A few months ago I was given a Torpedo Bait Bucket to review. Let me start out by saying, I generally don’t use live bait. So, I was a little apprehensive about this product. However, I had been contemplating a DIY live well for those near shore trips, which is about the only time I use live bait. I figured this might be just the thing to replace the need for a live well.

I like simple. The Torpedo Bait Bucket is the epitome of simple. There are no batteries, etc. that I need to worry about on the water. All I had to do was put the baitfish or shrimp in the tube, put the tube in the water, tie it off the side of the kayak, and I was in business.

I know there are people who have wondered, including myself, about the drag the Torpedo Bait Bucket will cause while pulling it beside the kayak. Let’s face it; anything you pull in the kayak will cause a drag. However, I believe the design of this product limits the drag as much as possible. The Torpedo Bait Bucket is shaped like a bullet, which allows it to cut through the water as best as possible. Honestly, I did not notice the drag very much while pedaling my Hobie Outback. I can’t say for sure but I it may be felt more by those who are paddling. I suppose the drag is a trade off for the added water weight of a live well.

One thing I had to be cautious of was the rope I used to tie off the bait tube. Initially, I used a long portion but found that it was able to get hung underneath my rudder. It was an easy fix; I just shortened the length. Another issue I had to be aware of was the fact fish always tend to find something to get tangled in. The rope to fasten the Torpedo was no different. At one point, I had a fish next to the kayak and he started to roll around and did get tangled in the rope. Not to much of a problem, I just found I needed to be more careful and conscientious about where and how I brought the fish in.

The absolute best thing about the Torpedo Bait Bucket is that it keeps live bait alive. On one trip, I had baitfish and shrimp in it for about seven hours. At the end of the trip, everything was alive. This to me was impressive. I have used live wells in boats before that was unable to keep everything alive for that long of a time period.

Although I was initially apprehensive about this product, I will say that overall I am impressed with it. It is very simple and most importantly, it works! And at only $29 dollars, it is a great alternative to live wells and even those DIY solutions that are out there. The pros of this product greatly outweigh the cons. As for me, I will definitely use this product for those trips where live baitfish is a must, especially for near shore fishing.