Abstract:
A live bait container for wade fishing and trolling comprises a hollow cylindrical shell with an integral bottom and a modified frustrum of a right cylinder forming the top. An access opening and cover assembly is disposed on the front face of the container. The container shall have a main and a top buoyancy chamber disposed to maintain the bait chamber submerged while keeping the access opening above water. The container&#39;s midsection, including the sloping back shall be plastic mesh. Other material used in the construction, except the access cover assembly, is generally of transparent plastic enabling the bait to be observed. The removable access cover assembly comprises a plurality of elastic strips with a retaining device on both ends that engage the container. Bait is recovered by reaching between the elastic strips. The container has a keel containing a handhold for carrying and a hole for a two line.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of Invention 
     This invention generally relates to a container for the confinement of live bait while the fishing, trolling, fishing from a stationary boat, or drift fishing from a boat. 
     2. Description of Prior Art 
     Containers for confining live bait for storage and for fishing have been around since man started fishing. With the advent of motors on boats a form of fishing called trolling was developed. Trolling consists of dragging a hook, line and bait behind a moving boat. It was necessary to have a means of keeping bait alive and accessible to the angler while trolling. There are several desirable conditions that must be met to achieve this goal. First, the container must allow enough fresh water circulation to keep the bait from dying from insufficient oxygen not only while trolling but also when the boat is stopped, while drift fishing and while wade fishing. Second, the container must have sufficient buoyancy to float while being towed to prevent being damaged or lost due to contact with the bottom or underwater obstacles. Third, it must be easy to put the bait into the container without losing it in the boat or into the water. Fourth, the angler needs to be able to see the bait to determine the amount and its condition without opening the container door. Fifth, the floating container must be designed to be towed through the water smoothly using a minimum of energy. This is not a problem when a boat is towing the container but it is a big problem when an angle is wade fishing. The more energy required to tow the container the more fatigued the angler. Sixth, it must be easy retrieve the bait from the container without the bait escaping. 
     Live shrimp and live mullet are adept at jumping out of a container through an open access top door while the angler is attempting to grasp a fresh bait. A trap door arrangement is used on most present containers. Retrieving the bait from the container is particularly difficult for a wader angler who must try to hold their rod and reel out of the water, control their other equipment, and avoid getting entangled in their fish stringer while pulling the floating container to them and then trying to get a fish bait without submerging the container while pushing open the trap door and holding it open without allowing the bait to escape. 
     There are a number of containers that are related to this application, most are designed, primarily, to be towed behind a boat while trolling. Specifically, live bait containers designed primarily for wade fishing, drift fishing, and still fishing, but also designed for trolling have been ignored. All of the present designs have disadvantages and all fail to meet all of the above criteria. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 2,657,496 to Spotswood (1949) discloses a box container with a rounded front designed to be towed behind a boat. There are several advantages to this design. The container will sink when the boat is stopped as it has no floatation device. The container has a trap door that will allow the live bait to escape when opened and does not have enough openings, for water circulation to sustain the life of the live bait for any prolonged length of time. It is not constructed from a transparent material and retrieving bait would be very difficult. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 2,834,145 to Kisiel (1956) discloses a cylindrical container with conical ends. One end has three fins to support the container when it is out of the water. A small keel is mounted on the side opposite the screened door. There is a small screened area on the sides and screened door above the waterline on the top. The amount and placement of the screen limits the ability of the container to circulate fresh water as the water tends to flow by the screen rather than through the screen. The door is placed so that the bait can readily escape while the angler is attempting to retrieve fresh bait from the container. The container appears to be made of non transparent material which makes it impossible to see the bait when the container is in the water. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,009,281 to Unger (1958) discloses a cylindrical container having one conical end and one flat end. A longitudinal floatation chamber is positioned on each side of the body of the container. There are several disadvantages to this design that are well known to the angler as this is the model for most trolling type bait containers presently available to the public. 
     There are not enough openings to permit sufficient flow of fresh water into the container to keep the bait alive, hence there is a high rate of death to live bait using this design. 
     The inward opening trap door makes it very difficult to put live bait in the container or to retrieve fresh bait. The spring on the door requires the angler to hold it open with one hand this restricts the available opening when filling the container causing spills of bait into the boat or into the water. The door must be pushed open far enough to grasp the fresh bait allowing bait to jump out and escape. This problem is especially true of live shrimp and mullet. Wade anglers have an especially hard time as the container is floating and while trying to keep the door open to get to the bait, the container is generally pushed under water thus allowing the bait to swim out and escape. 
     Another problem with the Unger design is that by having the buoyant chambers on each side at the center of the container, the container rides too high in the water, limiting the available water available for the bait. This condition causes a lack of oxygen for the bait and they die prematurely. 
     The body of the container is not transparent. To determine the amount of bait in the container, one must lift the container out of the water, empty out the trapped water then hold open the trap door and peer through the door opening to determine the amount and condition of the bait. 
     The door has a bad habit of sticking partially open letting bait escape. There is no keel or other means of stabilizing the container causing it to run from side to side while being towed at trolling speed. 
     Our invention meets all of the above criteria for keeping bait alive and accessible and is far superior to the Unger patent. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,728,812 to Woolworth et al. (1973) discloses a trolling bucket that has all the disadvantages of the Unger design plus it has even fewer access holes for water circulation. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,019,274 to Landell et al. (1977) disclosed a trolling bucket with a loading latch means. This bucket has all the disadvantages of the Woolworth patent with the added problem that it latches open automatically and if the angler forgets to unlatch the door, the bait escapes. This has happened. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,554,757 to Sakuta (1985) discloses a trolling bucket with an upward opening door that would allow the bait to escape while the angler attempts to catch fresh bait. There are too few openings in the bucket to allow necessary water circulation. The bucket material is not transparent thus making it impossible to see the condition of the bait. There is no keel or other stabilizing feature to keep the bucket from whipping from side to side while being towed by a boat. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,686,788 to Hartman (1987) discloses a minnow bucket that has all of the disadvantages of the Unger patent but also has the fatal feature of lifting the live bait up closer to the door. This feature may work for minnows or some other baits but it would allow all of the baits, shrimp, mullet, and croakers (commonly used for salt water fishing) to escape. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,198 to Von Grossmann (1992) discloses a bait bucket having all of the disadvantages of the Unger patent and the further disadvantage of hinging the whole top section to gain access to the bait in the main container but also lifts the bait upward to the open top allowing the bait to escape. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,394,639 to Tentler (1995) discloses a rectangular trollable bait bucket and a bait keeper. The bait bucket has no floatation device and therefore it will not be readily accessible and fails to fill any of the required criteria. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,529,204 to Sykes (1996) discloses a floating minnow bucket with flat ends. This bucket is not suitable for trolling. 
     OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES 
     Accordingly, the objects and advantages of the live bait container for wade fishing and trolling of the present invention are to provide: 
     (a) an improved system to increase water circulation in the container when the container is not moving or is moving very slowly through the water during wade fishing or drift fishing; 
     (b) an improved buoyancy system that provides complete submergence of the bait compartment to give the bait the maximum available room to swim and more oxygen while keeping the access opening above water. 
     (c) a cover assembly for the access opening in the container that: 
     (1) allows the angler to reach through a series of elastic strips, to retrieve fresh bait, while maintaining a tight fit around the angler&#39;s wrist and hand (preventing the bait from escaping); 
     (2) allows the cover portion of the assembly to be unhooked from one side of the opening, giving full access to the complete opening to facilitate putting bait into the container; 
     (3) allows for quick and easy removal of the cover for cleaning or replacement; 
     (d) a container in which the bait can be observed while the container is floating in the water. 
     Further objects and advantages are to provide a bait container that can be towed behind a boat without whipping from side to side in the water, is easy to use by a wade angler, is tough enough to withstand the beating it takes while being used or transported, is constructed from a transparent material so that the amount and condition of the bait may be observed, is easy to clean and store, is inexpensive to manufacture, and is affordable to all fishing persons. Further objects and advantages will become apparent in the following discourse. 
    
    
     DRAWING FIGURES 
     All but one of the figures in the drawings are shown with the container sitting on its flat end which will be refereed to as the bottom. This is done for clarity in the drawings. While the container is in the water it will float horizontally on its back but it will sit vertically on its bottom while serving as a live well in the boat or on the bank. 
     FIG. 1 shows an isomeric view of the top, front, and right side of the container. The container is transparent. The interior bulkhead and the opposite wall of the container are shown in phantom. 
     FIG. 2 shows an isometric of the top, back, and left side of the container. The container is transparent. The interior bulkhead and opposite wall are shown in phantom. 
     FIG. 3 shows a plan view of the top of the container. 
     FIG. 4 shows a vertical section through the container at the approximate centerline. 
     FIG. 5 shows the container in the water being towed by a boat or a wading angler. The tow line is shown attached to the container. 
     FIG. 6 shows an enlarged section through the access opening. 
     FIG. 7 shows an enlarged front view of the flattened access cover removed from the container. 
    
    
     REFERENCE NUMERALS IN DRAWINGS 
     
       
         
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
                 10 
                 cylindrical body assembly 
               
               
                   
                 11 
                 cylindrical wall 
               
               
                   
                 12 
                 main buoyancy chamber assembly 
               
               
                   
                 13 
                 main buoyancy chamber top 
               
               
                   
                 14 
                 bulkhead 
               
               
                   
                 15L 
                 left side plastic mesh 
               
               
                   
                 15R 
                 right side plastic mesh 
               
               
                   
                 16 
                 sloping plastic mesh back 
               
               
                   
                 18 
                 container bottom 
               
               
                   
                 19L 
                 left body stiffener 
               
               
                   
                 19LH 
                 left body stiffener retainer hole 
               
               
                   
                 19R 
                 right body stiffener 
               
               
                   
                 19RH 
                 right body stiffener retainer hole 
               
               
                   
                 20 
                 keel 
               
               
                   
                 21 
                 towline 
               
               
                   
                 22 
                 cutout for hand hold 
               
               
                   
                 23 
                 hole for a tow line 
               
               
                   
                 30 
                 top buoyancy chamber assembly 
               
               
                   
                 31 
                 top buoyancy chamber side 
               
               
                   
                 32 
                 top buoyancy chamher sloping back 
               
               
                   
                 33 
                 top buoyancy chamber top 
               
               
                   
                 34 
                 top buoyancy chamber bottom 
               
               
                   
                 40 
                 access cover assembly 
               
               
                   
                 41 
                 access cover 
               
               
                   
                 41E 
                 access cover extended 
               
               
                   
                 42R 
                 right cover hook 
               
               
                   
                 42RE 
                 extended position of cover hook 
               
               
                   
                 42L 
                 left cover hook 
               
               
                   
                 42H 
                 hook retainer hole 
               
               
                   
                 43R 
                 right hook bracket 
               
               
                   
                 43L 
                 left hook bracket 
               
               
                   
                 43LH 
                 left hook bracket retainer hole 
               
               
                   
                 43RH 
                 right hook bracket retainer hole 
               
               
                   
                 44 
                 elastic strips 
               
               
                   
                 45 
                 retainer pin 
               
               
                   
                 46R 
                 right cover bar 
               
               
                   
                 46RE 
                 extended position of right cover bar 
               
               
                   
                 46L 
                 left cover bar 
               
               
                   
                 47 
                 fastener 
               
               
                   
                 50 
                 access opening 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     SUMMARY 
     With the above background in mind, it is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a live bait container for wade fishing or trolling of the general character described, which overcomes the above-mentioned drawbacks of prior known trolling buckets. Specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide a live bait container which is sturdy, easy to use and economical to manufacture, and which performs in water when wade fishing or trolling in a more satisfactory manner than has been previously possible with known trolling buckets. 
     Still more specifically, it is a object of the present invention to provide a live bait container including an improved flotation system that is constructed of clear plastic so that the bait can be observed and the floatation device and will keep the access opening above water while maintaining complete submergence of that part of the cylindrical body assembly that contains the bait. 
     It is a further object of the flotation system to provide a large enough flotation chamber, in the top of the container, to increase the ability of the container to continue to flat with the access opening out of the water, during the retrieval of bait, especially while wade fishing. 
     It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a more efficient system to increase water circulation in the container (to prevent the live bait from dying) especially when the container is moving slowly through the water while wade fishing or drift fishing from a boat. Constructing the center section out of plastic mesh vastly increases the open area available for increased circulation of fresh water, over other known trolling buckets. 
     It is yet a further object of the present invention to increase the flow of water into the container by sloping the back of the upper section of the container like the bow of a flat boat, thus forcing water through the openings in the mesh when being towed. The sloped bow of this invention combined with attaching the tow line through the keel just below the water line raises the bow of the floating container slightly decreasing the energy required to tow the container through the water. This is especially important for wade fishing (to reduce the fatigue of the angler). 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved method for loading the bait into the container and for retrieving fresh bait from the container. An access opening is disposed between the main buoyancy chamber top and the top buoyancy chamber bottom and between the right body stiffener and the left body stiffener. This access opening is covered by an access cover assembly consisting of a plurality of elastic material strips whose sides are contiguous to each other and whose ends are aligned and are retained between a cover hook and a cover bar, disposed at each end of the strips, and held together by fasteners to clamp the elastic material firmly to prevent slipping. 
     A hook bracket is attached to each side of the access opening to engage the cover hooks. When the cover is attached to the container, exerting a lateral force on the cover bar will stretch the elastic strips allowing the cover hook to be disengaged from the hook bracket. The flexible, elastic cover can then be folded back over the other end of the cover assembly providing a clear opening for loading live bait into the container. The cover is reinstalled by exerting a lateral force on the unhooked cover bar to stretch the elastic strips and hooking the cover hook over the hook bracket. A retainer pin is installed in one of the cover hooks to prevent loss of the access cover when the opposite side is unhooked. To remove the cover from the container, unhook the side opposite the retainer pin, remove the retainer pin and the entire cover comes off for cleaning or for replacing if the cover material losses its elasticity. Reaching through the joints in the elastic strips enables the angler to grasp a fresh bait and extract it while the strips maintain a tight fit around the wrist and hand, preventing the escape of live bait. 
     It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a device to keep the container towing in a straight path to avoid whipping the container back and forth killing the bait or damaging the bait container. A large keel assembly is attached normal to the back of the container starting at the top buoyancy chamber top, down the inclined plastic mesh back, and thence down the back of the transparent cylindrical wall and terminating at the container bottom. The keel encourages the container to move in a straight path and contains a cutout for a hand hold above the sloping back (to carry the container), and a hole for a two line positioned between the hand hold and the top buoyancy chamber top. 
     It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a container that is fully transparent except for the access opening cover. Clear plastic is the preferred material but is not intended to limit the use of newer materials as they become available. The use of a clear material provides the visual inspection of the bait while the container is floating in the water or sitting in the boat with water and bait in the container. Clear plastic is not as viable to the fish as the colored plastic now being used in trolling buckets. This feature is not important while trolling or fishing from a boat but it is highly valuable while wade fishing to help prevent spooking the fish. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The term “bait container” or “container” is used to denote the entire device of our invention. The term “assembly” is used to denote several element joined into a single unit. The bait container comprises four basic assemblies; a cylindrical body assembly, a main buoyancy chamber assembly, a top buoyancy chamber assembly, and an access cover assembly. 
     FIG.  1 —Front Isometric View 
     A preferred embodiment of the bait container is shown in a front isometric view in FIG. 1, in its upright position. 
     FIG.  2 —Back Isometric View 
     A preferred embodiment of the bait container is shown in a back isometric view in FIG. 2, in its upright position. 
     FIG.  3 —Plan View 
     The plan view of FIG. 3 shows the top buoyancy chamber assembly, attached to the sloping plastic mesh back of the cylindrical body. 
     FIG.  4 —Section 
     A section of the bait container in FIG. 4 is cut vertically from the top of the container through its bottom, on the centerline, facing the keel. 
     FIG.  5 —Side View 
     A side view of the bait container in FIG. 5 shows the bait container floating in the water and being towed by a tow line. 
     FIGS.  6 —Partial Section 
     A partial section in FIG. 6 shows a section through the access cover assembly. This is an enlarged view to enable showing of the details of the assembly. 
     FIG.  7 —Front View 
     An enlarged front view of the flattened access cover is shown in FIG.  7 . 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The live bait container for wade fishing and trolling of this invention has two normal positions. The first is a generally vertical position as when the bait container is being carried or is resting on some solid surface. The other is a generally horizontal configuration, as when the bait container is floating or being towed. In describing the illustrated structure, such expressions as “top”, “side”, shall for convenience refer to the positions when the bait container is in a generally vertical configuration. The expressions “left”, and “right”, shall for convenience refer to the left hand and right hand of a person facing the vertical bait container&#39;s access opening. The bait container&#39;s access opening face shall for convenience be referred to as the “front” and the opposite side, where the keel is located, shall be referred to as the “back”. 
     The bait container, with the exception of the access cover assembly, can generally be manufactured in two halves of clear plastic and joined together to form a complete container. The different elements of the container would all be one continuous piece, however for clarification in describing the design of the present invention each element has been given a reference number and the juncture of two or more elements will be referred to as “joins”. 
     Referring now to the drawings, the live bait container according to the present invention comprises a generally cylindrical body assembly  10  having a flat transparent container bottom  18  with a transparent cylindrical wall  11  as shown in FIGS. 1,  2 ,  4  and  5 . Right side plastic mesh  15 R shown in FIG. 1 joins to the top edge of cylindrical wall  11 , at the back center and of cylindrical body assembly  10  and continues around the top edge of cylindrical wall  11  where it joins the right edge of right body stiffener  19 R. Plastic mesh side  15 R continues vertically until it intersects and joins sloping plastic mesh back  16 , shown in FIG.  2  and FIG. 3, and joins top buoyancy chamber bottom  34 , shown in FIG.  4 . Left side plastic mesh  15 L, shown in FIG.  2  and FIG. 4, joins the top edge of cylindrical wall  11 , at the back center of cylindrical body assembly  10  and continues around the top edge of cylindrical wall  11  where it joins the left edge of left body stiffener  19 L. Plastic mesh  15 L continues vertically until it intersects and joins to sloping plastic mesh back  16 , shown in FIG. 2, and top buoyancy chamber bottom  34 . Sloping plastic mesh back  16  intersect and joins the top edge of cylindrical wall  11  at the center of the back and then continues on an angle up and toward the front of the container until it intersects and joins the back juncture of top buoyancy chamber bottom  34  and top buoyancy chamber sloping back  32 , shown in FIG. 3, forming a modified frustrum of a right cylinder, shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 4, and FIG.  5 . 
     Main buoyancy chamber assembly  12  is formed generally by an arc of the front quarter of cylindrical wall  11 . A clear plastic bulkhead  14  joins container bottom  18  and cylindrical wall  11  forming a chord between the arc of cylindrical wall  11  and continues vertically to the same height as the top of cylindrical wall  11  where it joins the clear plastic main buoyancy chamber top  13 , shown in FIG.  4 . Main buoyancy chamber top  13  is a segment of a circle whose are edge is flush with and joins the top edge of the outside of cylindrical wall  11  and whose chord is flush with and joins the inside face of bulkhead  14 . The top surface of main buoyancy chamber top  13  forms the bottom of access opening  50 . The enclosure formed by container bottom  18 , cylindrical wall  11 , and bulkhead  4  contain water and bait when the container is sitting upright in the boat or on the bank. 
     Left body stiffener  19 L, shown in FIG.  4  and FIG. 6, joins the top surface of main buoyancy chamber top  13  at the left end along the left periphery of main buoyancy chamber top  13  and extends vertically to intersect and joins the left periphery of top buoyancy chamber bottom  34  forming the left side of access opening  50 , shown in FIG . 6 . Left body stiffener  19 L joins the left side plastic mesh  15 L along its vertical length, shown in FIG.  4 . Left side body stiffener retainer hole  19 LH is disposed at the midpoint of left body stiffener  19 L and aligns with other retainer holes  42 H and  43 LH, shown in FIG.  6 . 
     Right body stiffener  19 R, shown in FIG. 6, joins the top surface of main buoyancy chamber top  13  at the right end along its right periphery and extends vertically to intersect and joins the right periphery of top buoyancy chamber bottom  34  forming the right side of access opening  50 . Right body stiffener  19 R joins right side plastic mesh  15 R along its vertical length shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 5, FIG.  6 . Right body stiffener retainer hole  19 RH is the mirror image of left body stiffener retainer holed  19 LH. 
     The combination of right side plastic mesh  15 R, left side plastic mesh  15 L, and sloping plastic mesh back  16  provide a multitude of openings to circulate enough fresh water to keep the bait alive. The flat configuration of sloping plastic mesh back  16 , when towed even at walking speed, force more fresh water into the container. 
     Top buoyancy chamber assembly  30  comprises several elements, of clear plastic, joined together to form an airtight chamber, shown in FIG.  1  and FIG.  2  and are best shown in FIG.  3  and FIG.  4 . Top buoyancy chamber side  31  is a segment of a cylinder with the same radius as cylindrical wall  11  and a chord length generally less than the diameter of cylindrical body assembly  10 . Both ends of top buoyancy chamber side  31  angle up and to the front at the same angle of sloping plastic mesh back  16 , shown in FIG.  4 . Top buoyancy chamber bottom  34 , shown in FIG. 4, is the segment of a circle whose radius and chord length are the same as the bottom edge of top buoyancy chamber side  31 . The bottom edge of top buoyancy chamber side  31  joins the upper surface of the top buoyancy chamber bottom  34  and forms the top of access opening  50 , shown in FIG.  4 . Top buoyancy chamber top  33  is a segment of a circle whose radius, arc length, and chord length are the same as the top edge of top buoyancy chamber side  31 , shown in FIG.  3 . The top edge of top buoyancy chamber side  31  joins the bottom surface of top buoyancy chamber top  33 , shown in FIG.  4 . Top buoyancy chamber sloping back  32 , shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 3, and FIG. 4 has the same angle of slope and joins sloping plastic mesh back  16 , shown in FIG.  4  and FIG. 5, and joins the edge of the chord of top buoyancy chamber top  33  and the edge of the chord of top buoyancy chamber bottom  34 , shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 3, and FIG.  4 . 
     The combination of main buoyancy chamber assembly  12  and top buoyancy chamber assembly  30  will maintain the container with access opening  50  on top while floating in the water. The section of the container confining the bait will be submerged thus allowing the maximum space for the bait while access opening  50  will float above the water. Top buoyancy chamber assembly  30  will substantially keep access opening  50  above the surface of the water while retrieving bait from the container. 
     The enlarged partial section shown in FIG. 6 details access cover assembly  40 . Right hook bracket  43 R joins right body stiffener  19 R. Left hook bracket  43 L joins left body stiffener  19 L. Right cover hook  42 R is disposed on the back face, at the right end, of elastic strips  44  and right cover bar  46 R is disposed on the front face, at the right end, of elastic strips  44 , and are clamped together using fasteners  47  to hold elastic strips  44  firmly, as shown in FIG.  6  and FIG.  7 . Right body stiffener retainer hole  19 RH, right hook bracket retainer hole  43 RH, and retainer hole  42 H are provided for left handed use. 
     Left cover hook  42 L is disposed on the back face, at the left end, of elastic strips  44  and left cover bar  46 L is disposed on the front face, at the left end, of elastic strips  44 , and are clamped together using fasteners  47  to hold elastic strips  44  firmly as shown in FIG.  6  and FIG.  7 . Retainer pin  45  is inserted through hook retainer hole  42 H, left hook backet retainer hole  43 LH, and through left body stiffener retainer hole  19 LH shown in FIG.  6 . 
     FIG. 6 shows elastic strips  44 , right cover hook  42 R, right cover bar  46 K, and fasteners  47  in their normal positions. The broken lines show these same elements with elastic strips  41 E stretched and right cover hook  42 RE, right cover bar  46 RE are extended and unhooked and are ready to be folded back over the left side of accessing opening  50 . The entire access opening is now available for loading bait into the container without any obstructions. The use of a plurality of elastic strips  44  instead of the common trap door allows the angler to reach through the joints in plastic strips  44  which will stretch enough to allow retrieval of the bait from the container while maintaining a tight fit around the hand and wrist to prevent the live bait from escaping. 
     A keel  20  joins the back of cylindrical wall  11  at the vertical centerline of cylindrical body assembly  10  and extends up and towards the front, where it joins sloping plastic mesh back  16  and also joins top buoyancy chamber sloping back  32 , terminating at the back edge of top buoyancy chamber top  33 . Keel  20  has a cutout for a hand hold  22  in the sloping portion at the approximate center of the container for carrying the container. Keel  20  has a hole  23  for a tow line  21  disposed to improve towing characteristics. 
     Although the description of the preferred embodiment has been quite specific, it is contemplated that various modifications could be made without deviating from the spirit of the present invention. Thus the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the example given.