Bait waiters

mikench · Jan 11, 2017

Are these of any real use on the bank/lake side and if so are any makes better/sturdier/more practical than others?

I never seem to have enough space and whilst my chair has a bait tray attachment I wondered if a bait waiter was worth having. My various bait boxes are Drennen (mostly) and Middy

I have never seen anyone using one to ask which makes me think!

binka · Jan 11, 2017

The two problem's you're likely to encounter are getting the bank stick firmly enough into the ground and leaning if the stand isn't perfectly level... Unevenly distributed weight such as casters in water can cause it to gradually lean.

I used to use one back in the 80's when I was fishing the Trent but gave up on it for stillwater use.

I do think it's handy having bait and feed at a height where you're not constantly having to lean right down to get to it and I now use a cheap bivvy table with the four adjustable legs.

It's easy to get level, raises the contents to the right height and no faffing around trying to get bank sticks into the ground with the further risk of leaning or tipping if the weight isn't distributed evenly.

You can also use whatever bait boxes or buckets you like and not just the ones that fit into it.

sam vimes · Jan 11, 2017

There was a time when I used a bait waiter whenever I used a seatbox. I had a support bracket specifically for the bait waiter. However, seatbox ancillaries developed to favour the use of side trays. That is what I now use with my newer seatbox.

Despite still having a bait waiter somewhere, I never use it. I don't tend to use the bait boxes that fit it properly either. I always found baitwaters to be pretty useless when used with just a single bankstick and no support bracket. They are a nightmare if you can't get the stick into the ground straight enough or deep enough.

binka · Jan 11, 2017

Just dug these out for you Mike, this is the one I use and cost me around twelve quid.

Obviously I'm talking about 'sit down' fishing here but if you find yourself on a steep bank (often on the river) you can see how easy it is to adjust to a nice level...

As it folds down flat it's also easy to slip inside a folded chair and carry.

If I were standing to fish I would usually go the bait apron route these days.

---------- Post added at 11:21 ---------- Previous post was at 10:49 ----------

I've just been having a google at what's available and came across this...

I reckon if it didn't topple over of its own accord the merest squeak of a fart would blow it over

mikench · Jan 11, 2017

Gentlemen you have told me what i needed to know and what i half suspected was the case! Thank you!

I drop stuff all the time and can easily envisage a baitwaiter toppling over either of its own accord, with the wind or more likely, my inherent clumsiness in confined spaces!

I have just saved myself a few quid for something more useful

nhs service · Jan 11, 2017

I found after reeling in for baiting up the bait waiter leaning to one side and maggots making good their escape over the side.
I use a bivvy table. I got a rod pod in a used tackle joblot purchase. I don't use them so I took the pointed legs off and they fit the table nicely for extra stability.

trotter2 · Jan 11, 2017

I had one back in the 80s the type that takes bait tubs and fixes to a single bank stick. There ok when working properly, but after I knocked mine flying in a match, bait all over. That was it .

S-Kippy · Jan 11, 2017

I've got one of the basic screw in jobbies which I adapted to fit my legendary seatbox so that it cannot fall or get kicked over. Its not perfect but infinitely preferable to bending down or carrying a table....though its table all the way if I'm sat in a chair and not perched on me toybox.

chrissh · Jan 11, 2017

I use the fox bait waiter it has different clip in inserts for bait boxes .and can be fitted on the side of chair easy to level and stable a 4 pint bait box stops maggots escaping

View image in gallery

103841 · Jan 11, 2017

I've recently started roving on the river, I don't take a chair, just the bare minimum, it's a real p in the a to have stuff you need constantly plonked on the floor so recently purchased a bait waiter, similar to the one Steve has posted.

Good value and a godsend now Ive got bait and tools by my side and not having to bend down constantly.

The bolt that screws into the bank stick is a loose fit, I've araldited it in for fear of losing it.

tigger · Jan 11, 2017

I have a couple of drennan baitwaiters and only ever used them whilst being sat down on a chair or basket and only on very rare occassions. Personally i'd opt for the old school drennan baitwaiter over a table, if it's atattched to a chunky adjustale banstick and the bankstick is pushed into the ground properly it shouldn't fall over....especially if used close to the ground in conjunction with a seatbox or chair. I would imagine a table would be more likely to blow over in windy conditions than a waiter.
Nowadays I never use anything like that but I keep hold of 'em just incase I ever do

.

Philip · Jan 11, 2017

I have two ...one being a rather natty design where the 4 box holders sort of pivot together so that it only takes up the space of 1 box holder.

Trouble is I have never used either of them. They sit in my cars boot waiting for that "just in case" situation that of course never arises.

When I purchased them I sort of had a vague idea I would one day need them when I waded out to trot and they would be handy. Why in the world I brought the second one when I had never used the first I have no idea. Sometimes you do these things.

stripey · Jan 11, 2017

This thread made me think of an event that happened about 10 yrs ago, i had about 3/4 of a pint of maggots left after a match a match at the w/end, it was summer and lived approx 100 yrds from the river mease, so one evening decided to have a little roam, and thought it a good idea to take the dog a walk at the same time, i had walked across 3 fields to a noted swim which held chub and dace, obviously i was travelling light so just carried the maggots and half a loaf of bread, at arriving at the chosen swim i tied the dog to a tree and started to tackle up, whilst i was tackling up the dog kicked the loaf into the water,i thought well iv,e still got maggots, so carried on plumbing depth etc, came to put maggots on hook....no f/ing maggots, no bait box, the bleeding dog had kicked the bait box of maggots in the water, missus said when i got back home , Had a good time!!!
yeh brilliant! walked 4 miles not even wetted a line, not taking that f/ing cocker fishing again!!!!

mikench · Jan 12, 2017

I too have bought tackle Philip just on the off chance it would come in handy, or that I thought I ought to have or which Rob has insisted I buy

In truth I like owning things that might be useful and all my life people come to me to ask for rare things and I rarely disappoint! I hope I can continue to remember where things are!

Bait waiters, I remain unconvinced!

seth49 · Jan 12, 2017

I have a bait tray,that attaches to the front and rear legs of my korum chair, on one side, it also has two legs on it too level it up, it holds six bait boxes so it's a decent size.

It works well,keeps bait to hand, and I use an empty bait box to hold disgorgers,hooks,shot etc, plus one of those clickers for counting my catch, as theirs a no keepnet rule.

Only one problem, if your wearing a big coat, you can send everything flying, if you get up quickly, fixed that by getting the armrests for the chair and tucking the coat behind the rest.

Jim Crosskey 2 · Jan 12, 2017

I use a standard drennan baitwaiter in certain circumstances... and as has been mentioned, if you use it with a decent bankstick, it's actually very stable indeed.

I use a dinsmore powerdrive and really screw it in to the ground - and pay attention to how close to vertical I'm inserting it. Once that's in, it's rather good.

The circumstance I use it in most is when I'm planning to spend a long time in one swim, usually waggler fishing. That way, I can have a variety of catapultable baits to hand (usually maggot, hemp and a small pellet) along with essential tackle bits like hooks, scissors, hooklength line and baitstops and needles on the tray bit. I don't do loads of fishing like this, but when I do I wouldn't be without the waiter, I love it!!

Peter Jacobs · Jan 12, 2017

I used t ouse the starndar Drennan Bait waiter until I changed it put for a side tray for my seat box or Korum chair.

I found that the side trays are lager so you can put more boxes onto them.
I have 3 side trays, in different sizes up to a very large one that even has a drawer underneath.

When using the old bait waiter I found you can make it far more stable if you screw it into a tripod like the bottom of a pole roller or roost . . . .

nhs service · Jan 12, 2017

I used one for a while, either screw in banksticks hadn't been invented yet or nobody told me, thus using one was a somewhat precarious negotiation between stability or getting a hernia, with the promise of the bent bankstick always a possibility.
Most of the time it was a 'that will have to do' job.
The good old Shakespeare seat box with the clip on bait trays was useful, there was also a posh Superteam? version with revolving side trays, so wonky bait waiters found no favour.
Nowadays a bivvy table, large fox bait tub and an empty bait box with the gear needed for that session in it are at my right hand.
An ESP boilie pouch does for trotting and wading.
It's all very organised, and necessary. Here's a tip. If there is ever a World Dropping Things Championship, put your mortgage on me.

associatedmatt · Jan 12, 2017

You can get a long telescopic arm it's either korum or Preston and has a thread in top , would that be any use ?

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tikka · Jan 15, 2017

associatedmatt said:
You can get a long telescopic arm it's either korum or Preston and has a thread in top , would that be any use ?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That's what I use, solid as a rock.

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