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Homemade Stripping Basket (First Attempt)

post #1 of 28
8/30/11 at 12:07am
Thread Starter 
In preparation of making the 6+ hour trek to the SC Coast this weekend, I decided to try to make a stripping basket. cwm40.gif

After reading several threads and seeing what was out there on YouTube, I headed to WallyWorld in search of the requisite materials.

Lg. Basket = $3.97
Pkg of Red Wire Connectors = $1.77
35" Fat Bungee = $1.89
Misc. Screws and Stickers = Free over time
TOTAL COST = $7.63

This forum and its members have given me so much since I joined. Thanks to Tim S. and all of the people who make this place a wicked good resource for fisherman to become better at so many facets of our sport.

All the Best,
BD

500

500

500
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post #2 of 28
8/30/11 at 4:08am
I have somethin simular, would suggest putting in some drain holes in the bottom to expell water a bit faster, same place the red nubs are, not many just a few and about same size it took to make the holes to put in the nubs should work just fine. Looks great though!
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post #3 of 28
8/30/11 at 7:14am
Brian,

Your basket looks good but it does have a couple of issue which will show themselves when you get to use it. The ends of your bungy chords will dig into your waders and over time may damage them. The holes in the sides will let in water and this will cause your fly line to float about and get tangled so it won't shoot well or will tangle on the cast. If you put more holes in the bottom you make the problem doubly worst. Holes in a basket do not decrease the drainage time very much at all when you take a wave into the basket. The fastest way is to tip the basket and dump the weater that way. You don't have time to muck about in a surf with a full basket weighing you down. Also the weight will probably cause the basket to drag down lower off your waist due to the elastic nature of the bungies. Nylon belts stop this. The other prob is the convex shap of the basket which means it does not fit your body well and therefore it will tend to swing around when casting or in waves.
Sorry if I am coming across as negative but these are the facts. I used to make my own until I realised they were not very good and in the end I bit the bullet and purchased an Orvis basket. Best decision I made. Sure it is a lot of money but it works and works well. It has repaid itself many times over and is in its 5th season of use so it now owes me little cash wise.
If you just use your basket for flats fishing and don't wade deeper than knee height and don't get waves into it it, it will do a job for you but watch out for those Bungy ends.

Mike
Edited by Mike Oliver - 8/30/11 at 1:57pm
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post #4 of 28
8/30/11 at 11:59am
Brian,

An outstanding first effort! Use it as much as you can. Baring heavy surf it will do alright. All of Mike Olivers points are correct, He is called Mad Mike because of his proclivety of putting his body into ocean situations that Capt. Mavel, Batman and Superman would shy away from. wink.gif The baskets I built and sold 15 years or so ago were much cruder that your first effort. And had all the same faults when stacked up against a $40.00 Orvis product that took an ergomic engineer a year to design,

Build another with out the open mesh sides and rig it with a nyon web belt either thru the rear wall or make it a wrap arround the front of the box. Drill 4 holes , two on the left and two on the right, in line with each other and the width of the nylon web belt and plastic belt buckle that clicks together. Cut straigh lines vertically between the holes and lighty sand the slits to smooth out the friction sharp edges cause. The Orivs and discontinued LLBean sriping baskets have belly moulded curves on the body side. That is a more comfortablew option, but you can live without it if you are in reasonably decent shape.

Enjoy getting used to your personal product. It will serve the purpose for now. When you start challanging the rocky surf at Montauk in what some of us call "Combat Fishing", in October, buy the Orvis product.
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post #5 of 28
8/30/11 at 12:21pm
ok I used that exact same bucket, but where the grate is on both sides of the basket, I sawed out and then put a wading belt through it. I had a spare aquaskinz one, blus my waist is actually too thin for the bungee so it droops. I'll try and post a pic500


i like the belt better because I can adjust it when I'm crawling over rocks, or running down the beach. Much more comfortable in my mind. Nice job tho. Simple but effective
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post #6 of 28
8/30/11 at 2:04pm
heh Blue you skinny so and so. You can solve the problem of a lose bungy simply by tying a couple or as many as you need overhand knots in it. But those ends when you bend etc can dig into your waders.

Brian glad RJ chimed in. He is right your workmanship is excellent and your basket will do a job for you and you can learn a lot from its design. Don't let me put you off that was not my intention. RJ exagerates a bit about my exploits. I am slowing down now and compared to what the likes of P. Melynk gets up to what I do is tame stuff.


Mike
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post #7 of 28
8/30/11 at 2:12pm
it's kinda difficult to see, but the way the openings are, they're squared off so there are no sharp edges, along with being filed smooth. I needed something to do while I was at work. I also wear this over my waders and main wading belt, not through my waders, because when I fly fish deeper water I only keep my pliers and a Gerber tool
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post #8 of 28
8/31/11 at 5:42pm
Belt idea, take the belt off a no longer useable life vest. You can tell the vest is no good because you can't read the label. In a solid bin I would drill two small holes a belt width apart and then cut a slot out between them.

Peace
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post #9 of 28
8/31/11 at 9:04pm

Brian that is one nice job. The wire nuts are the best idea I've seen in a while and I think I will incorporate that idea into a boat stripping line tamer. I assume there are stainless screws coming up through the bottom that the nuts screw on to, is that how you did it? Definitely don't drill holes.

Good work but Mike is probably right. My Orvis basket is 16 yrs and only has small cracks in the corners. The new ones are curved and now cost $60, but well worth it.

Hey Bluesss, that is one clean bathroom man.

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post #10 of 28
8/31/11 at 9:59pm
Thread Starter 
Guys,
Thanks for all the feedback!!!! I really appreciate it and have taken the constructive criticism to heart and will apply some concepts to my next attempt.
As for the concern about water from rough surf getting in...I am DEFINITELY NOT going to be hitting Montauk or any other craggled combat zones of pounding surf anytime soon.

I'll be using it on Seabrook Island, SC this weekend....think of Montauk's layout and conditions.....now think of the EXACT opposite....and you get the picture. It is a calm area with relatively light conditions and I may wade a bit...but mostly experimenting with the fly rod(s) and some different flies in more of a practice mode...I honestly just look forward to walking the beach with some shorts on and 1 box of flies tucked in the pocket of a shirt and casting to anything I see....which could very well be nothing....but then I can just practice casting and various methods of stripping different flies.

As for the bungees and the concern about rubbing and/or the need for a belt....they are flat" plastic bungees and appear to be less likely to cause any damage...but we shall see how the "testing" goes.
I actually did consider slicing a couple of slits in the grate-like side of the basket to slide a belt in and out of...and still might if the bungee doesn't do the right thing.

I'll try to post a report from the field....if not....I'll follow-up next week.

Thanks again to everyone who took the time to write in this thread....and have fun and be safe over this holiday weekend!!!!

All the Best,
BD
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post #11 of 28
8/31/11 at 10:01pm
Thread Starter 
Yes....correct on the stainless coming up through.....I don't think the need for holes is pressing given the conditions I'll be fishing in.....thanks for the input and taking the time to post!!!!
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post #12 of 28
8/31/11 at 10:36pm
Brian,

How far is Sea Brook Island from Kiawah Island? I fish near Hilton Head and in Port Royal Sound trveling to and from the Mosquito Lagoon in New Smyrna Beach FL. Love that deep hole shrimping gig and "Cluster Oyster's" at the Hilton Head Marina.I have an old duck hunting partner livng in Bluffton, SC who keep his Jones Bros. lite tackle at HH Marina. I'm also a graduate of that famous finishing school called Parris Island MCRD class of 1956.

SC has surely changed a lot since the mid 50"s. Beautiful Buford by the Sea and Yamasee have changed on hell of alot since the good old days. And as of 2010 I;m a proud member of the SC Ducks Unlimited crew that hang our near Bluffton and HH.

Take care and enjor your new product.
Edited by RJ - 9/4/11 at 12:19am
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post #13 of 28
9/1/11 at 12:07am
Thread Starter 
RJ,
Seabrook is literally right next to Kiawah...a creek separates them.
My Dad also graduated from MCRD Parris Island right around the same year...I'll check with him to confirm year. 1st Marine Division. He was in mortars.
I'm sure a lot of SC is night and day when compared to the way things were back then. Thanks for the info...and more importantly, for your Service to our Country.

All the Best,
BD
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post #14 of 28
9/1/11 at 10:56am
Brian,

My very best to your Dad. The Marine Corp was a small, tight knit unit in the 50's. I shipped over twice and the longer I stayed in the more people I served with, would cross paths in the Line Regiments.. I humped an 81mm. base plate for a short time in the 1st Bn., 5th Marine Regt., 1st marine Div and my hat is always off to the guys who did it full time. The best sound to a motar man in the Corps wa "Fire Mission." and the best for a machine gunner was the Cry - "Guns Up!"

Bob
Edited by RJ - 9/4/11 at 12:22am
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post #15 of 28
9/3/11 at 9:03pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike Oliver View Post

Brian,

Your basket looks good but it does have a couple of issue which will show themselves when you get to use it. The ends of your bungy chords will dig into your waders and over time may damage them. The holes in the sides will let in water and this will cause your fly line to float about and get tangled so it won't shoot well or will tangle on the cast. If you put more holes in the bottom you make the problem doubly worst. Holes in a basket do not decrease the drainage time very much at all when you take a wave into the basket. The fastest way is to tip the basket and dump the weater that way. You don't have time to muck about in a surf with a full basket weighing you down. Also the weight will probably cause the basket to drag down lower off your waist due to the elastic nature of the bungies. Nylon belts stop this. The other prob is the convex shap of the basket which means it does not fit your body well and therefore it will tend to swing around when casting or in waves.
Sorry if I am coming across as negative but these are the facts. I used to make my own until I realised they were not very good and in the end I bit the bullet and purchased an Orvis basket. Best decision I made. Sure it is a lot of money but it works and works well. It has repaid itself many times over and is in its 5th season of use so it now owes me little cash wise.
If you just use your basket for flats fishing and don't wade deeper than knee height and don't get waves into it it, it will do a job for you but watch out for those Bungy ends.

Mike

This is one of the finniest things I've read in ages. And after the power outages in CT I needed a good laugh. Thanks.

Jon
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