Homemade equipment

[SkunkLuvver]

Getting ready for a pike trip to Champlain and geeking out pretty hard.
I posted looking for tips on getting pike on a jig rod and someone suggested the finicky fooler.. not looking to drop more money than I have to I decided to have a couple beers and try to make one.


The hard part was the trigger assembly which I solved by bending wire and using a Bic pen as the housing. After some trial and error it all came together and I got to try it out yesterday.... it worked perfectly!

I didn’t land the fish but the flag went up and the trigger caused zero resistance on the line.
Needless to say I had to make a bunch more.. with a 15 line limit, what the hell.













The only thing I had to buy was the flags... wood, pvc, wire, pens and zip ties were all just laying around my garage.

The holders are doweled and flags notched so they break down to pack easily

Thanks Cap’t Shay for the suggestion!

Curious what DIY stuff other people are doing.

[SkunkLuvver]

Oh, the o-rings to adjust the sensitivity are the type for senko worms doubled wrapped around the wire.

[teamtip-up]

I have a similar trip wire.  To adjust sensitivity for bait size, I just tape weight to the trip wire. 

[bigbahass]

maybe im weird but I use a buzzer alarm that I use when I go trout and hornpout fishing and works fine  and im actually going up to Shelburne bay in champlain this weekend for the first time

[SkunkLuvver]

maybe im weird but I use a buzzer alarm that I use when I go trout and hornpout fishing and works fine  and im actually going up to Shelburne bay in champlain this weekend for the first time

I’d love to incorporate a buzzer alarm, just not sure how they work..   did you make yours?

[bigbahass]

I’d love to incorporate a buzzer alarm, just not sure how they work..   did you make yours?

They are a little loose on my ice rods but theres a bunch on amazon. they just strap onto the pole

[SkunkLuvver]

On it! 

[SirCranksalot]

I hooked up a mousetrap to mine so that I can hear it as well as see it. I have had limited use with it so a fish is yet to trip it!

[james1981]

  FYI, I made a dozen homemade tipups a few years back.  Milford NH sells parts but I was able to get the metal tubing for triggers,  There is spring steel in fish tapes from home depot. I used those for my tip up flags. figured I would just give you the heads up if that's the direction you wanted to ever go. Bonus Fish tapes have 1 ft markings on them so its kinda cool..