BCBT Recipe for a perfect "Sighter" or Coiled indicator

[BrownChickenBrownTrout]

So I did a little research on making coiled indicators and modified it a little with excellent results:

Hardware:
20lb mono Stren Hi-Vis
1 Bic Pen, end cut off and v notched
1 battery powered drill

Method:
Tie off one end of Mono in notched pen.
Insert other end into drill
Use drill to wrap mono around pen shaft.
Once wrapped use other end and v-notch to secure

Drop into boiling water, 5 minutes.
Immerse in ice water, stir vigorously.

Done.

Made a great super tight coil that does not relax. I don't think the over night freezer thing is necessary that I read. A long time ago I was an engineer and my limited knowledge of polymers is that there is no cure per se.

 

[Simms]

Hey,

(2) questions...

First, why the drill? When I make my coiled sighters I just the end with my hand and wrap around the pen, letting it twist on it self...I assume the drill is increasing the effect exponentially?

Second, why stir in the ice water? Does the cold water flowing over the mono help it that much more than just sitting there?

I have been making mine on Q-tips though...they come out great!

I also make mine out golden stren high-vis and neon, blood knotted together, then put on the pen/q-tip...Once out of the freezer, I take a marker to it and make bar marks 1/3 around...Comes out SLEEEEEEK!

Been using 20lb too...support my 3 nymphs exceptionally well...

 

[BrownChickenBrownTrout]

First Answer:

The drill was an invention of laziness. I was wrapping 30 ft of mono, and said theres got to be a better way. Got the drill out and wound it perfect in like 2 minutes flat. Nice and tight too.

Second answer:

This is the engineer in me, sticking an object in the freezer is actually a very poor cooling media. You only have cold air and convective methods of heat transfer. Ice water is always 32F, and by immersing and stirring you can effectively cool and shock the mono much faster than any overnight freezer could do. I sacrificed the ultimate temperature, but I figured that its a threshold temp and not a bottom temp. Freezing water is more than enough to reset the polymer structure once you've loosened it up by boiling, therefore setting the coil.

Whole process took me 15 minutes.

 

[Simms]

AWESOME! Sitting in the freezer was a pain in the arse....

 

[BrownChickenBrownTrout]

Ok, so field testing proved the sighters work very well. But man can I tell you connect these things sucks! I'm going to come up with a way to leave a tag on the ends of each coil.

 

[Simms]

Perfect loop each end..


So they hold up well? Any "fade" int he coils yet after a day of fishing?

 

[BrownChickenBrownTrout]

Zero fade. Worked well, the only thing I don't know is how it would work with other formulas (different Manu use different poly blends).

 

[ajfromnj]

If you want an easier way to tie them on make them one at a time. What I'll do is wrap 6 turns of orange and 6 turns of yellow and leave 6 or so inches off of each end to tie my leader onto. I make them on anything from a pin to a pen. However, the larger the coil the more turns on each side, but never exceed more than ten.

How is the technique working for you? Besides tying the knot to the coiled mono being a pain in the arse?

 

[Simms]

AJ,

Never exceed more than 10 coils? How come?

 

[BrownChickenBrownTrout]

Pretty well, although where I was fishing the pool was pretty clear and I sight fishing and could watch a fish hit.

 

[Fredy]

Simms,
How do you like the coils on the q-tip vs the pen size? Pros/Cons

I have been using Siman's sighter. The visibility of it is AMAZING!!
http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/yhst-76962295289556_2159_2833942

Fredy

 

[BrownChickenBrownTrout]

I've refined the design. Input from Aaron and some other thoughts I've been working on. Work and home will hold off on releasing 2.0 for this, but I should have an update in 2 weeks.