DIY dead bait pop ups... that work

[MikeH]

I see a few threads on dead / cut baits, and I was using popped up dead baits extensively for piking up to the cut off last weekend. I thought I would share my DIY pop up solution before the season opens again in May.

I tried popsicle sticks, bits of foam etc, but these did not have the required bouyancy for a dead bait plus the hooks. What I needed was some kind of artificial air bladder inside the fish, and I was not going to risk injecting air!

The solution was a cheapo glue gun, a pair of pliers and a pack of kids drinking straws. (dont use crazy glue, it wont work.)

   

Heat up the glue gun and glue stick.
Cut the drinking straw to appropriate lengths.
Put a blob of hot glue into the end of the straw and clamp tightly closed with the pliers to make and air tight seal.
Put a second blob of hot glue into the other end of the cut straw and clamp closed.
Carefully trim the corners off one end of the straw, this is the end that you will insert into the fish.

I usually insert the pop up into the fish down through the underside of the gill cover rather than through the mouth. If needed, you can get two pop ups in, side by side for larger baits.

The added bouyancy will lift the bait nicely off the bottom and allow it to move in the flow.