Make a Simple Ghost Shrimp Bait Pump

The first ghost shrimp and a sand flea caught in my bait pump!

What Is a Ghost Shrimp Bait Pump?

In preparation for an upcoming fishing trip to the Texas Gulf Coast, I decided to make a ghost shrimp bait pump.

Ghost shrimp (Callianassidae spp.) are abundant along the beach and make excellent bait when surf fishing. A bait pump is a simple device that makes it easy to catch these small shrimp compared to digging for them by hand or with a hand shovel.

To make a pump, start with gathering the materials and tools listed below, all of which are readily available at home improvement/hardware stores.

Materials You Need

30" length of 2" diameter PVC pipe
33" length of 3/4" diameter PVC pipe
2" diameter cap
3/4" diameter cap
3/4" diameter "T" connector
2" diameter test plug
1-5/8" washer with a 3/8" hole
PVC cement
5" epoxy

Tools You Need

Hacksaw for cutting the PVC pipe.
Power drill for drilling the holes in the caps.
Dremel tool or a file for shaping/smoothing the holes.
1" hole saw bit
3/8" drill bit

Step-by-Step Guide: Assembling a Bait Pump

How Do You Make a PVC Bait Pump?

Once you have gathered the material and the tools are in hand, you are ready to make a simple ghost shrimp bait pump. Refer to the photo steps above as you follow these instructions.

Instructions

First, cut the PVC pipes to length. Remember the 2" diameter PVC pipe will be 30" in length and the 3/4" diameter PVC pipe will be 33" in length.
Next, drill the holes in the 2" diameter cap and the 3/4" diameter cap. The 2" cap will need a 1" hole drilled in the center. The 3/4" cap will need a 3/8" hole drilled in the center.
Then, disassemble the test plug and keep the following components: 1 screw, 1 wing nut, 2 plastic washers, "bottom" of the plug, and a rubber gasket.
When you disassemble the test plug, note the two parts that make up the "bottom" of the plug and the "top" of the plug. Keep the bottom part; it is the one that is inserted into the pipe. The top part is not used; it is replaced by the 1-5/8" washer.
Next, reassemble the test plug components, 3/4" cap, and 1-5/8" washer: (1) Insert the screw into the 3/4" cap and then epoxy it in place. (2) Allow the epoxy to set per the manufacturer's direction. (3) Once set, place the remaining parts onto the screw in the following order: plastic washer, "bottom" of the plug, rubber gasket, 1-5/8" washer, plastic washer, and then the wing nut. (4). Let the epoxy cure per the manufacturer's direction. (Refer to pictures in the sidebar for more detail).
While the plug cures, smooth/shape the hole that was drilled into the 2" diameter cap so as to allow the 3/4" diameter PVC pipe to move up and down freely. The 3/4" PVC pipe has an outside diameter that is just about 1" wide. A little shaping is required in this step. We recommend a Dremel tool as it will make quick work of fitting the pipe to the cap; however, a file will do the job as well.
Once the epoxy is set, you can dry-fit the parts and test the pump's operation. When dry-fitting the parts, remember the order that you fitted the parts. You will follow that same order when cementing them permanently.
Dry Fitting Parts: (1) Start with dry fitting the "T" Connector and 3/4" diameter PVC pipe. (2) Then, dry fit the 2" cap and the 2" diameter PVC pipe. (3) Insert the other end of the 3/4" diameter PVC pipe into the 2" cap/2" PVC pipe. (4) Finally dry fit the 3/4" cap/test plug to the other end of the 3/4" PVC pipe.
Next, test the dry-fitted bait pump checking that the 3/4" diameter PVC pipe moves smoothly up and down. Don't worry that the test plug is not creating suction; this will be tweaked after the parts are cemented. Also, be careful as the parts are dry-fitted and may undo themselves when testing.
Once you have finished testing the dry-fitted pump and made adjustments where needed, you can proceed with cementing the parts permanently. Remember the order you used to assemble the pump when dry fitting, then disassemble the dry-fitted pump.
Once disassembled, check the 3/4" cap/test plug to see that the epoxy has cured. If the manufacturer's directions require 24 hours to cure, wait to proceed with cementing until then.
When the 3/4" cap/test plug is cured, proceed with cementing the bait pump per the directions of the manufacturer. Remember the order you used for dry fitting and wait till the cement has dried before using the bait pump.
Once the cement has dried, you need only to tighten the wing nut until the desired suction is attained. Too tight and the pump will bind; too loose and the pump will have trouble creating the suction needed to remove wet sand/mud.
Options: Some opt to add a handle to provide better leverage when burrowing into wet sand/mud. Also, chamfering the inside of the 2" diameter PVC pipe's end with a Dremel tool makes for easier burrowing as well!

PVC pipe is the main component of a bait pump.

Caps drilled, "T" connector, and test plug disassembled

Screw from the test plug inserted in the 3/4" cap and epoxied in place

Test plug reassembled with the 1-5/8" washer added

Material dry fitted and tested

Material assembled and cemented in place

Ready to go!

Success: I Caught Bait!

Success—I caught a ghost shrimp and a sand flea, which can also be used for bait

How to Use a Bait Pump

Watch the video below to learn how to use your bait pump. You can see how I used it to collect shrimp bait, which I then used to catch bait fish that lure in the bigger catch!