Thread: Off Shore Tackle - DIY Idea Contest

Quick Release Anchor System

I have been using this set up for a few years now, and it comes in really handy when you hook into a large fish or get a nasty snag. You can drop your anchor and come back to the same spot to get it later or simply anchor back up to it. It works nicely with an anchor trolly and is cheap to make a few up.


Remington 2" x 11" Vinyl Dummy

Nite Ize - Figure 9 Carabiner

Nite Ize - S-biner

1.5lb Anchor

Weatherproof Rope

3x Large Velcro Straps

Directions:

1. Slip one end of the S-biner on to the vinyl dummy.

2. For the line that runs to the boat. - Tie the end of the anchor line (10’ - 15') to the end of the S-biner and run it to the top end of the dummy.
I placed a velcro strap at the top end to keep then line in position.

3. For the line to the anchor. - Tie directly to the same line at the bottom of the S-biner. Roll the anchor line aroud the bottom end of the dummy and secure it with a velcro strap. The amount of line is up to you (Just depends on the waters that you fish.) The other end of the line you tie to your anchor. Secure the line with velcro strip.

4. To use this set up I run the anchor line to the desired depth and use the velcro to keep the anchor line in position. Then run the line to boat through my anchor trolly, loop it a few times around the ring and the secure it in position with the Nite Ize figure 9 Carabiner.

Waterproof Battery Box



1 - Waterproof box from Wally World
2 - 12V 7.2Ah CSB Battery
3 - 2x 15amp switchs
4 - Hoppy 2 prong extention wires
5 - In-line Fuse (I used an Automotive grade so I could use removable fuses)
6 - Rubber Stopper

I cut three holes in the water proof box. 2 on the top of the box for the switchs. One on the side of the box for the lead wires (Hoppy Connectors) I use 3 lines one for the Fish Finder and the other 2 are color coded for LED Running lights. All holes are sealed with Marine Goop for a water tight fit.

For the Hoppy plugs: I cut them into equal lengths right in the middle. Giving me 2 plugs I can wire direct with heat shrink to keep the lines water proof.

For the Positive post: I ran a In-line Fuse then split the line to tie in the Red (Positive) lines of the Hoppy plugs before they are run to supply power to both On positions of the switchs.

For the Negative post: I ran a line and split it to tie in the White (Negative) lines of thr Hoppy plugs before the run to the Off position of the switches

The line for the Fish Finder I didn't run to a switch. The FF has it's own On/Off built in.

As most of you know I'm hooked on side pulling for crappie and most transducer mounts are through the hull, trolling motor or for the back of the boat so I worked on this for a year or so and hear are some pictures of what I came up with and I now have several people using them it gives me the ability to see exactly what I'm pulling by baits through before my jigs get there and has improved my catch quite a bit and also has saved some jigs, which always helps. When I stop and put my trolling motor down the next thing I do is drop my transducer and I'm ready to catch some fish!

ordered bandit 300 on clearance and the son and I painted a few up using airbrush gun, createx paint and used 30 min. epoxy from hobby lobby as a clear finish

swimming pool noodle small Rubbermaid tote with vented lid cut noodle in lengths that fit in tote wrap my prettied spider rigs around noodles and store in boat locker tote I have stores 8 pcs of noodle full of rigs

foot well cover was cut to fit with 3/4 plywood used outdoor carpet to match and cut to fit 3m heavy duty contact glue and staple gun to fasten carpet to plywood attacked cover to foot well with few screws

my next diy project will be a bait tank using a 5 cubic foot chest freezer which will hold around 35 gallons of water a 30 gallon fish tank filter from wally world a double line arorator from petco better bait to condition water a frg/frz temp control from Johnson controls to maintain water temp at 55 degrees I will add 30 gallons of water to freezer install jonhson control to freezer add aerorator and filter once water temp is maintained at 55 degrees I will add better bait and live bait 30 gallon of water at 55 degrees will hold up over 5 pounds of shiner

table below list temp guide line from Anderson minnow farm

water temp - pounds of fish - gallons of water
55* 5 15
65* 5 20
75* 5 30
85* 5 50

Motor stand that I built. Use it for a extra motor stand or a work stand. It's mobile so it can be moved around!