your favorite fishing-related hack

[Tom Rust]

something you do or make that helps avoid buying at the store for your fishing enjoyment. my simple hack is using a round hole punch and some rubbery tubing to make hook keepers for stinger hooks, or especially keeping my hook secure when nose- hooking a fluke with a "hitch hiker" screw ring.  Whats yours?

[12poundbass]

I use the cardboard from a roll of toilet paper, put it on my drill, and the old line is off my reels in no time flat.

[heavyduty]

Mend-It soft plastic glue to repair baits and piece together my own baits. Enjoy making my own spinnerbaits and skirts, inline spinners, beetle spins, pouring and painting jig heads, tying jigs. 

[scaleface]

2 hours ago, Tom Rust said:

my simple hack is using a round hole punch and some rubbery tubing to make hook keepers for stinger hooks, or especially keeping my hook secure when nose- hooking a fluke with a "hitch hiker" screw ring. 

I do exactly the same thing with a bicycle innertube.

[Tom Rust]

scaleface, that might be a better material than my using rubbery tube-i'll have to give it a try.

heavyduty, id love to learn how you make rubber skirts for jigs or spinnerbaits-where does the little elastic 'ring' come from and how do you line up all the rubber strands?

[crypt]

I use tire valve caps for going in front of my soft plastics when weightless. I drill a teeny hole in it and just slide it out in front of the bait. The ones that Dodge uses are a little longer so I can cover the head of the bait better. Saves on the plastic screw type that I have used for years. Did I mention we have 2 shops that changes over 75 tires a week ?

[islandbass]

I put a small strip of Velcro wrapped around the butt of my DS rod. When I’m moving from one place to another on the shore, I use it to hold the DS weight so it does not dangle loosely to get tangled or caught on something. It works regardless of the length of the tag end. Simply wrap the slack around the rod butt until the weight meets the Velcro and the rest is history. 
 

Having lures dangle around banging on my rod during transport is one of my biggest peeves. 

[Tom Rust]

Crypt, I’m confused about what purpose the cap serves-just protects the head of the worm or does it aid in floating it off the bottom? I’m thinking a little shot of insulation foam then drill the hole, and the cap will raise the soft plastic off the bottom. 

[throttleplate]

to keep my live bait costs down i freeze my leftover minnows, i put them in a small baggie then into a small tupperware and pour cheap vodka over them, enough to just cover them and put them into the freezer. Can also use non freezing windshield washer solution the same way.

Stopped using mendit for plastics and just use super glue, paint my used ballhead jigs using wifes fingernail polish.

[DaubsNU1]

23 minutes ago, throttleplate said:

to keep my live bait costs down i freeze my leftover minnows, i put them in a small baggie then into a small tupperware and pour cheap vodka over them, enough to just cover them and put them into the freezer. Can also use non freezing windshield washer solution the same way.

Stopped using mendit for plastics and just use super glue, paint my used ballhead jigs using wifes fingernail polish.

 

@throttleplate excellent advice!!

 

 

[crypt]

5 hours ago, Tom Rust said:

Crypt, I’m confused about what purpose the cap serves-just protects the head of the worm or does it aid in floating it off the bottom? I’m thinking a little shot of insulation foam then drill the hole, and the cap will raise the soft plastic off the bottom. 

it protects the plastic from throwing in heavy grass.Keeps it from ripping off the hook.

[Catt]

To keep skirts in place easily I use micro zip ties. Most zip ties have a "vertical" tag end, the ones I buy have a "horizontal" tag end. You can even get em in various colors.

[Swamp Girl]

I like keeping these guys handy:

 

[Woody B]

I suppose this counts.  I used the term "My arm is in a cast" when I use sick time to fish instead of going to work.   

[casts_by_fly]

On 3/16/2024 at 6:50 PM, 12poundbass said:

I use the cardboard from a roll of toilet paper, put it on my drill, and the old line is off my reels in no time flat.

how do you connect the tube to the drill?  Just fit over the chuck?

 

I use a 1/2” drill bit inserted backwards into the drill. As long as you don’t put much tension on it, the line slides off the end of the bit when you’re done. But it does take a bit with a half inch bit. 

[12poundbass]

41 minutes ago, casts_by_fly said:

how do you connect the tube to the drill?  Just fit over the chuck?

Yup just slide it over the chuck. I’ve also used a little duct tape to hold it on before too.

[scaleface]

On 3/16/2024 at 9:36 PM, Tom Rust said:

id love to learn how you make rubber skirts for jigs or spinnerbaits-where does the little elastic 'ring' come from and how do you line up all the rubber strands?

Most of the time I use premade skirts. I cant make them that good and they are easily changed. I do have living rubber , the elastic rings and a tool that spreads them but rarely use it anymore. Store bought skirts are the way to go for me.

[Pat Brown]

You can keep using plastic craws one last time (past where they're threadable on a jig) by cutting them down to the last usable plastic and hanging them on your jig like an old pork chunk.

 

They also get really unique action rigged this way.

[Crow Horse]

14 hours ago, Catt said:

To keep skirts in place easily I use micro zip ties. Most zip ties have a "vertical" tag end, the ones I buy have a "horizontal" tag end. You can even get em in various colors.

Cobra/low profile tie raps ??

 

[Catt]

@Crow Horse

Don't know if that's the exact name brand I use but mine are maybe 1/8" wide. 

 

Notice how the tag end lays horizontal.

 

[Crow Horse]

35 minutes ago, Catt said:

@Crow Horse

Don't know if that's the exact name brand I use but mine are maybe 1/8" wide. 

 

Notice how the tag end lays horizontal.

 

They're sold under several names - low profile, Cobra, and safety tie raps. The small ones that you probably use are 18-22#'s & the larger ones are 50-60#'s.

 

Like you mentioned the tag end is parallel with the main part. Flush cut, the tag end is smooth.

[Swamp Girl]

These are the best if you carry your small boat atop your car. They go under your hood and give you great attachment loops:

 

https://www.amazon.com/KAPMOZ-Anchor-Straps-Transport-Lashing/dp/B07GF8FSF5/ref=asc_df_B07GF8FSF5/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=642117830092&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=5265320445569649520&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9002852&hvtargid=pla-1013314769035&psc=1&mcid=0210d1653ca33269a759478286f7204d

[heavyduty]

On 3/16/2024 at 10:36 PM, Tom Rust said:

 

heavyduty, id love to learn how you make rubber skirts for jigs or spinnerbaits-where does the little elastic 'ring' come from and how do you line up all the rubber strands?

I buy skirt tabs in bulk, 22 strands per tab. I just use a plastic "pencil" style skirt tool to put my skirt tabs together and I use small o-rings that I buy in bulk. You put the o-ring over the "pencil", pull your tabs inside the pencil, and then push the o-ring off the pencil onto the tabs. After I put the skirt on the spinnerbaits or jig, I wire tie them also in case the o-ring comes off. Many video's on Youtube how to do this. 

If I purchase spinnerbaits or jigs that aren't wire tied, I'll wire tie them also. 

[papajoe222]

Glenn turned me on to this T-Rig hack;

Thread a piece of heavy 60-80lb. mono through one side of the plastic, the hook eye and out the other. Trim both ends flush with the plastic. It keeps your bait from sliding down the hook shank and also from getting torn up.  One plastic worm can last all day and catch multiple fish.  Really saves on both money and the occasional missed fish from your plastic balling up preventing a good hookset.

[Glenn]

Just watch my videos.  Each one contains real-world unique tips I've garnered through the decades and still use today.

 

https://www.youtube.com/bassresource