DIY dead bait pop ups... that work

[MikeH]

(04-05-2013 09:47 AM)MuskieBait Wrote:  Any other environmental way to pop them up instead of using these straws?

With the number of times you fish during the year, Mike, we may need a shoreline clean up just to remove your share of plastic straw from Lake Ontario

Just trying to give you a challenge to look for an eco way...being the ingenious person that you are.

Part of me is thinking something along the lines of sausage casings...something biodegradable...

Haven't lost any so far. I usually pin the long the flattened end tab with the head hook which means the float tube is connected.
My tail hook is on a link leader, and I overwrap the bait with spiderthread so that it is cast-able.

I think the combination makes the bait and tube pretty secure. I know it's a pain in the ass to take one apart again afterwards.

(04-05-2013 09:16 AM)zippyFX Wrote:  Neat. would an ear plug work as well?

I haven't figured out a way to get an ear plug easily inside the bait fish, its too squishy and you can split the fish. As a kid back in the UK I used red polystyrene balls rigged above the bait fish (like a pop up boilie only bigger), but I don't think they are acceptable any more. you do lose those quite easily.