stand to hear any variety of aerator run.....about 6-8 years ago was diagnosed with "high frequency hearing loss".....Now aerators don't seem to bother me any at all...Huh,speak-up,what did you say?...Sometimes it is an advantage to leave out or turn off the hearing aids.

One concern about mounting your aerator around the transom is gas fumes from the fuel tank.I had mine mounted under the console for that reason.

Last few years have been using a 24 gallon round tank ,insulated,and mounted on the back deck.Rarely fill to much over 15-18 gallons but can fill more if needed.

I like mine. Aerator under front deck.

X10 on the little tray. I usually put 8-10 minnows in it and about 1/4 inch of water.

What is this little tray y'all are talking about?

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Originally Posted by deltabull

What is this little tray y'all are talking about?

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Mine came with the big net but no tray[emoji2369]


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No tray for me either

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Originally Posted by deltabull

No tray for me either

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Old ones came with a try,it was handy to put alittle water and minnows in.my tray blew out of boat one day when i was dumping the water out.When that happened i bought a bait net and cut it down to ft in the engle,pic above.To me the net is handier than the tray,did some minnows up and stick it in the groove,get you a minnow out as needed.When ready to move shut top and latch,move and unlatch and open top and minnows are still setting there in the net

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They say great minds think alike. I have mine set up exactly as you do.

I took mine back and bought a power bubbles areator and ordered a Stanley 16 qt. Adventure cooler, drilled a hole in the top for my air hose. Saved $ 5 and I think I've got a much better setup.