Cheap weight idea

[Shadelady]

ok so i have just gotten fascintated with fishing the ocean from either the shore or the cliffs... heres the thing- lots of lost tackle which gets expensive. i decided to try using a golf ball as a weight- turn out it seems to work really well. its didn't get stuck even once. however, i was runnig it right next to my jig (when i get frustrated i do all sorts of crazy stuff) i think i was still getting bites, just not able to hook anything.

i have also heard a lot of people use spark plugs.

if you have any other creative ideas i'd love to hear them.

 

[SNDSLGR]

Lots of people use rail road spikes, I have even seen rocks used, lol.

 

[1aB]

Here on the rocky coasts of the Big Island golf balls are the preferred weights for small lure presentations in snaggy bottom areas. Since they sink much slower than metal, they allow very slow retrieves without plummeting to the bottom like lead, yet still have adequate weight for casting. Over here, 2 screw eyes, the long shank small eye versions, are used as separate attachment points for main and leader lines. The open(& close) eye versions can attach swivels to reduce line twist. Works best with standard hard core(rather than liquid or gel) balls. "Shadelady", with a normal length leader and depth control practice, you could be ahead of the curve fishing those rock snag areas. Since the balls themselves are very resistant to snagging, you won't lose many if your leader line is lighter than the main. Circle hooks would add an additional level of snag resistance.

Edit: heres where I get my eyes:
Fishing Lure Screw Eyes, make, repair, restore fishing lures

 

[Shadelady]

1aB, I am so cheap i just drilled a hole through the ball and away i went. will be experimenting like crazy with it over the next few days / weeks. the weather has been a little chilly / soggy.

 

[ol tymer]

Ever tried this??

Ever tried this??

Hey there, Shady Lady: Something I've used with pretty good success is a small tobacco pouch, like they used to sell Bull Durham tobacco in. Filled it with sand till I got the desired weight. Seems when I retrieve, it kinda floats up. Hardly ever lost any. Bait shops carried the bags for about a dime apiece. Ol Tymer

 

[The Nothing]

Sand is probably one of the best options. You can make up a variety of bags, different sizes, fill up and go with what you need...

I don't think I would have ever thought about golf balls though. Excellent idea. I know how well they bounce of rocks (fore!)...

 

[Born2Fish55]

Mesh bags or nylons with rocks...or sand...

Mesh bags or nylons with rocks...or sand...

Collect some of the mesh bags that onions and such come in... or do like I do.... go to the $$Dollar$$ store and buy some of those cheap womens knee high nylons.... fill them with some round rock and/or sand... flip it around a few times and tie a knot.... make up ten or so with some 10 -15# test mono leaders.
There you have it, ready when you are inexpensive weights for bad conditions... sometimes you'll snag up and still tie into a good fish... give it a good yank and it'll be you and the fish. I do this and fish a float on another leader to a hook off of a three way Sampo swivel. Or you can walk the RR tracks and pick you a lot of 'toss away' spikes that can be drilled, but are far easier to just tie on... these actually work really well when you need a lot of weight to hold the bottom like in the channel at Rockaway (Tillamook bar).

 

[Born2Fish55]

Sputniks!!!

Sputniks!!!

I was on another Surf fishing forum and they were all talking about Hatteras and Sputnik weights for fishing rocky and sandy surf. I surfed the web and found those spendy little beggars!
Major problem, I am really cheap when it comes to the sacrifices of gear to the Fishing Gods!!! So, the solution... my handy, dandy sinker molds and some copper wire. I ground out a few slots to hold the wire, then poured the sinkers. Mine may not look as good as the store bought, but they are a whole lot cheaper. They also seem to work fairly well in the light rocks... the 'legs' hold the sinker and keep it from falling between the rocks... when stuck, the 'legs' bend and allow the sinker to release from obstructions.
I will keep playing with the concept and post some pix when I perfect it a little more!

 

[beaverfan]

Sounds like an awesome idea! Can't wait to see some pics and hear how they work.

 

[Mike123]

Hmmm bags of sand for weights? I like it! Also I've thought of just using mason bits to drill holes in rocks and use them for weights.

 

[livin2fish]

I was on another Surf fishing forum and they were all talking about Hatteras and Sputnik weights for fishing rocky and sandy surf. I surfed the web and found those spendy little beggars!
Major problem, I am really cheap when it comes to the sacrifices of gear to the Fishing Gods!!! So, the solution... my handy, dandy sinker molds and some copper wire. I ground out a few slots to hold the wire, then poured the sinkers. Mine may not look as good as the store bought, but they are a whole lot cheaper. They also seem to work fairly well in the light rocks... the 'legs' hold the sinker and keep it from falling between the rocks... when stuck, the 'legs' bend and allow the sinker to release from obstructions.
I will keep playing with the concept and post some pix when I perfect it a little more!

Hey what surf fishing forum and is there any good info for around here? I love the surf fishin'.


FISHON

 

[livin2fish]

ok so i have just gotten fascintated with fishing the ocean from either the shore or the cliffs... heres the thing- lots of lost tackle which gets expensive. i decided to try using a golf ball as a weight- turn out it seems to work really well. its didn't get stuck even once. however, i was runnig it right next to my jig (when i get frustrated i do all sorts of crazy stuff) i think i was still getting bites, just not able to hook anything.

i have also heard a lot of people use spark plugs.

if you have any other creative ideas i'd love to hear them.

Hi have you been doin' any good in the ocean lately? from what i understand it's been really nasty in the ocean.

FISHON

 

[bigsteel]

Hmmm bags of sand for weights? I like it! Also I've thought of just using mason bits to drill holes in rocks and use them for weights.

me too,,,,have u tried using a concrete bit mike

 

[todd_brooks]

I know you can drill rocks some are harder than others and it could take some time and burn up some bits. So my thought is to epoxy eyelets to some rocks.??? Or maybe use the stockings with rocks.

 

[Mike123]

I know you can drill rocks some are harder than others and it could take some time and burn up some bits. So my thought is to epoxy eyelets to some rocks.??? Or maybe use the stockings with rocks.

Much better idea.. haha. thanks!
I like the stocking idea since if you get hung up it will just rip the stocking.

 

[Born2Fish55]

Hey what surf fishing forum and is there any good info for around here? I love the surf fishin'.


FISHON

Surftalk...primarily East Coast forum, but invaluable information source for us out here... they have a little "West Coast" forum as well, but it is mainly a California show.
I have been fishing Oregon Surf since the late 60's, so I had some pretty good ideas about the where, when, and how. But all of the 'little things' I have been finding out lately are making it a lot more fun!
The most fun I have had is this last fall when I was catching 20+ fish to the Salmon fishermens one fish... actually irritated a few of them.

 

[Born2Fish55]

Sputniks... part II

Sputniks... part II

Okay... the Sputnik testing is going well... lost only one when it got hung up! The others just had the legs straighten out or break off ( I just remelted the 'dead' ones )... anyway, here is the quick, 'how-to make a Sputnik' for our forum here ( I will also post on the 'SurfTalk' forum )











Simple procedure... this old mold worked better for the photo's, but I have modified several of my 'Hilt' and 'Do-it' molds to do the same thing.
:dance:

 

[Born2Fish55]

Sputniks and Flounder

Sputniks and Flounder

Follow up...
I also found out that the 'East Coasters' use yellow a lot when fishing for Flounder... mentioned in many of the post up and down the Eastern seaboard, so I figured to experiment with it as well... and it works...

Yellow tipped sinkers with yellow 'clacker' beads actually seem to catch more fish (not just Flounder). The 'clacker' beads consist of a brass bead, two glass bead, followed by another brass bead. When the rig is twitched, the beads create a 'clack' sound and attract the fish.










I use Jig head paint that you dip heated objects in, the sinker straight from the mold is perfect, the paint just fuses to the sinker. Bend the little Spider legs however you wish and let the fishing fun begin!

 

[skunk]

Those are really neat born2fish55. I made up some of the golf ball sinkers as I have a 55 gallon garbage can of extra golfballs from my youth!!! I will try them out next time Im in tillamook and post how they work.

 

[skunk]

Ok, so I made up some golf ball wts. Used some small threaded eye hooks from home depot. They are sharp enough to thread directly into the golf balls but next time I will try small pilot holes to start them. I put two in but decided one per ball will work. At the beach I tried two methods. One was to use a 3 way swivel, hook the ball directly onto the bottom part of swivel, main line off top, and leader off middle with hook about 18" out. This worked well but the hook tended to twist up a bit. Ended up having to straighten and detangle every 5 casts or so, not bad. Then tried putting the ball on a sliding swivel on mainline, with hook on leader off of a regular swivel. This worked great. And the bonus, when pulling the gear up over rocks to recast, the ball simply bounces and keeps the hook from fouling. I think the ball may be a little light so I am going to try drilling a hole and putting a hollow core piece of lead in then hotgluing the end closed. Didn't catch anything today, the surf was brutal, but this golf ball thing works very well.