With most bait tanks costing anywhere from $400 and up, the budget savvy fishing guru instead opts to learn how to make a bait tank from scratch. While this may not be the easiest thing to do, it is not as hard as it would seem, and it will assure you while you’re fishing that your live bait will stay, well, alive.
First, let’s start with what to use as the actual container/tank. Ideally your tank should be oval or round in shape, otherwise your fish may get stuck in the corners, and while, yes true you are feeding them to larger fish, you don’t really want them to be banging into the walls of the cooler. However, if all you can find is something that is square, no worries. Insulated containers work better, simply because it will prevent the water from getting too hot. Sometimes it’s just a matter of finding whatever is available – as the saying goes Beggars Can’t be Choosers…otherwise we’d spend the $500, right? Most of the homemade bait tank rigs we’ve seen use a container that is about 30-50 gallons in size. Fish supposedly like lighter blue colors better if you have the flexibility to choose.
Next, you’re going to need a few other things. Bait tanks need to have good air flow in order for the bait to stay alive. Fish get their oxygen by swimming, so if they are in a bait tank they can’t swim enough to get the amount of oxygen they need. For this reason, you need something that will pump oxygen into the water. There are a number of nifty little kits that can do this easily for you. They are usually called “Bait Aerators” or “Bait Pumps” and you can find them at a number of fishing supply stores or online. If you are looking to store the bait long term, it is recommended you also use a pump in addition to the aerator (think aquarium supplies) I am not going to recommend any brand over another, as I have not used them all to tell you really which ones are best. Depending on which kind you buy, you are going to want to follow whatever directions are included in the kit. Some of them are as simple as installing batteries and placing it in the water, others you may need to get some pvc pipe to rig to the container.
And that is really about all you need in order to make your own bait tank. Use your imagination, take some time talking with other people you fish with to see what they’ve used and what works for them…and when you build one we’d love to see some pictures and how you did it, we’ll post them up here for everyone to see when you do 
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Once you find a place where these fish are, it’s not difficult to find them. They tend to stick to shallow regions, such as bays and estuaries, which is what gives them the name channel bass. The fish can be spooked rather easily, so red drum fishing needs to be a quiet and slow method of fishing, but it is not that hard once you locate the fish. Often times you can find them just off the shore of a flooded shallow region and wading for them is often possible in the right conditions. The season and time of year is another important factor as to where they may be. Many people associate spring and fall with redfish catching, but they can be found in the summer typically in marshes and bayous and other shallow regions. Think about where you would go if you were to wade in for fishing, and that likely would be a good candidate for a location they are in!
Rigging bait means to put whatever bait you plan on using on the hook. Do it right, and you won’t have to worry about it falling off or the fish stealing it without you getting a catch and going away. Do it wrong, and well, you might as well just be feeding the fish from your boat instead of trying to catch them.
If you are making dough balls, remember that catfish will eat anything that smells really strong or has a sweet flavor. It helps to have a basic base for the dough balls, like flour, water, and shortening or grease. (If you happen to have bacon for breakfast some morning, make sure you save it because that works really well!) The measurements here are just approximate, I never actually measure anything, just mix it up in a bowl and if the mixture is too thin, thick, or not the right consistency I’ll add more flour or water or grease as need be. Tuna is another tried & true favorite, especially because it is so convenient.