Poor Boys PVC Structure!

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02-27-2010, 03:01 PM
GCD

Poor Boys PVC Structure!

What do you use when you don't have the money to buy PVC to throw in the lake?... use Hugh Jass cane!

What I thought was a little Switch Cane patch on the side of the interstate turned out to be a small forest uf Giant Cane! I was surprised when I pulled the truck to the side of the road and walked down with my trusty bypass loppers.

I've been working on these for the past couple of days.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...g/DSC01973.jpg

I made 6 of them. They about 10' tall and have 12 canes in each one.

Like I said, some of the canes were huge and stood about 25' tall... most of the canes are half stalks.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...g/DSC01976.jpg

I used scrap plywood for the base forms, and leftover screws from a deck project. The bases are 12"x12"x4"= 1/3 cubic foot of concrete = 50 lbs.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...g/DSC01974.jpg
I estimate they weigh 75-80 lbs. each

I made my own quick setting concrete with regular sakrete and an extra shovel full of portland cement per bag of crete.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...g/DSC01977.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...g/DSC01978.jpg

The angle of the canes is 22.5 degrees. I used my power miter saw to cut the angle just below a joint node.

I hope the Crappies like them!;)
02-27-2010, 04:04 PM
jroz

they look good to me
02-27-2010, 05:43 PM
sailfish1

good looking structure, those would be great for deeper water
02-27-2010, 06:01 PM
1perchjerker

GCD
Look good.
Will look better when you start pulling the crappie off of them!
1perchjerker
02-27-2010, 06:01 PM
i-catch-cartags

Don,t forget to drill some holes in the cane so water can get in makes them weigh more & not as boyuant.:) Tags.
02-27-2010, 06:41 PM
GCD

Quote:

Originally Posted by sailfish1

good looking structure, those would be great for deeper water

I plan to put them on humps that come up from 25' to 15'.

Quote:

Originally Posted by i-catch-cartags

Don,t forget to drill some holes in the cane so water can get in makes them weigh more & not as boyuant.:) Tags.

I plan on doing that after the concrete sets up, one at the bottom and top of every joint, 1/8" diameter... should look like a Jacuzzi when I drop them.:D

I have enough portland leftover to make 6 more, I'll prolly drop them at the bottom of the humps in the 25' depth.

After all is said and done I'll have about $4 in each one.

Thanks for the kind words folks!:)
02-27-2010, 06:44 PM
Cane Pole

It would bust my colostomy bag to lift those.:p
02-27-2010, 07:13 PM
Tracy Swanson

great looking if i was crappie i would hang out around them but i would be the one looking for the baits with hooks in them lol
02-27-2010, 07:15 PM
RLR

i-catch-cartags is right on the money. Drill some holes in each section of the cain to let out the air or they will float away in just a little current. I made one with a five gallon bucket full of concrete and it stayed in place until a massive rain and the current took it out of the bay.
02-27-2010, 10:49 PM
jaxsprat

Those are some great looking structure, like who needs wants PVC when U can get cane like U got. Really like your structures.
03-01-2010, 10:16 AM
zappaf19

Due to the fact I live in Indiana we don't have bamboo. Do your hooks snag themselves or do they just drag across like PVC?
Bill
03-01-2010, 10:35 AM
GCD

Quote:

Originally Posted by zappaf19

Due to the fact I live in Indiana we don't have bamboo. Do your hooks snag themselves or do they just drag across like PVC?
Bill

That's the reason I cut all the branches off, so the hooks will slide like PVC... the should be fairly jig and minnow rig friendly.:D
03-01-2010, 10:47 AM
NIMROD

Looks great, we pefer a little smaller cane and leave on all limbs with leaves intact.:cool:
03-01-2010, 12:02 PM
LMBarnett

Quote:

Originally Posted by GCD

That's the reason I cut all the branches off, so the hooks will slide like PVC... the should be fairly jig and minnow rig friendly.:D

The joy of the small flexible cane branches are that if a hook is caught around one of the limbs, you just give it a little tug, and the hook slides up the branch and comes right off, will not snag, plus gives mor "brushy" feel/look to it and IMO attracks more fishies (bait and craps)
03-01-2010, 03:40 PM
GCD

Quote:

Originally Posted by NIMROD

Looks great, we pefer a little smaller cane and leave on all limbs with leaves intact.:cool:

Quote:

Originally Posted by LMBarnett

The joy of the small flexible cane branches are that if a hook is caught around one of the limbs, you just give it a little tug, and the hook slides up the branch and comes right off, will not snag, plus gives mor "brushy" feel/look to it and IMO attracks more fishies (bait and craps)

I knew someone was going to say that!:D.. and it's true to a certain extent.;)

... but I fish a lot of minnow rigs, especially in the winter... and even the small branches will pull your minnow off the hook.

I think the next ones I make will have 4 smaller canes in the middle with leaves and branches on, but still use the 8 bigger canes on the outside. I'll compare and see which works best.

I'll be dropping these 2 to a spot, so it's gonna be a pretty good amount of canes per spot.

Just got in from drilling the 1/8" holes in the canes, 2 per joint... one at the bottom and one at the top (about 30,000 holes I think), these things aint gonna disapper right after I drop them with all those bubbles.... prolly still be bubbling this time next month!:D

That extra shovel full of portland per bag of concrete mix worked good for a quick set.... that stuff is harder than Chinese arithmetic on page #99 right now!!!
03-01-2010, 07:13 PM
rocket rich

You Got That Right Cp
03-01-2010, 08:33 PM
GCD

Quote:

Originally Posted by rocket rich

You Got That Right Cp

Do "push aways" (from the table) and hit the gym!

... you'll be surprised!!!
03-02-2010, 11:00 AM
c1bigocarp

Watch the power lines going down the road. I get a visual here!:D
03-03-2010, 12:24 AM
cricket george

Homemade Porcupine Structure

Sunday afternoon I looked at Midwest Crappie and the segment on fishing over the porcupine structure. I had a brain f@#$, why couldn't I build something similar.

I took 5' of Sch 40 4" pipe and using a 7/8" spade bit drilled 5 holes spaced 12" apart. I then rotated the pipe 90 degs dropped down 4-5" and drilled 4 more holes. I took some 10' pcs of 1/2", cut them in 2, slipped em thru the holes and pegged them with a deck screw. The finished structure looks like a cedar tree on its side with the trunk supported by its limbs. The fish can suspend around the limbs and they can hang underneath it as well. I will use a 4 or 5 # weight since the structure doesn't weigh much. I can conceal 6 in the boat including weghts and no one can see it. I just need a battery op drill and a fist full of screws. It took about 30 minutes to complete
03-03-2010, 09:15 AM
GCD

Quote:

Originally Posted by cricket george

I will use a 4 or 5 # weight since the structure doesn't weigh much.

I'm pretty sure you'll be disappointed if you only use 4 or 5 lbs. to sink these structures. 5 lbs. may sink your structures, but it won't keep it "in place". Just the act of hooking a fish and having him wrap your line around the structure and you pulling on the line will move these with that little weight. It takes a lot less effort to move an object underwater than it does on dry land!

If your body of water has any current at all, these structures will be long gone in a short time. If you're fishing a dammed reservoir, you need to seriously consider a lot more weight! I would recommend an 8" concrete block minimum... and if you really want it to stay put, fill both cells with concrete or mortar!

Not trying to rain on your parade... just trying to help.
03-03-2010, 09:56 AM
cricket george

GCD- I hear you, but I noticed that in the video that Russ Bailey and guide were only using 2 3 hole bricks to weigh down the porcupine. I realize that the legs will settle into the mud on bottom. The dammed reservoir that will receive the structure has wind generated current. The structure will be sunk in approx 20 fow. I may devise a heavier concrete weight with a pvc T partially sunk in the concrete. I can then glue the T to the bottom of a short piece of pipe hanging from the "trunk" and put a screw into the t for added security.

Your suggestion is appreciated and will be acted upon. Thank you.
03-03-2010, 05:50 PM
GCD

Was a cold, windy, raw day on the water today!

My vehicle was the only one at the launch and I didn't see or hear another boat while I was out.

A perfect day for sinking Crappie structure!!!:D
03-03-2010, 05:54 PM
i-catch-cartags

Quote:

Originally Posted by GCD

Was a cold, windy, raw day on the water today!

My vehicle was the only one at the launch and I didn't see or hear another boat while I was out.

A perfect day for sinking Crappie structure!!!:D

Sooo where,s the gps. cords to these?:eek::D:D Tags.
03-03-2010, 06:06 PM
GCD

Quote:

Originally Posted by i-catch-cartags

Sooo where,s the gps. cords to these?:eek::D:D Tags.

Ha!... like that gonna happen!:p

Come fishin' with me and I'll show you where a couple are... if I can ever find them again!:D

... but if I show you mine.. you gotta show me yours!:)
03-03-2010, 07:19 PM
hightower

Thats some good looking cover you got their GCD and good luck to ya!
03-03-2010, 08:53 PM
crappie4me2

Look really good.
03-07-2010, 07:18 PM
rtark

Those things work, I put out 3 like yours and a month later I am catching a lot of crappie in them. I didn't drill holes in mine and they are not where I put them.
03-08-2010, 04:43 AM
GCD

Quote:

Originally Posted by rtark

Those things work, I put out 3 like yours and a month later I am catching a lot of crappie in them. I didn't drill holes in mine and they are not where I put them.

How much weight did you use RT?

How far did they travel?

I did drill holes in mine, but still wonered if they were going to travel when they turned the turbines on at the dam. Checked on them last Friday and they were still in the same spot I dropped them on the GPS.

Once they settle in and bury up in the mud some, you won't be able to pull them out with a crane!:)
03-14-2010, 08:09 PM
sac-a-lait

those will work great. I made some almost just like those out of cane but only about 8 feet tall. I dropped them in 18 FOW. Just messing around a few days later I went back to them just to look at them on the FF. I saw some fish arches coming out of them...Well I dropped a jig down and caught like a dozen fish off it and several of them were 2 pounders. I was stoked!!! About 6 months later a big storm came and I guess the waves and wind and current MOVED them. Still can't find them. I had them in 80 pound bases, no holes drilled anywhere.

Even without the limbs and the leaves, which rot away quickly, boo works fast!!!
03-14-2010, 08:14 PM
sac-a-lait

GCD, nice jigs you made for the bases too!!! Those should last a long time? How much did it cost you to make those? Is that 1" plywood?
03-14-2010, 08:47 PM
GCD

Quote:

Originally Posted by sac-a-lait

GCD, nice jigs you made for the bases too!!! Those should last a long time? How much did it cost you to make those? Is that 1" plywood?

It's 3/4" CDX plywood, and I made them out of 16"x48" scraps I had laying around. The screws were leftover from a deck job I did (I'm a carpenter by trade). My only out-of-pocket expense for the project was the concrete mix and it averaged out to $4.00 per structure.

We had a good flood this past week with 4 1/2" of rain in one day.. so I'll get to see if they're still where I dropped them the next time I'm out!:confused:

I'm going to be disappointed if they aren't:(

Thanks for the kind words y'all.
03-15-2010, 11:03 AM
Slewfoot

Abundance

Thats a great set up, luckily cane grows everywhere in my area, thanks for the great photos!
03-20-2010, 04:10 PM
Crappie_Pop

Surley to house a great mess of slabs...
I wish I was fortunate enough to find Boo or cane here in West Central Indiana.
03-21-2010, 09:46 PM
usafret99

need help

You ever want to do this again let me know. I'll gladly pay for everything and help you build and sink them. I would like to get a lot of these out there. You catching any fish on them yet. Where did you get the bamboo. I have some growing down the street, i could stop and ask about getting some. It's in somebodys yard. I think about 100 of these spread around in 3 or 4 group bunches could get our freezers full of crappie.
03-22-2010, 04:42 AM
GCD

Quote:

Originally Posted by usafret99

You ever want to do this again let me know. I'll gladly pay for everything and help you build and sink them. I would like to get a lot of these out there. You catching any fish on them yet. Where did you get the bamboo. I have some growing down the street, i could stop and ask about getting some. It's in somebodys yard. I think about 100 of these spread around in 3 or 4 group bunches could get our freezers full of crappie.

You've got a PM... wear your work clothes!:)
04-01-2010, 12:26 PM
Cane Pole

Don't show up..I heard he is a soap dropper.......:eek::eek::eek: