Attaching Weights and Balloons

[Relentless33]

Well we obviesly need to change something in our spread to get rid of all the lost weights and balloons. Its not really the balloons that are the problem, its the weights that dont stay on.
Apparently those "little, black, wicked strong rubberbands" dont work well after the first trip, the first trip we were in 4-6' rollers and we lost a few weights, understandable, when we put two on they were fine. Now saturday night we couldnt keep a weight on for our life So we obviesly need to get rid of em'.
Any thoughts and suggestions would be great. Just remember....im young and eager to learn so I soak in everything I can :lol:

Thanks in advance for anything you have to share !!!

[reeljoy]

do you use new bands every trip?

[Relentless33]

New bands but the pack is a little bag with quite a few in it.

What bands were the ones you used that night ???

[Relentless33]

Im in Boca and the boats in Lighthouse Point so we're in the same area, where do you get the bands you use ??

A friend of ours is hinting to us the phone cable from RJ Boyle's

[reeljoy]

I buy them at custom rod and reel in lighthouse point. i also shop at T&r tackel off commercial blvd(east of bridge) both great shops. custom rod and real is east of Federal one block on 25th street. checkers burgers that just went out of business is on the corner. i dont know the number of the size, but i have to use a needle to get them thru the eye of the leads(32 oz's)

[Relentless33]

ya, were good friends with Tommy. Were in there ALL the time

Those are where we got the "little, black, wicked strong ones" but they SUCK lol :twisted: haha

Are you using the little tiny thin ones or others ??

[Relentless33]

Man I miss those Checkers milkshakes we used to get :sad:

[reeljoy]

i use green phone wire to attach my jugs. rubber bands for my leads. i am going to use ballons next trip. i am tired of carrying around nasty looking milk jugs. i have waxed line attached to my mainline were i want the jug to attach9just becarefull the wax doesnt slide or oyur depths will be off

[reeljoy]

i have been out about 15 -20 times and never had a problem with the bands. they r like 1/4 inch thick

[Relentless33]

Not the same ones, we've only been able to get out three times, with me twice, but dam were losin some leads. Next time im at Tommy's Ill make sure to pick up some of the better bands, what do you think about copper nosewire instead of the phone cable. I imagine the copper is softer but I cant really tell ya

[reeljoy]

i wouldnt personally use it. to soft is right. ask mike or tommy which ones u should use.

[Relentless33]

Yea, I think once we get it down it should be nice to tango with somethin twice or more times the weight of me, considering im under 110 lbs. lol :lol: :shock:

:???: o god haha

[Relentless33]

Okay ive lost it, Im way to into this fishin stuff :shock: :cry: :lol:

[Captain Ollie]

I've always used a #64 rubberband with much success. After seeing an article in Marlin magazine many years ago about a captain in Africa that designed a sort of "tripline" release, I tried it. You have to modify it, however, to have it work in high current situations. It took alot of experimenting to get it just right. In the end my rig looks nothing like his and I can use mine with live baits as well as squid. The key is the rubberband.
As far as a float goes forget jugs and ballons. Use poolnoodles. One noodle makes 3 floats. Put a light stick in a 16 oz water bottle which presses right into the top of the noodle. Attatch noodle to line with a 64 rubberband and bam you have the most visible float you have ever seen. You might also want to color code the floats, I fish a yellow one the farthest and shallowest, then a green, and next a blue. Makes it super easy to tell what line is where.

[Relentless33]

Thats actually exactly what my Dad was suggesting is one of the 64 weight rubberbands , I was trying to see if I could prove him wrong.
We're gonna experiment with the phone wire, the black heavier bands, as well as the simple office band.

Thanks for the tips, I'm trying to learn as much as possible as quick as possible

[Disco Lady]

Office depot #64 never had a problem yet. :lol:

[Relentless33]

Thats what my Dad read off of the bag to me when I was in the other room yesterday....
Problem should be solved

Heres an example of .............

[Relentless33]

I think that problem should be just about solved with keeping the weights attached.

Thanks for the tips, we're gonna try a few differnet types and experiment with it. :???:

Thanks for the help

[ReelIntubaiter]

I don't use rubber bands on my weights. I attach them to my LP or similar light with a snap swivel with the snap cut off. See pic:



You can quickly change the weight with this method depending on the current. I haven't lost a weight yet. It doesn't seem to affect the Swordfish landing ratio. We are around 66%. Hope this helps.

[RiskTaker]

Relentless:

I concur with everyone that opted for the #64 rubber bands. And office depot is the place to get a big bag of reasonable quality bands, for cheap. Of course, many wonderful things are sold at Custom Rod and Reel but the rubber bands and balloons are going to cost you a little bit more than their fair market price. :shock: But enjoy all of the candy at the candy store, just be sure it is priced right before you buy.

Party superstore will also supply you a big bag of balloons if you opt to go that way, for a value price.

The swimming noodle is a great idea for a stand up float. I have even improvised a similar mechanism using a bleach bottle, tickle stick and a long-line clip. I really like this concept for a far away float becasue it stands above the water about 2 ft high and falls over hard if the weight below goes slack, due to a rising swordfish with bait in mouth. But I must say that I have slid back to mostly balloon usage, due to fishing on other's boats and not dragging along too many cluttering gizmos. (But I am still tempted to give a try, those long slender clown balloons to see how they work out. They will not be as top heavy but they should stick up out of the water for great visibility.)

Many anglers prefer to use plastic coated copper wire, as a break-away weight mechanism. Maybe that is worth consideration too, but you will probably gravitate to one solution eventually, depending on who influences you the most.

I use the #64 rubber bands for weight attachment (within the 1-3 lb. range, 3 lbs. can be a little tricky) when I am not using my own equipment. (I also use those small black skinny strong bands but only for small live baiting (but always string floss for swordfishing with live baits due to strong blue runners and swordfish whacks to keep the bait attached).

When I am using my own equipment, I will typically use a 2 lb. weight using a piece of mono line crimped to a long-line clip. This long line clip is attached to the wind-on portion of my leader, within a waxline captive loop, about 50-60 ft. away from the bait. (I make my own wind-on leaders about that length and am not concerned about setting an IGFA record). Rare is the night that I lose any weights with this method. I also do not have any qualms about leaving a weight attached at this distance with a fish on the hook. (Very much closer in , I can concede, that some strength level of break-away may not be a bad idea. But even a weight using a #64 rubber band attachment can sometimes come to the boat with a fish on.) Of course, you will need some assistance to quickly detach the weight as the fish gets closer to the boat, with any remaining weight attached. (But I tell you,: I will typically end up checking or hauling baits in 4-to-1 or more than there are fish on the line, so this methed is an easy way to detach the weight and re-attach quickly. If it is a rubber band then the leader usually gets piled on the floor for checking a bait, but not to pick up and run elsewhere). Just about all of my experiences have been having a fish tight (and steady) when the weight comes to the boat at that distance. If I ever start to lose fish due to the line going slack at this time of weight removal, then I reserve the right to change my tactic. But I have not been burned yet.

P.S. - I just saw that picture that Reel Intubaitor posted. It looks like a good idea. My only preference in that situation is that rigging method is that I prefer the weight farther away and the the light closer in to the bait, thus needing two different locations. Plus you may even consider attaching another disposable LP (Green-Blue) cyalume stick some where along the line too. Check out a swordfishing rigging article in the South Florida Sport Fishing magazine (May/June). Many choices to arrive at your preference: and everybody has caught fish. But I would highly consider any configuration that is batting a 66% hook-up to fish to the boat ratio. Good job Reel Intubaitor.