Weekend Angler:
Creative Cost-cutters From Our Readers

Don't lose your grip

I wonder how many Bassmasters have accidentally dropped their expensive Boga Grip, Rapala Lock 'n Weigh or Berkley Big Game Lip Grip in the lake while trying to put the lip-lock on a big ol' bass. To prevent this costly mishap, attach a small inflatable water-skiing buoy (used for slalom skiing) to the handle via the loop of nylon cord that normally comes with the tool. These inexpensive buoys come in several bright colors and are available at most boat dealers and marine retail stores.
Michael Dunn, Johnsburg, Ill.

Sparkling spinnerbaits

Here's an easy and effective way to make your dingy spinnerbait blades sparkle for mere pennies. Pick up some pre-moistened lens cleaning cloths from a drugstore or optometrist and use them to wipe off the grunge. Your blades will look good as new in seconds.
Ken Fleming, Etters, Pa.

No More Bugs

I keep my boat in the water form ice-out to October, and was having trouble with bugs crawling up into my outboard's water outlet and clogging the water exhaust. Spraying a little WD-40 into the outlet every couple of weeks solved that problem.
Ernest Oliver, Heasting, Mich.

When nature calls

Cut a section of 4-inch-wide PVC pipe to a length of 5 inches. Cap one end and put a threaded cap on the other end. Now you've got a watertight toilet paper carrier that you can store in your boat. Total cost at a home improvement store will only be around $6, but it's priceless when you need it.
Kenneth Rominger, Marion, N.C.

Mighty magnet

Here's how to make a powerful magnet for retrieving metal items from the lake bottom. Find an old microwave oven, working or not — the older, the better. There is a device inside called a "magnetron" that contains two very powerful permanent donut magnets. Remove one of them, tie a long cord to it, and you're ready to do some treasure hunting. Caution: Don't try to hold the two magnets close together — the attraction can be strong enough to smash your finger!
Ryan Pearson Spanaway, Wash.

Livewell filter

My boat's livewell aerator and drain tubes were continually getting plugged up with fish scales. And fish being held in the livewell were getting stuck in the tubes, lowering the oxygen level and rendering the livewell useless. I picked up some inexpensive aluminum mesh lint traps (intended for clothes dryers and washing machines) at the dollar store and they made perfect filters for the livewell plumbing. They fit over the ends of the tubes using the tie straps that come with them. Their holes are small enough to keep scales and debris out of the tubes while providing sufficient air and water flow, even if a fish wedges against it. Jim Rockhill, Muncie, Ind.

Koozie reel cover

Here's how to make a cheap and effective padded reel cover out of a collapsible beer can "koozie." Cut a slit ¾ of the way down the center on one side as shown, then attach Velcro strips at the top. Push the cover over your reel and snug it up tight with the Velcro. These are ideal for spare reels stored in your boat because the soft koozie material provides shock absorption and keeps them form getting dinged up.
Derek Mueller, Latium, Texas

Blank canvas

Next time you're rummaging through the bargain bin at your nearby fishing tackle outlet, pick up some solid white lures. Most bass fishermen pass these up because they aren't flashy enough, but that plain white surface is easy to paint and allows you to match the color of the baitfish in your local lakes. I use waterproof markers to give these "plain" baits the look of living forage.
Steven Raimondo, Mullica Hill, N.J.

The shrink factor

Here's a good way to keep the rings from coming unlocked on soft-sided tackle carriers (the ones designed to hold spinnerbaits and worms in clear plastic envelopes or bags(. Cut a piece of 1/8-inch-diameter shrink tubing (the kind made for electrical wiring) about an inch long, open the ring, slide the tubing on the ring past the locking mechanism, close the ring, then position the tubing over the lock and heat it with a lighter.
Rob Geis, Toledo, Ohio

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