Does anybody use marker buoys to mark underwater structure when you locate it on your graph?
I was looking at a set from Bass Pro that intrigued me and was just wondering how they work in 10-15 foot of water.
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Does anybody use marker buoys to mark underwater structure when you locate it on your graph?
I was looking at a set from Bass Pro that intrigued me and was just wondering how they work in 10-15 foot of water.
I make my own out of lead weights and a swim noodle, works good for me.
I take a pool noodle, cut it to 12", put 2 16 penny nails in the end, 2 on each end, so that when it sits in the water, all 4 nails are on the same down side. I tie about 25 feet of line to the noodle with a 3 oz bank sinker. The nails keep the noodle from unrooling the entire length of line.
Learned this trick from Jerry Blake on Lake Greeson, works great!
Sure do
I use the orange ones when spider rigging. If I find a pile i'll throw the marker in it and fish around it. Don showed me this technique and I quickly adopted it. Works good!
LM Barnett -- I love DIY stuff! Thanks for the info.
I use them but I think theyre defective, they only mark piles without fish.
Yes, especially on deeper waters. Don't drop them directly on the fish or structure. The commercial markers don't have enough weight and sometimes don't go all the way to the bottom. I always add extra weights.
I've used marker buoys for years and years. I find them extremely effective at marking structure or various targets such as ledges, ditches, creek channels, brush piles and etc., and for those of us who aren't fortunate enough to have the high dollar navionics such as I-Pilot... 5 or 6 good buoy markers are really all you need. Some of the drawbacks however are: You tend to mark the structure for everyone else to see... and then it's not too hard for them to come back to the spot later and pick up where you left off. I've even seen people with a whole lot of nerve come along and volunteer to help fish a spot that I'd marked... using my buoys to stay on the fish. They'll always start out fishing in the general proximity... then engage you with some small talk... then magically... they'll work their way right into your marked area.
I carry a large can of bright pink spray paint, and paint a capital "B" on the water where the brushpile is. I used to paint an "X" but too many rednecks horned in on my good spots when they saw it.
In all seriousness, I use 'em. The ones I have ultimately leak. I think what is happening is that you roll up the line when wet (of course) and then it dries and shrinks and cracks the spool part of the plastic. I've taken several and unraveled 'em, and put water-based repair silicone on 'em. They float fine then.........for a WHILE.........and then they leak again. Finding hairline cracks where they leak is hard. Last time I went fishing, I used one I'd repaired, and it did fine.........for a while...then it slowly started sinking. I barely saved it (though I don't know why I bothered, except for the weight) before it went down.
I use them daily and don't leave home without them.:twocents Like one guy said '' some folks will pull up to help you fish them''. Use your boat to stay between them and the cover if they get too close.:fish:biggrin That is the reason I build small , not room for any other boat at a time.
Yep.Quote:
Originally Posted by Special K
I use about any thing I can get to float and hold a line.
I used to use them, however I have had to many other people who thought when I marked a spot it became a community fishing spot and they would move right in on my marker, so now I use the GPS on my graph and if there are geographical markers I can easily reference I use them. IMO markers just get confused with a open invite to fish where I have located fishing structure. So I don't use them.
Made these up from a past post by a member. 1/4" hex drive bits embedded into pvc allows use of cordless screwdriver to retrieve them. Landscape spikes for counter weights to keep them from "rolling" away in the wind.
http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/k...s/000_0006.jpg
I use home made ones like LMBarnett described for fishing spots. But, I also have my plugknocker tied to one of the orange square ones you can buy. That way, I just put the knocker over the fishing line and let her go. It finds my Bandit (sometimes) while I am busy holding the boat.
DP
Me 2
Are you really to lazy to wind em up with your hand? Don't give me the cold water bit either!!!! Buy ya some good gloves!!! ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by yankee doodler
Why make em, those store bought ones are CHEAP and they work like a charm!!!!! LolQuote:
Originally Posted by DRPEPPER
Buck rub if your talking about hollow plastic ones, get a small can of low expansion foam for windows at Lowes or HomeDepot. Drill a couple of 1/4 in holes at opposite ends. Fill with foam. Make sure to put on newspaper or something cause it will expand out and get on everything. Just leave a couple of days then trim off excess. No more sinking and they float a little higher.Quote:
Originally Posted by Buckrub
Great idea!Quote:
Originally Posted by cray
Not if you fish where I do. With all of that splashing around that the orange square ones do, I had an alimagator come up and eat one of mine. He must have thought it was a duck or something splashing around. I had a heck of a time getting it back from him.Quote:
Originally Posted by BigRiverMarine
DP
cray, you're a genius.
I swear, I am the dumbest one here@!!! :)
x2Quote:
Originally Posted by bigrivermarine
If you do get some be sure and not get the dumbell style ones....reason is it takes forever to roll em back up. I use them when setting brush out to mark the area I wanna sink in. They work great for marking open water roads, ditches, drops, channels, ect.
Hey, hey...this from the guy w/ all the latest 'n greatest on a new boat??? I still steer my troller w/ my foot. Once a gadget man, always a gadget man.