Bubble Box

Bubble Box! Keep Your Smelt on O

This aerator fits the bill. It is currently on sale for for $7.99 (if its not on sale its still only $11.59). It works very well and helps keep your bait alive. When I get out early, I have to pick up a couple dozen smelt the day before, as we do, and using a bubbler is a must. This bubbler pumps air through a 24" tube and it comes out of an air stone. I had to replace my stone as I left it to freeze to the bottom of my bucket, they do sell replacements. 

It is rated for about 40 hours of run time with 2 D cell batteries. It does run on 1 battery too. The run time is fairly accurate. This run time is much longer than aerators that use AA batteries (usually about 8 hours). Bubble Box brand also has a AA item, I would stay clear. They just do not last.

There are a few of them out there. There are some good brands out there for plug in aerators that would be better if you were trying to add air to your fish tank, but for taking bait on the ice or boat....the Bubble Box works great for the price. 

The only one I would suggest over this is the Frabill Ice Aqua-Life (see below), which also comes with a car charger and can be used with 2 D batteries. You can purchase a wall charger for it as well. (pictured below). It is a bit pricier, but hypothetically you could make it for it with saving batteries.

So yeah, duh, you have to have an aerator to keep you fish fresh for a weekend of fishing. But, which one should you get? I will recommend this the Bubble Box.