Some DIY fun

Hello fellow UL fans, not much to report here as far as fishing go as most big spawners are back in the deep and for us bank angler, every trip is a hit or miss and as of late its mostly miss. All hope is not lost though, plenty of 3 to 5 inch bluegills still around. And let’s not forget the smaller carps. For this is the reason of my DIY project- putting together a fun rod that will serve as FlieDropShot to surface feeding youngsters. I used a section of an old curtain rod and made a handle for a spare top-section of an inexpensive UL rod I got of Aliexpress last year….
Attachment 408152
Attachment 408153
Attachment 408154
Attachment 408155
It’s extremely limber, bend to the weight of this 3 inch gil no more than an ounce! It’s an absolute blast sight/ target fish with very light line and lure.
Attachment 408156
….notice a tiny bluegill clearing 3 inches above water going for a #22 weightless dry fly! Longer rod would not let me see the take or the fish I’m targeting over the high dock railing, I don’t think. So is it the perfect rod? No. But it’s the most UL I can come up with that’s little over 3feet long. There are tons of ICE rod but none are classified as true UL unless it’s 24 inch or shorter but that’s because it’s made with plastic, not carbon or graphite. If it is it’s not cheap like the St. Croix custom ice at $150. Thanks for looking!
Attachment 408157
Attachment 408158


Sent from my iPhone using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app

Good looking stuff there.

That’s pretty cool, LVS. Nice ingenuity and looks like it works pretty slick!
Bob

This morning went out to see if there’s bigger bluegills hanging out by the dock and saw a largemouth bass about 15 inches or so lurking beneath surface, but dove deep just before I could took a picture.
Attachment 408262
Then minutes later it’s business as usual. Caught about 25 in 2 hours and mostly 2 to 3 inchers for the exception of 3 in the #4 that puts up a good fight from my DIY-dubbed UL-Short rod.
Attachment 408263
Attachment 408264
……the bend on the rod is insanely scary, especially dead lifting this 4 inch. Can’t wait to see what a spring spawner would look like hanging on the other end next year…lol. Cheers!


Sent from my iPhone using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app

Sweet. I smiled when I noticed the Pfluger strapped to the back of that thang. Got me wanting to cure a stick of cane and add some eyes.

Sent from my E6910 using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by catchNgrease

Sweet. I smiled when I noticed the Pfluger strapped to the back of that thang. Got me wanting to cure a stick of cane and add some eyes.

Sent from my E6910 using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app

---

Thanks, cNg! It’s really is a fun rod considering most fishes swim not much further than arms length from dock. The shortest of my 7 or so UL rods is 5 ft Berkeley Lightning Rod. Though it would suffice, 3 ft is ideal…:)


Sent from my iPhone using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app

Very nice!

I admire your innovation - something I pursue every day as it relates to fishing. Catching fish is of course the final goal, but everything involved accomplishing that goal is key to keeping it interesting especially when we can't cast a line.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Spoonminnow

I admire your innovation - something I pursue every day as it relates to fishing. Catching fish is of course the final goal, but everything involved accomplishing that goal is key to keeping it interesting especially when we can't cast a line.

---

Spoonminnow, thanks for the kind words! I also believe playing with various fishing gears and tools are part of the fun in this hobby whether we see it or not, or else most of us wouldn't have the need to own more than one all-purpose rod/reel combo. Truth be told growing up in California i'm automatic dubbed a SALT angler having visiting dozen of piers and jetties so this 3ft UL rigged with 2lb PLine in my mind would also be good for sabiki type rig for anything that bites very close to the pier pilings, arm extended and all :)

Hi all just finished DIY a companion to my spinning UL-Shorty: a UL-C short rod. Plan on specifically using them over dock and pier railing dropshotting or occasional sight casting to close-to-shore bluegills, LM bass, and carps. Cheers!



Sent from my iPhone using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app

Attachment 408295
….this casting rod is exactly 3 ft 2 inches long and 2 to 6 line weight class with lure from 2g to 5g, fast action.


Sent from my iPhone using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app

I did something like that years ago with my original Zebco direct drive and the front of a broken spinning rod. Used it for fishing for trout in Colorado and really worked out pretty well. Don't remember one thing of how I did the handle on it. Surprised me how well it worked.

Looks great with that round reel on it!