IceShanty.com's Ice Fishing Community
Ice Fishing Tips -Check your local regulations! => Northern Pike => Topic started by: esox_xtm on Dec 01, 2018, 01:46 PM
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For Pike fishermen only!
It's well known, or at least it ought to be, my feeling on leader preference for pike. Uncoated, stranded (7 strand etc.) wire is so easy to work with it's almost criminal. I have made a tool that makes it even easier, nice solid brass handle with stainless hook. In Europe it's known as a twiddling stick. It looks like this:
(https://i.postimg.cc/L5STwKsK/Twiddle-Sm.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
In the spirit of holiday good cheer I have 6 of these to give away to interested parties. I'll let it run until noon tomorrow and choose 6 respondents at random. Just respond to this post that you have an interest and you're in!
All these are good for is making the twisted wire connection I am so fond of. Won't work very well on single strand, only uncoated, stranded wire so you gotta be a believer.
I coulda done this on "pay it forward" but this'll be more fun :clap:
Good Luck everyone!
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Would like a chance, thanks Esox!
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Be proud to own one if Lady Luck is on my side.
Stinky
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I love making my own gadgets for fishing and this would be a very helpful tool very interested in seeing a video possibly also and how it all comes together! Thank you for the opportunity!
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Count me as honored to own one
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Count me in too.could always use another tool in my fishing gear aresanal.thanks for the chance to hopefully win one.
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Thanks
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Got my hand out...er...up.
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I'd love to own one :) thank you
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I'm usually a crimper but this could convert me
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*bump* ;)
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Very Cool! Would love to add to the chase and catch of my sons (12) first pike this winter.
Would be sure to post that pic ;D
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OK you Ice Shantian pikers...
I gotta go back up to Mom's. Nothing serious, just something I forgot when I was there that needs attention before my next planned return. That means I'll be on the road for the next 4 hours or thereabouts. Noon will come and go and y'alls just gonna hafta contain yer giggly selfs until I can get back on again. It'll be later, early evening. Winners will be chosen at random via a random sampling software (left over from work). I'm not even gonna hafta pick names out of a hat. ;D That means I have zero influence on the outcome. I knew it would come in handy one day.
Odds look good right now. Of course, this becomes an additional "bump".
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OK, there were 10 interested parties @ noon today, six of you will be chosen at random. Gonna run the program and be right back!
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And the winners are... Ahem.
(https://i.postimg.cc/1XP2svQk/envelope-fiddle-zpswi3csh5l.gif) (https://postimages.org/)
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Oh c'mon, enough already! The suspense is killing me!
* Sandcountrylivin
* Iceassin
* HWeber
* Dr.Speckler
* blizzardfisher
* laker24taker
Please PM me your snail mail and I'll get those right out. Thanks for playing everyone and to those that missed this time: "Drink Coke, play again..."
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Congrats to the winners! Would you care to share how you make them and get the materials, or is it a closely guarded secret?
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What??? No twiddling stick in my stocking? Lucky at love, unlucky at twiddling, I guess.
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What??? No twiddling stick in my stocking? Lucky at love, unlucky at twiddling, I guess.
. Lol!
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Yep! I recently was gifted a GoPro and my intention is to be able to share some video "How to" for a few things.
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Thanks esox xtm!going to need a tutorial for sure on how to use this tool.
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I’m just seeing this....congrats to the winners....soooo what exactly is this tool?
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Ok I just YouTubed it....pretty cool ....but what’s the advantage over a steel leader????
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Ok I just YouTubed it....pretty cool ....but what’s the advantage over a steel leader????
It is a steel leader but by another name. Go back on YouTube and look at one called "How to twist wire" presented by a young British lout named Tony who is making what they call
a "trace" using what he calls his "twizzle stick".
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Tool use is EZPZ. When I started with the connection I locked a forceps on the tag end and twirled it around. Not as pretty, hit myself in the face, came off and flew in the lake or hit my partner. Quick and dirty but effective. Once I started making hundreds of these for the tackle shop I worked for I needed a tool and designed this from pics I'd seen of stuff from GB and Europe. They turned out really nice and I've got one in virtually every box or bag I own. Even open water... think about tying light wire to those R-bend spinnerbaits or a rubber leg jig or 12# test to your walleye jig because you get cut off every 30 minutes or worse.
Yep, if you can't put this to use you ain't fishin'.
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Congrats to the winners.
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Here's the advantage: you can choose the # test and finish you wish to use, make a leader up on the spot to either use or replace one that should be taken out of service, add a light wire leader to other lures keeping the visible impact very low. If you think of a conventional store bought leader with a huge swivel and and an equally huge, clunky snap. You can fasten this to lures directly (like tying) with no snap and use a high quality low profile swivel (if required). If you're buying leaders in a plastic bag with snaps and swivels this is the "stealth" version. Here's the comparison again:
(https://i.postimg.cc/c48S5xC1/20181130-102850.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
Store bought leaders with hooks on the top two. Custom twist/tied leader on the bottom. Same # test wire. Whaddya think?
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PM sent with address. Thank esox...you da' man. :bow:
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Made a few attempts today with a forceps and didn't do to well. Hopefully the tool helps. Thanks Esox pming now
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Made a few attempts today with a forceps and didn't do to well. Hopefully the tool helps. Thanks Esox pming now
Yep. Forceps is a hoot. Lotsa ops for things to get funny. BTDT :roflmao: Tool is cool.
Still, first time I heard about that connection I stripped the nylon off a store bought leader, made the connection and pressure tested it. I twisted to a big, like 5/0 single hook, hooked it to the corner of the electric range and bounced it a few times until it broke. It wound up breaking in the middle somewhere and not at the twist. I was sold.
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Pm sent thank u sir ;D
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Thanks a lot Esox!!! I have been using some ugly old steel leaders that are coated and have heavy gear on them and a lot of memory. I can't wait to go stealthy yet cut proof!!
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OK guys, I got everything packed up and ready to go. The post office was closed today so first thing in the am packets will go out.
Blizzardfisher, still need an address and name to send! If I don't hear from you I'll have to choose another random winner.
I tried using my new Hero 6 today. Big disappointment. Gotta have Win10 to see and edit video in real time. With Win7 it's all choppy, weird crap. This, of course, means a new PC. Sure I could upgrade what I got but if I'm jumping in, well, better be ready for everything. <sigh>
There's basic instruction in with the tool but a video tutorial would be primo. I'll get there...
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Great idea and regret missing out on the opportunity. Will have to try and replicate it!
You’re the man esox!
Now, let’s get the hotline back up and running....
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Great idea and regret missing out on the opportunity. Will have to try and replicate it!
You’re the man esox!
Now, let’s get the hotline back up and running....
@ATC - "What's your question...?" :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao:
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what's your favorite music to twiddle to????
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what's your favorite music to twiddle to????
Papa John Creach w/Hot Tuna - he can fiddle while I twiddle.
Next question...
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Papa John Creach w/Hot Tuna - he can fiddle while I twiddle.
Next question...
What? Now I'm confused. Papa John with Hot Tuna? Say it ain't so Grace! :o
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What? Now I'm confused. Papa John with Hot Tuna? Say it ain't so Grace! :o
Yep! Sometime back in the early 70's I saw 'em in Iowa City @ the Fieldhouse. Great show... If I recall Dr. John/Nighttrippers and Beautiful Day were also on the bill.
Ain't too much of a stretch. Of course he was in both Airplane and Starship. Tuna was just a side band for Casady and Kaukonen
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OK tool winners, your packages went in the post via Priority today. All the tracking numbers were lumped together.If I can figure out which one goes where I'll let you know.
If you have any questions about use feel free to contact me.
Blizzardfisher - still need contact info for you!
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dang it! I'm not even first runner up, so i can't step in if for the winner if he/she is unable to fulfill his/her responsibilities....
Tight lines!
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Yep! Sometime back in the early 70's I saw 'em in Iowa City @ the Fieldhouse. Great show... If I recall Dr. John/Nighttrippers and Beautiful Day were also on the bill.
Ain't too much of a stretch. Of course he was in both Airplane and Starship. Tuna was just a side band for Casady and Kaukonen
Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady, names that should be written in letters of gold. The Youth of America don't know what they missed. I vote that we send Blizzardfisher packing and do a re-draw for the last one. Snooze you lose, my friend.
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Congrats to the winners! Would you care to share how you make them and get the materials, or is it a closely guarded secret?
No state secrets here. Some brass hex stock cut to length. Drill the center with an appropriately sized drill, in this case it was a #56 wire gauge/.046". I bent the wire from SS leader wire and fastened in the handle with Locktite 640 Sleeve Retainer.
Got the hex stock through work and used a second chuck on the table of a benchtop drill press to center drill. I aligned that chuck with a steel rod secured in both it and the drill side chuck and tightened it down. Probably would have some runout on a high rotation device but way good enough for this.
Handle materials could be whatever you want. Brass won't corrode, looks nice and has a good heft in your hand.
SS leader wire is commonly available in either bright or camo finishes. You can bend with a high priced wire bender, a pair of round nose pliers OR pound a coupla nails in a board or clamp 'em in a vise and go for it. My first low tech bender was exactly that. After that I used a couple roll pins in a cheap, ruined Chinese wrench handle. Now it's mostly a pliers and I'm really good with it. I made these all at once several years ago and would only change one thing: I like the wire diameter but I'd "sharpen" the point of the hook just a little to help with getting into a tiny #10 swivel eye. You can still do it but it doesn't slip right in. It's great for the hook side or any larger swivel or snap.
Probably don't need the high strength sleeve retainer either but I recently deconstructed one and even with heat it was hard to get the wire out of the handle. Epoxy or superglue would probably get it done.
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Thanks for sharing this!
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Thanks again. Made my first good twist today. Was trying to use 49 strand the first few, works much better with the 7 strand.
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Let’s see those twiddled knots! This was my last practice knot, I think I am close to almost having it....
(https://i.postimg.cc/WD2xC6kn/CC8-F7-AB0-A327-4-A6-C-9-F56-0-D6-D91-BDE8-E2.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/WD2xC6kn)
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Wowser, pretty tight little wrap job there. In the YouTube videos I've watched from LimeyLand, they seem to run the tag end out at a 45 degree after the first 90 degree wrap. The
end result is a wrap about an inch or so long, resembling a haywire twist.
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I've come to prefer the look of a nice tight wrap as pictured above. Twisting at an angle is just as strong OR if you reverse the direction of the twist, the wire "unlays" as you twist it making a longer, very thin wrap. Wire lay can vary from different vendors. Strength is all the same, at least in my experience. Just don't forget to run the wire through the eye twice. ;)
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How do you prevent the wire from fraying apart after cutting it?
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I've always just clipped it with a sharp wire nippers and it's been fine If you use, say, a fingernail clipper you can do it but it mashes the end and it wants to come apart. Sometimes in storage I had 'em unlay a bit too. Just pinch the end between your fingers near where it's coming apart and twist the wire in the correct direction while moving your pinch upward and it will come back together.
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Okay, thanks, I used cutco scissors to cut it
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Okay, thanks, I used cutco scissors to cut it
That'll mess it up alright even though it will cut it fairly easily. I like the end nipper design so I can see exactly where I'm trimming but that's just a preference, not really better or worse.
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Sounds good
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Found the twiddle in my mailbox when my son and I got home from catching his first pike ;D
(https://i.postimg.cc/4Yxxkcgq/20190111-143417.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/4Yxxkcgq)
Thanks!
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Nice catch for the young man! Congratulations Dad! :thumbsup:
And you are very welcome... ;)
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Yes sir nice catch 👍🏻 :tipup:🕳
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(https://i.postimg.cc/rRcJ0Qbk/IMG-20190125-212126782.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/rRcJ0Qbk)
(https://i.postimg.cc/CBb7xWc7/IMG-20190125-212133967.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/CBb7xWc7)
First attempt at quick strike rig. Reversed top hook for baits head so points are pointed towards the tail.
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OK... but when you pull the string which way are the points going to go?
Just a question... ???
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hmmm that's a good question, didn't think of that. Should I flip it back around?
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I would. You want the points to go the direction of your hook set or they just pull out. That's the beauty of rolling yer own. You can experiment and if it doesn't work cut it apart and repurpose or reconfigure.
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thanks for the advise.