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Piker20

Stripping basket

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Q on stripping baskets. I have used a collapsing fabric belt one which as useless. I think the big fault was width. It didn't stick out enough and majority of line missed or fell out. I've seen the washing up bowl types. DIY and production. Any one use them? Are they easy to wade/walk in? I have seen an orvis one for big £$ that has cones in the base, meant to allow running line to fly untangled.

I fish mainly over rocks and kelp and haven't noticed my line damaged from that but the use of sinking lines needed is made hard due to retrieved line sinking or flowing away.

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I borrowed the Orvis basket recently to give it a test drive and it worked out pretty well.

 

It's takes a bit to get used to, but I found I was able to 'fish' more instead of fighting with the line position.

 

The only real complaint I have is is $85.00 and you have to drill your own drain holes.

 

If you have the time, I think some of the DIY variants floating around the internet will perform equally if not better for a fraction of the cost. I hope to build up one to try at the beach once the dang wind calms down around here.

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Do the cones make a difference over a plain bowl? I have some old wading belts so it'll definitely be a DIY job.

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Piker, where I come from, everybody (with one exception I can think of) uses baskets and a two-handed retrieve. Without a basket, effectively fishing the NE surf is next to impossible. your loose line is gonna swirl around, get twisted, tangled, stepped on, and damaged by the rocks, shells, and sand. You're right - the collapsible or non-rigid baskets are useless under most SW conditions. Complete waste of money. The commercially made baskets (like Orvi$$$$$) are great, but you can make your own for a few dollars out of a plastic dishpan and a bungee cord. To keep the loops of line separated, I use about 8-10 (I think) loops of weed whacker wire - the ends are pushed through holes in the bottom of the basket, the tips melted, and GOOPed into place. You can get by without the separators, but you'll have more tangles. Lots of ways to do this - a friend of mine uses corn holders stuck into the bottom and they work very well. I use a bungee cord instead of a belt, because it stretches and it's easy to remove in a pinch. When you want it out of the way, (for wading tricky areas or fighting a fish) just slide it around to your back. What you don't want are drain holes. If you're in water deep enough that it gets into your basket, more water is gonna come in than drains out. To drain it, just tilt the basket back toward yourself. A friend of mine has an extra basket he made from a deeper container that he uses on extremely windy days, but I've never felt the need. It's the one item (outside of rod and reel) that I wouldn't be without. I even use it in fresh water on big rivers. I'm currently on the disabled list with an injury, but I'll see if I can crawl out to my shop tomorrow and take a picture.

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So looking down into your basket you see the loop of wacker cord like a crochet hoop? I'll have a go with the diy and try it. I definitely need to do something other than what im trying now. Especially with shooting heads. Ps, SH with fireline running line is NOT kind to the fingers when its 5• sea temp and -2 air temp. Any one got a plaster?

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I'd love to see what you come up with Piker and PJ I would like to see your basket to see what it looks like. I assume it's similar to

?

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Andy, that's a terrific video. The gray basket is exactly like mine (even the same color LOL) except that I drill pairs of holes, double over the weed whacker wire and push the ends through to form loops. either way works fine. Piker's idea of golf tees would also work, except that I'd worry about injuring myself - your hands will be constantly in motion in and out of the basket, and I'd want something either more flexible like the ones in the video or smooth like my loops or the corn holders. I also use a shorter bungee cord than the one in the video so it'll fit snugly and won't slip down. The white ventilated basket would work fine on a boat or a jetty, the only drawback being that wind might be a factor.

 

As far as I know, the stripping basket concept was invented by West Coast steelhead guys back in the 1950s or '60s. They used shooting heads and mono running lines, and were getting some incredible distances on the big rivers out there. Another big plus is that if you take a break from casting to ogle a few beach beauties or scratch your armpits, you're ready to cast the instant you see a fish break. Once you get used to a basket, you'll wonder how you ever got along without one.

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When I read about this the first thing that came to my mind is the plastic dart tips. These would be about the same length as the golf tee but not rigid like the wood in the golf tees and also about the same price.

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Here's a pretty good look at a basket being used with a two-handed retrieve. This would be considered a calm day. Imagine how much time you'd spend untangling your line without a basket, even under mild conditions like these.

 

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I once saw a really nice option for the 'studs' sticking up out of the bottom. The fella got some stainless screws that would tighten up inside the large electrician wire screw connectors. ( for lack of a better term ). He drilled holes in the bottom for the screws and them put some silicone caulk on the screw just before screwing on the wire connector. The studs are not as long as the weed eater line studs but they are firm and he liked them because he could use the container to haul other fishin stuff and not damage or bend the studs. It actually looked like a good option to me. I need to make a stripping basket as well and this is how I think I will approach it.

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That's a really interesting option Ditz - I'm gonna need an extra basket this summer, so maybe I'll give it a shot as well. I'll have to carry a screwdriver with me though - it's pretty well known around here that I've already got a few loose screws.

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I have seen them made with zip ties... Drill two holes push the zip tie through from the inside to the outside then back up from the outside to the inside if this makes sense... Then thread it through the connector and pull it tight. Leaves the tag end of the zip tie sticking up inside the basket trim it to length... Simple and cheap

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Great ideas guys, AGN54 yep thats the type of thing.

PJ, never mind the basket, show me the beach where I just stand ankle deep and BANG fish on! And yep thats not waves LOL. Thats why I'm looking at the basket, nightmare with the fireline running line. Great distance with no effort when it was managed but basket a definate need.

Madfire, like the ziptie idea. I have a load of strimmer line and zipties so can play around.

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