[Jason]

phishguts, on 02 December 2011 - 02:43 PM, said:

Jason...do you have plans for your handmade slammers? I'd love to have a go at making a couple before dropping 70 bones on an the real deal.

All I used was wooden boards thick enough to properly balance and hold up the unit. Then I purchased small door/cabinet hinges, plumbing pipe, alan wrenches for the trip pin along with the screws, and gorilla glue. I used heavy duty thread to wrap the alan wrenches to the long screw for the trip pin, and use heavy duty glue to seal the thread completely to the pin.

I took the measurements of the bases by comparing them to my store bought Automatic Fisherman devices. So I didnt really measure the lengths of the devices, just compared, cut, and built. It was very easy work accept I did mine completely with hand tools. Power tools you can get them done way faster. You gotta make sure not to make them to long or short so your fishing rods will work properly with them. If I were you I would buy 1 Automatic Fisherman base, see how its made, and then build the rest from there. Now I have 2 store bought, 2 homemade, and I know if I need more what I need to do. Hope this helps, wish I had a better blueprint plan for you.

[phishguts]

Jason, on 01 November 2011 - 03:19 PM, said:

Looks like an interesting device Get Hooked, but also seems a tad more difficult than a standard Automatic Fisherman to set up.

Heres pics of my own handmade slammers "autos". For the price of 1 Automatic Fisherman base, you could make 4 of them on your own. I paid $16 in materials made 2 of these things. Now I have 2 store bought, 2 handmade, and they are basically exactly the same, and work the same way as well. Cant wait to try them out!

Jason...do you have plans for your handmade slammers? I'd love to have a go at making a couple before dropping 70 bones on an the real deal.

[HalfFast]

.

[Get Hooked]

I agree it looks like more difficult to set-up, but its cheaper, and prettier. lol I got my 2 auto's, I'll stick with them, just wanted others to no they existed. Maybe you should sell yours for like $20 a piece......

[Jason]

Looks like an interesting device Get Hooked, but also seems a tad more difficult than a standard Automatic Fisherman to set up.

Heres pics of my own handmade slammers "autos". For the price of 1 Automatic Fisherman base, you could make 4 of them on your own. I paid $16 in materials made 2 of these things. Now I have 2 store bought, 2 handmade, and they are basically exactly the same, and work the same way as well. Cant wait to try them out!

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[Get Hooked]

more competition.

http://jawjacker.com/

[bb7813]

trophy_taker, on 30 August 2011 - 10:10 PM, said:

I use the frabill ice hunter series rods for my set-ups. Use the 38" and 32" and they both work fine

thanks

[trophy_taker]

I use the frabill ice hunter series rods for my set-ups. Use the 38" and 32" and they both work fine

[bb7813]

Old thread I know ... Do you guys use the 38" rods in conjunction with the Automatic fisherman? The website says to use 23"-27". What action of rod do you suggest for browns.

Thanks Bob

[Get Hooked]

Jason, I mean "Dead Etentity".LOL Funny how you mention going up size with the hooks. I am tying leaders right now with #8's. Its not much of a jump, but its a lil bigger. I was thinking about what Walleywacker said about the light action tip on the Trout rod, and looked at a 28" medium/heavy action glass rod today. The hookset would definately have more power to drive the hook in a little deeper. It was only $16..... But I thought I would give the Trout rod one more chance for Pike, and try to have it closer to me???? That may be tough as I'm all over the place on the ice. Especially if we are gonna have 12 to 15 tip-ups out.

I also tried the auto out for Panfish. It too went off twice with a couple rod bends and then nothing. Now that was on small fatheads on a small jighead. That kind of fishing I am closer to it, cuz I had a bunch of holes in a smaller area, and I kinda set the auto in the middle and I hole hopped around it. I will continue doing this, seeing how easy the auto's are to set up. Heck, I'll put both my auto's in a circle of holes. If I'm markin fish that is. I just only have one light action glass rod right now. But I think with the Panfish, at least for the crappie, I needed barely any slack. Course I did't catch any on the auto, so maybe I'm wrong. I just know when I'm jiggin, and I get a bite, I set the hook immediately. So I was settin the auto to do the same. Well maybe an inch of slack.

[Jason]

Troy! "sorry, get hooked", lol. When we fish on Saturday I will see what I can do to help. I think going up to a #6 or #8 treble would be a good thing. I use #10 and #12 for walleyes, pike I like the bigger hooks that are not to be big but just right, bigger baits call for bigger hooks or, 2 hooks. But I noticed the same problem even with trout at times. Like Walleye Wackr said, when the thing pops off you have to race to it, and when you grab the rod set the hook again for added confidence and hooking power. Also, if the fish thrashes and head shakes and puts slack in the line, bye bye fish. Trout are notorious head shakers and flippers when they fight. I have yet to fish pike with my autos but may bring mine this weekend. Single hook through the top lip down through the bottom so the bait swims horizontal because of the vertical angle of your line.

But what I like with tipups is hole covers and, the fact pike usually never get away unless they spit the bait or, break the leader. But a tipup gives them more time to move away without anything getting set off. I honestly think the problem with the small hooks and big bait is, if the pike grabs the bait by the head and moves away hard enough without the hook in his mouth, the auto trips and misses the fish. I seen a video awhile back of pike doing this and, the video said single hooking the shiner through the mouth may lead to more hookups with the auto. Something I watched last year on youtube.

Either way, we will catch some pike regardless! Cant wait to go, sounds like you did quite well! By the way, love your new Get Hooked logo, lol. No more bloody hook logo?

[walleyewackr]

you have to remember that even though the autos do set the hook, you still have to get to them quickly. i still set the hook, with a light tip like on erics 38" rods, how much of a hook set do you really get. you do get one, and the rods are perfect for the application but i think the key is whether or not the fish turns. if the fish runs and then turns, that gives just a little slack that in your case or mine or anyones for that matter, if there isnt a good stick with the hook then the hooks are capable of coming out no matter what. so i like to not spread mine out so much that i cant get to them. have had it happen way to many times with my far rod going off that i dont get to it fast enough, i guess how agressive they hit your baits matters.

[pbr1844]

This is the first year I have used the autos for pike, and I have been having a similar problem. I did find some success using a two hook "mooching rig", similar to what you would use for cut herring. I had some manufactured adjustable ones with two #8 single hooks in my tackle box, but the line test was probably 6lb mono. I just tied some of my own with 10lb flouro, which is probably still too light, but that is what I had around. Hope to test them out tomorrow. What lake were you on for all that pike action?

cheers,
pbr

[Get Hooked]

Ben, or anyone else who can help,

You say you catch Pike with these auto's. Man, I really could use some help. I was with a buddy today fishing Pike with tip-ups and I used one of my auto's. We were getting flags left and right, and the auto went off like 6 times. My rod fought the fish for like maybe 10 seconds and then nothing. I thought maybe it was setting the hook to soon, so I put out about 2 feet of slack in the "bobber" area. But I still had the same results. I use a #10 treble, and never had a problem with the tip-ups with that hook. I'm kinda at a loss with this. Do I try a single hook? Any light you could shed on this would really be appreciated. I am getting into some nice Pike and I am getting sick of the line all over the ice with tip-ups, then knots form, then Its downtime for a tip-up while I deal with whatever problem I have to fix. My drag was set at what I would think would be a good setting. I would've completely gave up on it if I would've brought more tip-ups. But I thought I was gonna be ok. I wasn't.
Oh yea, I was using the Frabill 38" Trout rod. 10# fire line, 20# flouro leader., And I will be bumpin that flouro up due to some big fish breaking off today.

[Ben Kueng]

I own a TON of automatics and its far too expensive for me to spool with floro. I use 8lb mono and double uniknot a 6 foot, 8lb floro leader to that. I didnt trust the uni knot at first, but I cant ever rememebr the line breaking at the knot and I have been doing it this way for 3 years, not to mention I fish over 300 days a year. I use the same knot on my open water reels for kings,browns and lakers.

For walleyes I use 4-6lb floro and pike 20-30lb. The autos work great for trout, but I have also caught musky, pike, walleye, panfish and bass with them as well. Its amazing how much bigger a 30" pike feels on a rod and reel compared to a tip-up..Way more fun!!

Ben

[walleyewackr]

i run 6lb all the way, if you break a fish off in the hole its usually your own fault. i did that once already this year, just take your time and when the fish are ready you will know. like badger said after every fish i always check it to make sure there are no knicks in the line. very important to do.

[badgerfisher]

I have been using 6 lb Seaguar fluorocarbon leaders for the last year without breakoffs near the hole or when the auto is setting the hook. The last 3 steelhead I caught through the ice have been with 6 lb Seaguar with the medium heavy rod that comes with the auto. The only drawback I have found with using the 6 lb flouro is that I make it a point to replace the leader before each ice fishing outing and after I catch a fish that swallowed the hook. I forgot to do that once and had a snap off when the auto was setting the hook. Its extra work but its worth it to me as I usually only get out once every 2 weeks.

[Needtofishmore]

I run 6 lb flouro leader and I've never had a break-off on the hook set. Unfortunately ... I've had too many when the fish is at the hole. I'm changing to 8 lb Seaguar.

[Get Hooked]

So after spooling up my reel with 6lb. line, I now read all the directions, and it says "The Automatic Fisherman™ can use a variety of different fishing lines. We recommend you use no less than eight lb. test with the 33" rod and no less than two lb. test with the 27" rod." So again I ask, Do you guys that run 6lb. have many breakoffs?

[Get Hooked]

Well I for one have been given the same advise about going with the 6lb. flouro with no swivel like BanjoMinnow99 said. I have that on the trout rod from frabill. I have to admit, I'm not very confident about it, but you can bet I will have my drag set to accomadate that light of line. And I filled my spool, cuz I am expecting to see alot of line going out. Do you guys that run this light of line have many break offs?