Just about finished!

[SeisMec]

I have 2 projects going and just about done with them.

1st project is my Smitty Sled. Everything is done but the towing arrangement. I'm think about using some pvc pipe on the rope to act as a towing bar for when I pull it behind my ATV. I guess I'll have to go back in the threads and look at other peoples sleds and see whats been tried.

2nd project is some of bquick's automatic hook setting rod holders. Mine aren't quite as neat as bquick's are as I'm using 7/8" aluminium channel (all the store carried) and I'm using 1.25" instead of 1" pvc like he suggested because the butt's on some of my rods are a little larger than 1". Still need to make and put on the cables and the wire triggers.  These are very light weight setups, the digital bathroom scale reads less than 1 lb. Thinking about putting on some type of strike alarm for when I'm sitting in the flipover.

I'll post pictures when they are done.

Cliff

[NDiceMan72]

Nice. Be sure to post pics of your smitty sled. My sled from Cabelas will be here tomorrow and then I will be working on my version of a smitty sled. Still gotta find some skis though.

[schmidty]

I'll post pictures when they are done.

I look forward to seeing them!

[SeisMec]

Here's some pictures.
My Smitty Sled


My bquick auto hook setter, which still needs the triggers installed

[schmidty]

Looking good.  I am interested to see the hook setters when they are finished.  I went and looked at the original thread by bquick.  It's a cool idea.

[SeisMec]

Finished projects

Smitty Sled with PVC conduit and rope handle, total cost of this Smitty Sled was about $25. $15 of that was the ski's.



I left enough slack in the rope that I could put it over the ball on the ATV hitch.


My version of bquick's auto hook setter. For the trigger I used a steel cloths hanger and heated it up to take the temper out of it so it was easier to work with. There is about $10 worth of material in each one.

[defiant1]

Awesome engineering!  Quick question:  Concerning the auto hook setter, does it matter how long the rod is or the strength of the rod?  I am very interested in making these but want to make sure I have the right setup.

d1

[VTWoodchuck]

Nice sled! I wish I'd seen the Smitty sled a year ago before I sold my Yukon TC.  Pulling it through any snow at all made me feel like an old draft horse.  I may build a small sled for my Jetsled for days with fresh snow.

[guthook1]

Lookin' good.....however the reel works much better with a handle....

[SeisMec]

Lookin' good.....however the reel works much better with a handle....

I was wondering if someone would caught that. I collapse the handles for summer storage, this one fell off in the bag.

[SeisMec]

Awesome engineering!  Quick question:  Concerning the auto hook setter, does it matter how long the rod is or the strength of the rod?  I am very interested in making these but want to make sure I have the right setup.

d1

PM'ed you!

center leg length should be lengthened for longer rods.

[Sodusitous]

Be gentle pulling your Smitty with a machine. Unless you make it super beefy,
The design does not lend well to the abuse that results from towing. Have seen
more than a few demolished on the lake. I imagine it has something to do with
being top heavy.

[paperboy05]

Seis, where did you find skis? I'm having a hell of a time finding some.

[SeisMec]

Paperboy.   Sorry for the late reply, been in route back to work down here in Brazil the last couple of days.   PM'ed you what I had!

[Whopper Stopper]

Good work Cliff!

       WS

[Ranger619]

Seis did you use 2x6's it looks that way in the pics just wasn't sure.

Glenn

[SeisMec]

@Ranger619,

Hey Glenn,  Yep I used some treated 2"x6" scraps that I had.  I figured out how I wanted my flip over to sit on the skis then drilled holes through the skis with counter sunk holes on the bottom of the skis. I then roughened up the surface of the ski where I want to put the risers. The cross boards are made out of some 1"x 4" cedar boards that are epoxied and screwed (pre drilled and counter sunk holes) into dado's that I plowed out of the top of the risers with my table saw. I put epoxy on the bottoms of the risers then ran in 3 x 3" deck screws through the bottom of the skis into the risers. It may be overkill but I didn't want it falling apart on me any time soon! I hauled it around the back yard behind the ATV the other day before coming back to work and seemed to work okay. It glided along great by hand on the couple inched of snow that we had.

[paperboy05]

Paperboy.   Sorry for the late reply, been in route back to work down here in Brazil the last couple of days.   PM'ed you what I had!

Now it's my turn to apologize, first time I've been able to hop on in a month. Didn't get your PM though

[SeisMec]

@ paperboy05

And I can't remember what I was pm'ing you! 

[#1fisherman]

Love the ingenuity, very inspiring!

[c_becker11]

Nicely done SeisMec!!!

[dirtydraws29]

here local goodwill and salvation army thrift stores often have piles pf skis 5 a set

[paperboy05]

@ paperboy05

And I can't remember what I was pm'ing you!

Haha, I can't either now

I think it was the ski's you found for your sled. And also the exact coordinates of all your hot fishing spots

Okay, maybe not the second part...

[SeisMec]

Haha, I can't either now

I think it was the ski's you found for your sled. And also the exact coordinates of all your hot fishing spots

Okay, maybe not the second part...

I could send you some for the big lake.  Nothing special about them, just places that I've caught fish. Like every other place I fish, when I get lucky and hook up I hit the waypoint button on my gps. Sometimes I find a pattern to the waypoints and sometimes they are just random. Looking at bathymetric charts of the lake I can sometimes see the bottom feature that the fish are relating to like a mound or submerged island, a road or railroad bed, a bunch of old drainage cuts coming off an island or bluff or just a certain depth contour on a point.  Jigging or trolling these features when you find them can put a limit of fish on the ice or in the boat when you find the fish there.
PM me.
Cliff

[paperboy05]

I could send you some for the big lake.  Nothing special about them, just places that I've caught fish. Like every other place I fish, when I get lucky and hook up I hit the waypoint button on my gps. Sometimes I find a pattern to the waypoints and sometimes they are just random. Looking at bathymetric charts of the lake I can sometimes see the bottom feature that the fish are relating to like a mound or submerged island, a road or railroad bed, a bunch of old drainage cuts coming off an island or bluff or just a certain depth contour on a point.  Jigging or trolling these features when you find them can put a limit of fish on the ice or in the boat when you find the fish there.
PM me.
Cliff

I was just giving you a hard time, but I will take you up on that offer

As of right now, I think I could use more time and good weather than anything. Haven't really even been able to get out, let alone even think about finding fish.