G'Day Monch,
I can relate to ya as far as the back breaking work goes into pumping nippers . I'm pretty much down on mainbar flats every weekend pumping myself.
Greg L has hit the nail right on the head cause i've just learned in the last few weeks that it is easier to pump when there's water over the sand as opposed to an exposed sand flat. i've been using a bucket with holes in it as a strainer and it works well but Greg's idea sounds easier.
With water over the sand bar the nippers stay closer to the top and i find that most of the time i can get 3 nippers with one pump.
Another thing i've learned over the last few weeks as well is when i'm pumping and the sediment is stirred up around my feet and a lot of small whiting move in close to where i'm pumping looking for a free feed. i've identified with my polarized sunnies that the larger whiting are hanging not too far in front of where i am, so i tend to cast out toward them and that's been working well as i manage to land whiting ranging from 35-45cm.
Hope this helps.
Robert