squirrel761 Posted November 29, 2020 Report Share Posted November 29, 2020 (edited) A friend gave me this wondering what it is. It consists of what looks like a single strand of braided wire or chicken coop wire with a swivel on one end and a 2 ounce weight on the other end. looks like surveyors tape weaved through the wire. I though maybe an early version of a bottom bouncer. Edited November 29, 2020 by squirrel761 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Posted November 29, 2020 Report Share Posted November 29, 2020 Well it's not a flux capacitor, that's for sure. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rizzo Posted November 30, 2020 Report Share Posted November 30, 2020 somebody trying to get creative 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smitty55 Posted November 30, 2020 Report Share Posted November 30, 2020 Bottom depth finder for ice fishing was my first thought. Easy to spot when it reaches the surface when a good distance away as you walk back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OhioFisherman Posted November 30, 2020 Report Share Posted November 30, 2020 A bottom bouncer would be my guess, not an early version but a home made one Lots of ways to make them I have used copper grounding wire in the past, it doesn't snag on rocks an easily as a lot of sinker styles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel761 Posted November 30, 2020 Author Report Share Posted November 30, 2020 That’s what I’m thinking. It was bought at True Value Hardware store in 1994. Price was $3.49. Package still has the sticker on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayK Posted December 1, 2020 Report Share Posted December 1, 2020 (edited) It’s a bait catcher, also called “pilchard rings”. I first used one in the 70’s while fishing off a Pier in Florida, everyone was using them to catch small bait fish which they would then use to catch “real fish”. They sold them in the little fishing shop that was on the Pier. It was simply lowered into the water, and the bait fish would be all over it, attracted to the colourful material, and many would get their gills stuck in the wire loops. It was very effective. Ray. Edited December 1, 2020 by RayK 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave524 Posted December 1, 2020 Report Share Posted December 1, 2020 1 hour ago, RayK said: It’s a bait catcher, also called “pilchard rings”. I first used one in the 70’s while fishing off a Pier in Florida, everyone was using them to catch small bait fish which they would then use to catch “real fish”. They sold them in the little fishing shop that was on the Pier. It was simply lowered into the water, and the bait fish would be all over it, attracted to the colourful material, and many would get their gills stuck in the wire loops. It was very effective. Ray. Bingo, we have a winner, seems they have been illegal for some time now, at least in Florida Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel761 Posted December 1, 2020 Author Report Share Posted December 1, 2020 Thanks a lot Ray. Mystery solved. Never would have guessed that one. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayK Posted December 1, 2020 Report Share Posted December 1, 2020 Your welcome! As you can see by the size of those hoops, they caught fair sized “bait”, compared to what I normally call a minnow but then again, it was saltwater. Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OhioFisherman Posted December 1, 2020 Report Share Posted December 1, 2020 Ray, another thank you, I googled bottom bouncing rigs and nothing was really close, but it showed after your clue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel761 Posted December 2, 2020 Author Report Share Posted December 2, 2020 Yes, I did the same and there are lots of how to videos on how to make these. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aplumma Posted December 2, 2020 Report Share Posted December 2, 2020 This has been replaced by a Sabinki rig which is 6 small hooks with mylar as the bait. We use them to catch bait. Art 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smitty55 Posted December 3, 2020 Report Share Posted December 3, 2020 12 hours ago, aplumma said: This has been replaced by a Sabinki rig which is 6 small hooks with mylar as the bait. We use them to catch bait. Art Those Sabiki rigs wouldn't be legal here without removing two of the hooks. I know a guy that has used them for herring but he said they're a pain to use as the tend to get all tangled up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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