Long line weight ideas

[Kevin Puls]

I did a little searching and didn’t come up with much. I need some more long line weights. My supply of sash weights has dwindled and apparently they are now “vintage” items on marketplace. What other simple diy ideas are out there short of spending $20 a piece on 5 pound mushroom anchors?

They are used on semi sporty conditions so need to be somewhat heavy.

 

[J. Overland]

I was going to say sash weights, but I see you covered that. Could fill a coffee can or something similar with concrete and stick an eye bolt in it before it hardens.

 

[Bob Reitmeyer]

Can you use a simple gym dumbbell or a 5-10 pound barbell weight? Some even have rubberized coating.

 

[roy brewington]

Find some old barbell weights. You can even get them new at wally world. Probably cheaper now than the newly collectable sash weights

 

[tod osier]

I did a little searching and didn’t come up with much. I need some more long line weights. My supply of sash weights has dwindled and apparently they are now “vintage” items on marketplace. What other simple diy ideas are out there short of spending $20 a piece on 5 pound mushroom anchors?

They are used on semi sporty conditions so need to be

Cast lead mushrooms using a lead pot and screw eye or the small size claw anchors (cabelas has 2.2 pounders for less than 20) either holds better than a non anchor shape like a dumbbell or sash weight.

 

[Capt Rich Geminski]

Use a plastic tub filled with concrete and a copper wire for attachment. In thr 70's we used clorox bottle painted black with junk weights is case we had to leave them because of weather. Cheap rig we shot many birds from...

 

[Kevin Puls]

For some reason barbell weights don’t hold. They roll. But thinking about it maybe if I could weld an eye on the end it would be more like a mushroom anchor.

I’m thinking about pouring hot lead into a soup can with an eyebolt suspended into it.

 

[RM Anderson]

Kevin,
Would those 3 lb. folding grappling anchors work?

 

[justin boucher]

We have tryed the folding anchors and they hold ok, you have to set one side and hope the other catches before the line gets a bow in it. I use 2 window weights on either end of my lines and it works great no matter how many decoys i attach

 

[Rod VanZile]

I did a little searching and didn’t come up with much. I need some more long line weights. My supply of sash weights has dwindled and apparently they are now “vintage” items on marketplace. What other simple diy ideas are out there short of spending $20 a piece on 5 pound mushroom anchors?

They are used on semi sporty conditions so need to be somewhat heavy.

Kevin,
This may sound really off the wall, but I use lead weights from Campbell's soup cans. I don't know what your conditions are but my weights are about half the can filled. I use a brass ring stuck in the molten lead and hold it there untill it sets up. Be sure to peel the can off the lead weight. My long lines are 120 ft long with 10 to 15 decoys. I have used this method for around 40 years on inland lakes and big water.

RVZ

 

[Nick Papavasiliou]

I actually have a few set up with 5lb barbell weights on the side I drop first and a grapple anchor on the other.
On rare occasion, the 5 lb weights didn’t hold (silty bottom, 7-20’ of water, Chesapeake bay) and it gets bumped up to 10, but usually no problem.

 

[Kevin Puls]

Kevin,
This may sound really off the wall, but I use lead weights from Campbell's soup cans. I don't know what your conditions are but my weights are about half the can filled. I use a brass ring stuck in the molten lead and hold it there untill it sets up. Be sure to peel the can off the lead weight. My long lines are 120 ft long with 10 to 15 decoys. I have used this method for around 40 years on inland lakes and big water.

RVZ

Actually this was something I was thinking about. How heavy is a “half can” of lead?

 

[Kevin Puls]

Kevin,
Would those 3 lb. folding grappling anchors work?

Not sure to be honest. It’s a thought.

 

[T Entwistle]

I did a little searching and didn’t come up with much. I need some more long line weights. My supply of sash weights has dwindled and apparently they are now “vintage” items on marketplace. What other simple diy ideas are out there short of spending $20 a piece on 5 pound mushroom anchors?

They are used on semi sporty conditions so need to be somewhat heavy.

I too have used sash weights but found they did not hold well where I hunt with strong tides and current. I am a pipe fitter and turned to using old pipe flanges and “blind flanges “. They hold great and different sizes are different weights. I also got my hand on some stainless ones great for in the salt where I hunt. You could probably find them at a scrap yard

 

[Carl]

I’ve seen guys use old brake rotors for weights for beaver trapping slide wires.
Probably good option for long lines too.

 

[HenryHawthorne]

I’ve seen guys use old brake rotors for weights for beaver trapping slide wires.
Probably good option for long lines too.

Funny, was about to say the same.

 

[Kevin Puls]

I’m saving so Guinness cans (N/A for dry January) and am going to fill them with lead.

 

[R.A. Nevins]

I did a little searching and didn’t come up with much. I need some more long line weights. My supply of sash weights has dwindled and apparently they are now “vintage” items on marketplace. What other simple diy ideas are out there short of spending $20 a piece on 5 pound mushroom anchors?

They are used on semi sporty conditions so need to be somewhat heavy.

i have a bunch of spare sash weights in NH near Hanover/Dartmouth. Make me an offer if you wan some

 

[Scott Gilliland]

I've used old sash weighs as well. They work great for long lines when there is not a lot of current. I used to hunt in the Bay of Fundy, and when the tide runs you can watch your decoys drift away as the currents drag your set. Can get really frustrating when the birds are decoying to the end go the set!

I've tied several types of anchors. I've tried those folding grapnels - work the same if you tie the on or you just throw them overboard. I'm now using a 6-8 lb pyramid weight. I had a mould welded up for a 4 sided pyramid. It has a bracket that allows me to mount a stainless eye bolt or a bronze loop. They work ok, but I think next time I'd switch to a 3-sided pyramid that is a little bit longer relative to the width of the base.

The pyramid works well because it turns on its side and digs in as you pull on it. As I mentioned, I'd change he shape of mine to make them a little longer (taller). The shape I have now is a little short and when you pull on it it can tip over onto the eye. Note sure if you can picture it, if it was longer, (taller) the centre of gravity would be further back and might keep to digging in. The ones I have now work fine, but with a better shape I mine be able to get by with less weight.

Pyramid weights are used a lot on our salmon canoes. For canoe weights they often make the mould with the top cut off. I might try this with the next mould.

 

[tod osier]

I've used old sash weighs as well. They work great for long lines when there is not a lot of current. I used to hunt in the Bay of Fundy, and when the tide runs you can watch your decoys drift away as the currents drag your set. Can get really frustrating when the birds are decoying to the end go the set!

I've tied several types of anchors. I've tried those folding grapnels - work the same if you tie the on or you just throw them overboard. I'm now using a 6-8 lb pyramid weight. I had a mould welded up for a 4 sided pyramid. It has a bracket that allows me to mount a stainless eye bolt or a bronze loop. They work ok, but I think next time I'd switch to a 3-sided pyramid that is a little bit longer relative to the width of the base.

The pyramid works well because it turns on its side and digs in as you pull on it. As I mentioned, I'd change he shape of mine to make them a little longer (taller). The shape I have now is a little short and when you pull on it it can tip over onto the eye. Note sure if you can picture it, if it was longer, (taller) the centre of gravity would be further back and might keep to digging in. The ones I have now work fine, but with a better shape I mine be able to get by with less weight.

Pyramid weights are used a lot on our salmon canoes. For canoe weights they often make the mould with the top cut off. I might try this with the next mould.

View attachment 72006

Agreed on the pyramid. If I didn't have a bunch of cast lead mushrooms, that is the direction I'd go.

As you pointed out they work great for drift anchors, the one in my pic is 17 pounds and I made the mold out of plywood and caulked with clear silicone. I could have gotten a bunch out of that mold, I was surprised how well it held up (plus it was a fun exercise in cutting angles on the miter saw). That would be a good option for someone starting new.

The best weights I've seen were long pyramids (think ice cream cone proportions), I think it was Steve Sutton that had them, they were sand cast and worked really well, don't know who he got them from.