Abstract: An improved bait-fish trap includes a cylindrical, mesh shell having a continuous outer wall, an upper end and an open lower end. The shell houses a mesh entrance cone having a lower base that is concentric with the open lower end of the shell, and an upper vertex in communication with an overlying entrapment chamber. At the upper end of the shell is a releasable hatch for accessing bait fish within the entrapment chamber. Attached to the hatch is a buoyant light for luring bait fish from the entrance cone into the entrapment chamber until they are removed via the releasable hatch. A buoyant tube is circumferentially secured to the inner surface of the upper end so that the shell remains afloat whenever the hatch is opened to retrieve captured bait fish.

Abstract: An improved bait-fish trap includes a cylindrical, mesh shell having a continuous outer wall, a lower surface and an open upper end. The shell houses a mesh entrance cone having an upper base that is concentric with the open upper end of the shell, and a lower vertex in communication with an underlying entrapment chamber. A remotely controlled light module lures bait fish from the entrance cone into the entrapment chamber where they are held until removed via a releasable hatch. A capacity indicator automatically notifies a user when the entrapment zone is full of bait fish.