Frabill Bait Box Sale

Just sharing, here is a sale on the Frabill Bait Box with aerator, on Amazon. $42.50

Warm weather cooler in my experience. Had seals on 2 of them break from being frozen in.

Yeah, common problem. Same as car door seals, you can spray it with Silicon spray, WD-40 or even Pam cooking spray to help keep the seals from freezing.

Wish they would upgrade the latch. My cousin and I both broke the latch on ours. I used a bungy cord for a bit until I replaced it with a Engel.

toddrun wrote:

Yeah, common problem. Same as car door seals, you can spray it with Silicon spray, WD-40 or even Pam cooking spray to help keep the seals from freezing.

No issue with the chemicals and minnows?

Love my Engel – 19 qt
Sturdy, durable, solid metal latches – use it for a seat.
Replaced the Engel pump with a Frabill one which is quieter

Deuces wrote:

No issue with the chemicals and minnows?

WD-40 used to be made from fish oil. We used to spray it on our baits (not live bait) as an attractant. No idea if it worked, but we always caught fish.

If the gaskets, latches, or anything else is an issue…try a cheap $8 Power Bubbles aerator, and a free 5 gallon bucket with sealed lid from any restaurant or occasionally on Marketplace.

Water doesn’t spill, minnows stay alive, nothing breaks, you can turn it upside down as a seat, use it to haul things, and you have over $30 extra in your pocket.

These minnow coolers are catching anglers at an alarming rate. The only real application I’d consider one for is during warm water if you’re trying to keep expensive bait like large suckers or willowcats alive. I don’t see the point to them for ice fishing.

Smaller footprint in what is already tight space for us guys who hoof it on foot with our shacks. Water not splashing everywhere, win win if they work properly.

The smallest Engel/Frabill Cadillac bait coolers are 15″ x 8.5″, or takes up about 127 sq. inches of sled space. They weigh around 2# empty (add another .25 pounds for an aerator). The lid on the cooler keeps things from spilling.

The bottom of a 5 gallon bucket is approximately 10.5″ in diameter, or takes up about 87 sq. inches of sled space. They weight around 1# empty (add another .25 pounds for an aerator). The lid on the bucket keeps things from spilling.

To each their own, but these things (if solely used for ice fishing) are redundant and a waste of money.

I went to a 5 gallon bucket with a $3 styrofoam minnow bucket inside of it. Only use an aerator in the garage.

I used the incorrect word bucky, should be size, not footprint. If you want to do the math on the whole size that would be great to give us the whole picture.

Alot of wasted space in a 5 gallon bucket.

I have issues with the styrofoam. Freezes in to bucket, then somehow it leaks water under it leaving the styrofoam floating around, then you get home to pour it out and it stinks, then find like 3 minnows and BBQ sunflower seeds under there where u wonder wtf bc you chew the kettle cooked. Not to mention the lids always break, that is of course after the string breaks from the lid, which of course you usually chase around at some point being the wind will find it. But hey at least the pre formed can holders in the top are nice tho.

Deuces wrote:

I used the incorrect word bucky, should be size, not footprint. If you want to do the math on the whole size that would be great to give us the whole picture.

Alot of wasted space in a 5 gallon bucket.

I have issues with the styrofoam. Freezes in to bucket, then somehow it leaks water under it leaving the styrofoam floating around, then you get home to pour it out and it stinks, then find like 3 minnows and BBQ sunflower seeds under there where u wonder wtf bc you chew the kettle cooked. Not to mention the lids always break, that is of course after the string breaks from the lid, which of course you usually chase around at some point being the wind will find it. But hey at least the pre formed can holders in the top are nice tho.

As long as you don’t chew the dill pickle flavor, I follow what you’re saying. I can’t get on board with anyone who enjoys dill pickle seeds though.

I had one and the latch broke after the first trip. Ended up buying an Engel and never looked back.

Chapstick on the seal works great.

Thanks for sharing! I have one of these that is over 10 years old, and still have it. Fished all months of the year with it with no issues. With that said I now have 2 Engels, 19 and 30 with rod holders. 19 for bait, and 30 as a cooler on my kayak, or transporting large amounts of minnows on vacation like Rainy. The Frabilll is half the cost for someone that is easier on equipment. Prefer the lift out basket to fooling with a minnow net.

Totally Stevenoak – all i use my Engel for is Canada and 8 doz minnows to transport and then separate out into a cooler in the fish house. LOVE the lift basket net design instead of the little fish net. Hands stay basically dry and that’s counts for a lot when it’s cold up there. Works great for seat too. Never had a problem with minnows dying out in it or critters getting into it. Two D batteries last me all 4 days from Friday morning til monday morning.

Engel.

No need for any further discussion.

I have this frabil, it’s a pile. But the Engle sucked just as much

Other thing I like about the lift out basket. Had a good crappie bite a couple weeks ago. Best luck with the biggest fattest minnow in the box. Easy to find.