Advice for Large homemade Pop gear (FG lakers)

[TRUBBS]

looking to build some large pop gear for the gorge, got access to the sheetmetal and tools to do it, just not sure where to start as far as size and layout.
anyone have any tips or pictures?
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[badbob]

I usually use more blades rather than much bigger, it would be cool to see a large ford fender tho. Then clip the pop gear to the ball and the release to the pop gear and play the fish on the line.
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]You might send a PM to Oldcoot. He was playing around with some big blades last year. Don't know how they turned out for him.

I hear tell that at least one of the guides over there does quite well on the "heavy metal" behind a downrigger. Seems like it could get troublesome if you didn't watch your depth carefully. Some of those humps come up quick and they eat downrigger balls and trolling gear.
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[Old_Coot]

Your are today where I was a year ago [url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?post=889515"]trying to make my own[/url]. [url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?post=885367"] I never found any blades[/url] so I made my own.

After much study and talking to others, I made a most beautiful set. Part of my study was fishing with a guide that uses them frequently. They turned out really good.

I wish I had them here to show you but as it turns out, they are currently out in the middle of Swim Beach about 92 feet down.

I was told by one avid Gorge fisher, "You are going to HATE using blades." He was absolutely right. Now, if I were to get a few more hundred hours using them, I might change my mind. But for now, I have no plans to try it again.

However, having said all that, I do want to share with you some ideas on making them at home from scratch.

Go visit all the Deseret Industries, Savers, or other thrift stores and buy those old toasters with those shiny sides. However, the shiny sides aren't any big draw for those macks down deep where there ain't any light. But, unless you are using aluminum blades, cut out toaster sides are a second best.

Go on-line and search for an "oval" in Google images. Size it so that it will use as much of the toaster sides as possible. Print out that oval and use it as a pattern to cut out ovals from your toasters.

Cut out those oval blades and drill holes in each end. Be careful not to drill them too far from the edge so that the clevis will fit.

Speaking of cleviss, I had some great help from TubeDude in making some for me that beat anything I could buy.

Anyway, back to those blades, once I had them cut out, the edges were pretty rough from the tin-snips I used. I Simply rolled out the rough edges with a heavy 2" pipe ... kind of like you would roll out pie dough.

Then, I used a small belt sander to smooth the edges.

Once the blades were prepped, I put a slight curve (very slight) in them so that they would rotate in opposite directions from each other.

One of the best tips I could offer you is that you pattern your big blades after those of smaller blades on the market. Just make your big ones "scaled up" in size. Pay close attention as to how the small commercial ones are arranged, spacing between blades and beads and such. You'll see what I mean once you get going.

One thing I did wrong at first was to not go to Anger's Inn in Roy first for parts. I struggled for parts and accidently went there and seen most everything I needed to build them. Just wish I'd gone there FIRST!

Now, here is something I am going to tell you that others may disagree with. But here goes: Those big blades are NOT what the fish sees down deep where there is no light. They are just the transport delivery device to show off what they actually see down there.

What they (the macks) actually see down that deep is the GLOW IN THE DARK TAPE on the blades ... not the blades themselves. Angler's Den in Roy has, by far, the best glow tape for those blades. Green glow is the best color for down deep.

For more tips, questions, etc... shoot me a PM. Been there .... done that .... And ain't going to do it again!
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[TRUBBS]

Thank you for the tips! I'll be doing it all out of aluminum & polishing it before putting the glow tape on it.

How big would you say the toaster sides made the blades? 5" or so?

So I'll want to make them "corkscrew" thru the water turning opposite of the blade in front of each one?
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[Old_Coot]

[quote TRUBBS]Thank you for the tips! I'll be doing it all out of aluminum & polishing it before putting the glow tape on it. [#000080][#0000bf]Polish just to make a good smooth surface for the tape to stick. Shiny for looks means nothing down deep like that.[/#0000bf]
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How big would you say the toaster sides made the blades? 5" or so? [#0000bf]They were 7" the long way and 4" the narrow way. Try this site for a pattern:[/#0000bf]

[#0000bf][url "http://thelearningsite.info/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/oval.pdf"]http://thelearningsite.info/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/oval.pdf[/url][/#0000bf]
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So I'll want to make them "corkscrew" thru the water turning opposite of the blade in front of each one? [#0000bf]That is exactly right. "Twist" one in one direction and the one behind it in the other direction. But it only take a VERY small amount of twist to get them to turn a lot. The more they turn, the more drag you will have. And brother, it's a "drag"![/#0000bf][/quote]
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[TRUBBS]

thank you for all the tips and help!
what colors would you use and how many blades would you run on a set?
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[Therapist]

The glow tape may help, but it is the vibration of the blades that is attracting the fish. That is why the T50 flatfish were so effective when they dragged them on the bottom with steel line. The lip of the flatfish and the thump of the wobble created so much vibration that the macks had to come and investigate !!

[Old_Coot]

[quote TRUBBS]thank you for all the tips and help!
what colors would you use and how many blades would you run on a set?[/quote]

Mine had 6 blades. That is also how many were on the guide's string. As for colors, green glow tape, green beads, green green green. Green is what guides use, and is also the best color for fish to see that deep.

Here are a couple good videos explaining colors.

[url "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpQTh_tnJ6c"]Part 1[/url]

[url "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTi5nJqEzvo"]Part 2[/url]
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[TRUBBS]

again thank you for all your input, i really appreciate it alot

last question for a minute, should i run metal rods between the blades (like the smaller pop gear bought in stores) or would i be fine to get some really small braided steel wire?
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[Old_Coot]

I too had that question when making mine. I decided on the wire cable and glad I did. It turned out perfect. Using wire cable also lets you space the blades and beads easier. Cable also lets you coil up the set for storage nicer too.

And, speaking of cable, I did a fair amount of scrounging before I found some. Then I seen a bunch of sizes at Angler's Den in Roy. Again, wish I'd gone there first.

I got all my beads at different hobby/décor stores (Joan's etc.). Ya need some pretty large beads. I got a BUNCH that you can have if you like.
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[TRUBBS]

yes i would love to snag them off your hands if you dont mind!
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