making your own tackle

Lord Paul of Sheffield · Feb 1, 2013

Apart from the satisfaction, is there any advantage

I don't make my own tackle but I have made my own boilies just to try it and I make my own brown crumb to save a bob or 2

paul80 · Feb 1, 2013

I have been known to make the odd float, not because mine are better but because no one sells floats any more around where I live, every tackle shop has gone 100% carp so only stock the odd Chinese float or pellet wagler float.

Anything else I make myself

Paul

The bad one · Feb 2, 2013

Lots Paul
They are bespoke for a particular job
Robust, lasting many time longer than the cr*p most tackle Co make.
I have a pair of arm indicators that I made for breaming back in the 1970s 77 I think, long before Fox made them. Which I still use to this day under the right conditions. They have accounted for several hundred doubles over that time as well.
With the exceptions of line, real hooks and reels I've made them all. The latter two I even made from bent pins and cotton bobbins when I was a kid. Worked as well and I caught small roach on them.

I take the view, if I find myself in situations where a set of problems presents themselves and I don't have a piece of tackle to get around it. I'll only get caught out once by it/them, because next time I fish in those circumstances I will have made a piece of tackle that gets around it.

It's well know I fish the Ribble, which is a tackle thief, and because of that and I'm a tight sod

I make all my own feeders and have done for the last 15 years or so. The cost of each one is around 20p at most. And only because I may have to buy the lead occasionally.

The rest come free scavenged from raiding the recycling bins and skips.
Somewhere on here is an article on how to make them.

tiinker · Feb 2, 2013

I still make elder pith floats and tie flies and make the odd plug and spinners it is icing on the cake when you catch fish on a bit of tackle you have made used to make my own tench and carp rods in the 70/80s still using them.

peterjg · Feb 2, 2013

I enjoy making my own tackle: floats, feeders, cast my own leads, plummets, spods, marker floats, rig box, electronic bite alarms, bobbins, hair rig tyer, rod pod, overwrap, storm rods, etc, etc. Much nicer than just using off the peg stuff.

dezza · Feb 2, 2013

If you are a fly fisherman, there is a tremendous advantage in being able to tie your own flies. With a bit of practice you can make them better and more durable than many flies bought in shops.

As regards floats, a nice bunch of peacock quill will see you right for many types of waggler style floats. I whip the smallest swivel I can get to the bottom end of a length of peacock quill. Then drill out the other end and Araldite in a thinner insert. All that's left to do now is to sandpaper, paint and varnish your waggler.

no-one in particular · Feb 2, 2013

I suppose its down to the individual but, I enjoy experimenting with making my own tackle as I do devising different baits on occasions. It can save a bit of money. On a slightly different note I bought a metal detector many years ago which I took with me when beach fishing. I have never bought a fishing weight since and have collected well over a £1000 into the bargain in coins, gold etc over quite a few years. . . Missed a few bites though !

ravey · Feb 2, 2013

I make all sorts of bits and bobs, mainly because I am quite fussy and like everything 'just so'.

I have made a set of four 'dead cow' lead moulds (with help from a local engineer) which are tailor-made to fit a load of old Thamesly feeders I stocked up on years ago. They are in a range of four sizes covering 5/8oz to 1 1/4oz which are the sizes I need most. I also cast my own lead 'bomb's from a mould I bought.

All my peacock wagglers are home made from lengths of quill, some with inserts. I also have some old John Dean float stems, and shape my own balsa tops to suit. I don't get any particular satisfaction from catching using hand made floats, which might be odd. The satisfaction I get is from using something which is just right for the job. Pole floats I tend to just buy, but will toughen them up with several coats of clear nail varnish and a couple of thin coats of paint.

Most of my rods have been modified to some degree, whether that is just replacing rod rings, adding an extra ring where needed and hook-keeper, making quivertips and shortening rod handles to suit. I also made a swingtip rod from a fibreglass blank, and had to learn how to make a cork handle. The swingtips were made from lengths of nylon rod as per Fred Foster.

I suppose this is just a spin-off from angling as a hobby and adds a further dimension, but to me angling is an exercise in problem solving and resolving to overcome these problems by thinking about solutions and being innovative. It also gives something fishing-related to do when the rivers are out of sorts!

sam vimes · Feb 2, 2013

I can understand the satisfaction and enjoyment gained from making something and then going on to use it successfully. However, making fishing gear is not something I would enjoy or be especially good at. It's also likely to cost me more money, therefore, I can't see the point at all.

If you enjoy making stuff, have the time and patience (plus a bit of cash), go
for it, enjoy.

My old man took it to the extreme. He tried fishing for a while, but hated it. He did rather enjoy fly tying though. For quite some time, until he realised it was all a bit pointless, he tied masses of flies that he was never going to use.

chav professor · Feb 2, 2013

Can make great polaris style pike floats!!!! the self setting 'adaptor' costs about 20p to make and is simply brilliant!!!!

stu_the_blank · Feb 2, 2013

I still make my own rods (well assemble them these days I suppose, I buy the blanks now, usually Harrisons) I get the ringing the way I like it, handles that suit my hands etc. Been making them for about 45 yrs now, love it.

When in the mood make the occasional crow quill floats, play with elder pith when I can get good quality stuff etc.

I don't so much make other tackle these days as 'adapt' it. I just enjoy 'playing with my tackle' (somebody told me it makes you go blind!:wh)in the evenings when I'm not fishing.

Chav, interested in your pike polaris.

Stu

The bad one · Feb 2, 2013

Here's an example of overcoming a set of circumstances that you find yourself in. It relates to fishing at long distance and having to be accurate. In the case of the LED markers they were developed so we could cast accurately in the dark to the sides of a plateau at about 80 yards.
You can see the progression of how they evolved from the the large starlite in the poly block to the finished article the LED markers.

There was, and still is as far I know nothing on the market of this kind. Not cost effective from a sale point of view to manufacture something as bespoke as this.

Scroll down to the poly block/starlite and below to see the LED markers

http://www.fishingmagic.com/features/articles/howto/13053-bream-and-tench-at-long-range.html

terry m · Feb 2, 2013

Back in the 70s I remember making a set of bite alarms (based on the Heron model), they worked better than Herons! Also thought nothing of reburbing rods, re ringing and re-varnishing etc.

There days time is in shorter supply than cash so happy to buy decent kit when required and use my spare time actually fishing rather than whilttling away in the garage!

Lord Paul of Sheffield · Feb 2, 2013

So making tackle falls in to
Satisfaction
Save money
Need to

I make my own bait for the top two reasons

Anyone make tackle to sell?

sam vimes · Feb 2, 2013

Lord Paul of Sheffield said:
Save money

I think that the saving money reason can be dubious in the extreme. If your time was included in the cost of making an item, you'd come nowhere near close to being cheaper than carefully bought stuff (be it bait, floats or rods).

I seriously doubt that most hobbyist anglers could buy blanks, guides, reel seats, varnish, whipping thread, cork etc in big enough quantities to genuinely compete on the price a custom builder charges for a custom rod. If you really enjoy the process, gain satisfaction from the results and have plenty of time on your hands, cost probably doesn't really come into it. Same applies to float and bait making, at least on a like for like basis.

Try pricing up just the rings and reel seat on a most off the peg rods. You generally find that just the rings and reel seat would cost you at least half the value of the rod to buy. Get a rod at a good discount price and you may struggle to even get the rings for the same price.

mark brailsford 2 · Feb 2, 2013

sam vimes said:
I think that the saving money reason can be dubious in the extreme. If your time was included in the cost of making an item, you'd come nowhere near close to being cheaper than carefully bought stuff (be it bait, floats or rods).

You old cynic you

sam vimes · Feb 2, 2013

mark brailsford 2 said:
You old cynic you

Try it. Think of the last rod you bought that you think you got at a bargain price. Find out what type of rings it has, how many it has and what sizes. Then go and price them. I suspect that quite a few folks doing so would be in for a shock.

Just done it (erring on the conservative side of the ring sizes to keep the price as low as possible) with a carp rod (only 7 rings inc tip) bought for £100. It has Fuji MNSG guides fitted. If I had to buy them at retail prices, the rings alone would cost me £74.27 (not inc delivery if there is any). Add another £12 or so for the reel seat and it's cost nearly as much as I paid for the whole rod but I'm still short of a blank, cork/duplon/Japanese shrink wrap, whipping thread and varnish.

meat63 · Feb 2, 2013

I make my own feeders and lead moulds , for the moulds I use a hardwood timber and chisel out shape and straps ,can also do dead cows and grippa leads ,took me a few goes but got a rythm in the end and they work.Cost of feeder about 20p so dont mind losing them,leads and cows cost me just the gas to melt free lead ,if its cheap and it works happy days .I actually enjoy it nearly as much as the fishing :wh. Just getting into the bait thing at the moment .

Titus · Feb 2, 2013

I use a router to make my feeder lead moulds, it's simplicity itself, they tend to last for ages as the carbon which forms during the first few pours acts as an insulator and protects the wood.
I never really consider the cost of my time when making tackle bits, it is all part of the hobby as far as I'm concerned.

mark brailsford 2 · Feb 2, 2013

sam vimes said:
Try it. Think of the last rod you bought that you think you got at a bargain price. Find out what type of rings it has, how many it has and what sizes. Then go and price them. I suspect that quite a few folks doing so would be in for a shock.

Just done it (erring on the conservative side of the ring sizes to keep the price as low as possible) with a carp rod (only 7 rings inc tip) bought for £100. It has Fuji MNSG guides fitted. If I had to buy them at retail prices, the rings alone would cost me £74.27 (not inc delivery if there is any). Add another £12 or so for the reel seat and it's cost nearly as much as I paid for the whole rod but I'm still short of a blank, cork/duplon/Japanese shrink wrap, whipping thread and varnish.

Only kidding mate,
I know what you mean, when I priced up a custom rod a while back I realised that they are not good value when you look at what you can buy off the shelf these days. The custom rods I have looked at are just mediocre compared to the factory made stuff that you can but these days!

Oh, and the centrepin, well I decided to go ahead and buy one (still not decided on the lythe ones yet) and give the method ago but I do only intend to use the thing for silvers, barbel are best left to the use of a good fixed spool IMO

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