If you are serious about keeping live baits for any length of time, then you will need a live bait pump. I have a Flambeau bait bucket, which has a slot in the side to attach a live bait pump – so I was on the look-out for a decent live bait pump.
The Jarvis Walker deluxe 2 speed aerator looked like it might fit the bill.
The pump has the following features :
– 2 speeds of operation
– Powered by 1 D sized battery (not included) – Do not use rechargeable batteries
– Air stone and air hose included
The pump has a clip attached to the back to enable it to attach to bait buckets…
Although the product makes no claims about being waterproof, the pump does have a seal around the edge (similar to an “O” ring) and a screw to keep the front and back of the pump together.
On top of the case, you have 3 main items :-
– The on/off switch and speed controller
– The air hose connector
– The air inlet valve
The on/off switch is activated by pressing the rubber grommet – press once to switch to HIGH speed, press again to switch to LOW speed and press again to turn the pump OFF.
The air hose is connected to a valve in the middle. The air hose itself is a bit too flexible and if you are not careful, you can end up getting kinks in it – not really a problem, more something to be aware of when you are feeding the hose into the bucket…
The air has to get in from somewhere (the case is sealed, so air cannot get in from the inside of the case. So there is an air inlet valve on the top of the case on the left hand side…
It is possible for water to get into the hole in this valve, but the chamber below (inside the case) is sealed (its a rubber bladder which the motor compresses from outside in order to force the air out, and along the air hose). So in theory, water should not be able to enter the battery compartment from the air inlet valve.
A few pictures showing the internals of the pump….
The pump takes a D sized battery (NOTE : You must not use rechargeable batteries)…
Okay, so that’s a quick tour of the pump – but would it fit the Flambeau bait bucket and would water ingress be an issue. There was only one way to find out…
The bait bucket is designed to be towed along in the water behind a boat. But to be honest, on a kayak, that is not very practical, so the best method is to keep the bait bucket in the tankwell whilst paddling and use a bait pump to keep the bait alive. Then when anchoring/fishing, tether the bait bucket to the side of the kayak and switch off/remove the bait pump.
The bait bucket has a slot on one side which can be used to clip on a bait pump…
Luckily, the clip fitted perfectly…
I threaded the air hose through the top of the bait bucket and underneath the gap in the spring loaded door.
I filled the bucket up with water and checked that the pump worked…
But now for the all important test – would water ingress be a serious issue ?
I turned the tap on and poured it directly over the pump whilst it was switched on. I continued to do this for several minutes.
The pump continued to work even after a couple of minutes of continuous drenching.
After the test, I switched the pump off and opened up the case to check for water damage. There was some water inside the case – not very much, and I suspect it may have got in through the seal, either way, it was not enough to stop the pump, and for a product in this price range, I reckon that is as good as you are going to get.
My verdict – well I reckon for under £11, the Jarvis Walker live bait pump represents good value for money – only time will tell whether it stands up to the rigours of saltwater kayak fishing, but the way I look at it, even if it only lasts a couple of seasons, then that is still pretty darn good for the money… especially if it bags me a few shiny bass !
The Jarvis Walker Delux 2 speed live bait pump is available for £10.99 from Veals Mail order…
https://www.veals.co.uk/acatalog/jarvis-walker-delux-aerator-3434.html