# Marker buoys



## WayneD (Jul 11, 2006)

Sel mentioned these in one of his posts. Just wondering how many other people use these to mark schools of fish that they locate.

Do you make them yourself with some polystyrene (foamy stuff) a length of thin rope and a sinker on the bottom?

I know on Hinze when I locate a school and drift off of it sometimes I can't find them again even though I am sure I am in the same spot.


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## justcrusin (Oct 1, 2006)

another couple of ways around it GPS, get on of the little hand helds and when you find a school punch in a way point. The other is to use a hand bearing compass and get a couple of bearings of some objects that stand out. That way when you return in a months time you can try the same spot.

Cheers Dave


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## WayneD (Jul 11, 2006)

Hmm........ maybe another use for the humble pool noodle. Cut it out so it looks like a boat roller, whack on 20mtrs of 3 or 4mm rope whack a sinker on the end and there you have it. Pool noodle a couple of bucks, rope I can acquire from work, sinkers I have plenty of.

Of course if I could afford it I would get a GPS but this having a family cuts down on my spending a bit, no I take that back, a bloody lot!!!!


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## Guest (Oct 1, 2007)

I bought mine years ago from Bass Pro, I use it alot bass fishing.

Wayne your idea sounds good, u could cut a slot in the end of the noodle to secure the rope when wound up and not in use.

I made myself a anchor rope and float this way a few weeks ago, in fact you could use the anchor for the same purpose only problem pulling up a 2 kg dumbell over 15 - 20 metres might be tuff.

Cheers


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## Dodge (Oct 12, 2005)

WayneD said:


> Hmm........ maybe another use for the humble pool noodle. Cut it out so it looks like a boat roller, whack on 20mtrs of 3 or 4mm rope whack a sinker on the end and there you have it. !


You need it flat to stop rolling when it the weight hits the bottom Wayne.

Easy way is to cut a piece of thin ply shaped like a dogs bone [or dumbell], wind on fishing line [rope has to much drag] and attach a weight as anchor [we used to just use an old spark plug]....when thrown in the water it spins like a paddle wheel until the weight hits bottom then the flat stops the rolling.


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## WayneD (Jul 11, 2006)

I was thinking of doing it that way Dodge but thought that the float wouldn't spin in the water if it was flat. It would be less prone to wind also. I will test it out and see how it goes.

I have some 15mm ply at home do you think this is too thick?


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## Dodge (Oct 12, 2005)

WayneD said:


> I have some 15mm ply at home do you think this is too thick?


Wayne I have only ever used 3 ply 
The trick is not to make the ends to big as that is the resistance in rolling, and too big means you require a bigger weight for it to roll.
The last one I made was 2 pencil lines either side of a carpenters ruler, and at each end I used a baked bean tin to give me the circle [the only function of the ends is to keep the fishing line from running off the end as it rolls] then try it in a swimming pool or bucket of water and you will know if it needs modification


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## Dodge (Oct 12, 2005)

Thought I would go out and knock one up for myself, and had some skirting board under the bench 11mm thick, and in 15 minutes had the marker made as below

Dumbbell shape length 160mm OA, end pieces 60mm diam, centre piece 40mm wide, and glued a wafer of noodle in place both sides with contact cement....attached a couple of feet of 25lb mono and a shackle for weight and threw it in bucket of water and it tested OK

On completion about 80mm ends, and 60mm wide centre would have been an improvement and will knock up another one tomorrow to new size

Wayne after playing with this your 15mm ply is worth a go mate and should be OK and probably float better anyway

EDIT made another and finished ready to use 180mm LOA, ends 90mm, and middle 60mm, and snapper lead as weight...photo #3


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## Biggera Yakker (Jan 25, 2007)

Gee Richo you're a handyman!!!


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## fisherdan (Apr 17, 2007)

Great stuff Richo!

I hope you are working on a book mate,

"Richo's golden tips and tricks!"


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## Dodge (Oct 12, 2005)

fisherdan said:


> I hope you are working on a book mate,


 Dan I was writing books when they wrote them on clay tablets :lol: :lol:


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## WayneD (Jul 11, 2006)

I have made a couple with 80mm ends and made it a bit bigger over all for ease of locating, also plan to paint them bright yellow. The bucket test went OK. Seemed to pull it down under the water surface but it rises back to the top. I will get some snapper leads tomorrow night. I will test on Wivenhoe on Saturday and let you know how they go.


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## Dodge (Oct 12, 2005)

WayneD said:


> Seemed to pull it down under the water surface but it rises back to the top.


Wayne the 3 ply ones we used while drifting the GC Broadwater years ago did this as well, but the timber's buoyancy made it unroll back to the surface OK.

They are very handy and this thread kicked me into gear to knock another one [left the original on my boat when I sold it], as they are an asset on water with no shore features to use as marks such as a dam....I think you will find in use that you only lift the weight a few meters off the bottom between drops as there is no resistance to paddling and on the troll it is up and down out of the way.


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## Guest (Oct 4, 2007)

Dodge said:


> They are very handy and this thread kicked me into gear to knock another one [left the original on my boat when I sold it], as they are an asset on water with no shore features to use as marks such as a dam.


......Hmmmmm......... Dodge the way you fish for Bass in Dams,you need every asset you can find...... :lol: :lol: :lol:

Cheers


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## Dodge (Oct 12, 2005)

MacFish said:


> Dodge the way you fish for Bass in Dams,you need every asset you can find..


 :lol: :lol: :lol: you are not wrong there Sel, would use a grenade if the yak wasn't made of plastic :wink:


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