My Favorite Homemade Fishing Gadget

[reelcharacter]

Started this post in the NY State section. Replies recieved have been both resourceful and humorous. Thought I would see what the larger fishing audience could come up with.

Getting caught up by the fancy catalogs and shiny colors of all those ”must have” fishing accessories is easy to do. Yet everyone has at least one lure, one rig or other home-made fishing accessory you cannot do without. Whether a home-made gift from a friend, something passed down with years of experience or something particularly useful that you made yourself. What is that item?

I have dabbled with many accessories, a few are listed bellow:

I made a wood tripod for my Coleman Lantern, suspending the lantern by a wire coat-hanger. This raises the light source for better light distribution and reduces the likelihood the lantern will take another night-time swimming lesson (as you may have read about in the “Bubbleheaded” MyFishFinder topic. I also cut out a metal coffee can and wrap it around the lantern to shine the light out over the water rather than in my eyes. This combination has become required equipment if I go Bullhead or Crappie night fishing from shore. I plan to make a folding/collapsible model from metal tent stakes this year. (The type of metal tent posts with a center elastic cord). This will make my tripod more compact and easier to transport. Little nubs can also be added on the tripod to prop the fishing pole on, allowing you to see the rod tip and line better.

I make a minnow transport bucket, (also makes a great worm catching container as well), from hard plastic windshield washer fluid bottles. (Not the softer style that resemble a gallon milk jug). Leave on the handle and top. Remove the front/top quarter of the bottle opposite the handle. When fishing on the ice in particular, this is handy to fill with a little water, net a few minnows from the bucket and walk to flags or when freshening up the bait. This fits perfectly in a standard 6” drilled ice hole, so I suppose it could also be used to skim ice from the hole.

What is your favorite homemade fishing item?

-Reelcharacter

[Smelt1]

Reel, As I have gotten older I have had a problem with my back so clearing out my holes when ice fishing was a real pain.I solved that problem by cutting off an old ski pole and shoving the handle of my skimmer up in it and now I can reach the ice with out bending over.Also the strap on the ski pole has cut down on the skimmers heading to the bottom.

[livin4ice]

Did the same thing with an old golf club.  Also, if you cut off the hooked end of the skimmer and put it at the top of the ski pole/golf club it makes it so you can hang it up in the shanty.

Mike

[reelcharacter]

The pole idea is a good one. (Have to remember we are not on that hard water site now, but is hard to let go).   

I think everyone that ventures out on the ice should have a light weight pole, walking stick or something similar. Works to probe ahead in iffy looking ice situations. Good to have in case of someone falling through.

It can also be used to keem them interlopers that would sit on your lap to fish your hot hole at least the length of your stick away from you.   

-Reelcharacter

[Fat Boy]

I walk a long stretch of water near my home to fish and one of the problems is staying mobile and having to fish more than one rod while toting all the tackle that you need.  I simply take a key clip that is large enough to fit around my rod blanks and hook it to a loop on the back of my fishing vest.  This way I can carry 2 rods without ever having to set one down on the ground or find something to lean them against by simply clipping one of them to my new clip.  When purchasing a new fishing vest, the first thing that I look for is that ring on the back behind the neck, and also lots of zippered pockets to store all the tackle that I need for a long day of walking and fishing.  Another handy item is a clip that I made so that I can hang my spinnerbait soft wrap by the handle on my belt, again, to stay mobile.  Being mobile without having to bend over is not only efficient but also saves back pain at the end of the day.

[peple of the perch]

ive built a fishing rod out of knex it actually works very well only 4 ft. long

[newoodhntr]

A friend of mine has a great idea,we use  old golf clubs and cut them off. Take a wire hotdog or marshmallow roasting stick(cheap Walmart one) and squeeze the handle with a pliers, put the club in a vise and force the stick in to the golf club. Makes a great extention for over the camp fires especially for the kids to keep them a safer distance and the better grip helps alot too.  Newoodhntr

[reelcharacter]

Cool idea with the golf clubs. Do you get a better Marshmellow with a Putter or a 9-Iron?     

-Reelcharacter

[Chris Raymond]

I didn't see this post earlier and should probably wait until the weather's more appropriate to post this but lately I've been partial to this ice fishing sled that I made. 

http://members.infinitecom.com/craymond/icefishingsled.html

I've made some improvements in the sled since that web page was created.  But you'll get the gist of it from those pictures and descriptions. 

Chris Raymond

[Jigwiggler]

Hey, that is one nice sled Chris!!  Thanks for posting, I have been wanting to build one for myself and looking at yours will be helpful in designing mine.

[Chris Raymond]

JW--Thanks.  It's not perfect and the next one I build for a friend of mine will be better with the hindsight.

[Jigwiggler]

JW--Thanks.  It's not perfect and the next one I build for a friend of mine will be better with the hindsight.

By the way, welcome to the site!!

[Chris Raymond]

Jigwiggler -- Thanks, I was here at the end of last winter for a bit, only I posted under Banshee's Wail at the time.  I'd never posted under a moniker before and figured I probably should use my real name like I always do on the other boards I frequent.

Slipbob--Yes, please post photos when you get a chance...I'm terrible at visualizing this stuff.  FTW, we won't talk about cost, 'k?  ;-)

[Cider]

Hey Chris - welcome aboard.  That is one awesome sled you built.  d**n if you don't have me thinking about the ice again.  Aww, heck, I never really stop thinking about the hardwater though.

Hey, could you post a couple pics of the inside of your sled as it is loaded with tip-ups etc?  I'd like to see how it gets packed up.  Might just borrow your ideas to build one of my own!! 

[Chris Raymond]

...Hey, could you post a couple pics of the inside of your sled as it is loaded with tip-ups etc?  I'd like to see how it gets packed up.  Might just borrow your ideas to build one of my own!! 

Cider--It and my ice gear are packed away in the attic of my garage right now.  If I haul it down for a couple of more modifications that I'm thinking about I will, but otherwise it'll have to wait until things come down for the ice season.