Ways to get sonar up off the ice to save my neck strain

[Cove]

Looking down at my sonar and rod tip for hours on end is getting to be a killer as I get older.  Hurts while I do it and for a few days afterwards.  I now set my sonar on top of a tackle box that buys me 11 inches but I could use another couple of feet elevation at least!  I drag my gear on a sled so size and weight matter.  Hoping the collective experience of the Forum can come up with some solutions.  Has to be light yet stable and ideally impervious to water and cold conditions.

[leechlake]

I've hung mine off of a bracket in my portable before with a rope.  Hard to keep it from twisting around though.

[arctic_scrap1]

Maybe a six gallon bucket with a lid? They're the same diameter as a 5 gallon. You probably already have a bucket you bring with anyways and a six gallon is a little taller than a 5 gallon. Keep a little gear in the bucket to add some weight to the base.

Edited January 20, 2016 by arctic_scrap1

[Neighbor_guy]

43 minutes ago, arctic_scrap1 said:

Maybe a six gallon bucket with a lid? They're the same diameter as a 5 gallon. You probably already have a bucket you bring with anyways and a six gallon is a little taller than a 5 gallon. Keep a little gear in the bucket to add some weight to the base.

When I use a flasher(meaning not in the spear shack or sight fishing) I set the LX6 on a cooler or 5gallon pail. Just a little bit off the ice makes a huge difference. 

[Cove]

I will use my 5 gallon pain immediately and perhaps, though my lid is a little convex, I can put the tackle box on top of the pail lid.

i will look at my pop-up interior and my clam interiors and see if I can suspend something.  I could see doing that e.g. put a plywood floor with a small diameter rope in each corner and hang it

Thanks all.  And keep adding comments if you have more.

[leech~~]

I know what you are saying but I like to have the flasher sitting right in front of the hole I am mainly fishing so I can watch the rod tip with the flasher to see the reaction of both. My other hole is a dead stick so I just keep an eye on the tip or wait for it to bend in half!

[Fireman196]

Had the same problem. You can make this as tall as you wish.

 

[leechlake]

sweet.  Frankly you could also make a "take apart" type table using pvc pipe.  

[leech~~]

1 hour ago, Fireman196 said:

Had the same problem. You can make this as tall as you wish.

 

 

Holy dump that is sweet, must have a strong roof to hang upside down like that! I'm sure you can do some good sight fishing that way looking right down the hole!

[Cove]

Fireman, your creation with PVC is impressive.  A collection of 90 degree elbows and 60 degree (?) and a saw opens up a lot of creations.  I have not done that sort of thing but imagine not too hard if access to the parts and a good saw.  Will try the 5 or 6 gallon pail but keep what amounts to adult tinker toys in mind.  Thanks.  Very cool.

[leech~~]

Here let me set you straight!

[dl117]

I always just flip my 5 gallon pail over that I carry the vexilar in and use that.

[Boar]

use a few mirrors positioned just right.

[Cove]

So, Leech, you fish over top of your sonar?  The hole is behind your apparatus from appearances.  Interesting.  If I was to use the PVC I could build it up higher to save my neck from bending down.  Sure looks neat.

[leech~~]

4 hours ago, Cove said:

So, Leech, you fish over top of your sonar?  The hole is behind your apparatus from appearances.  Interesting.  If I was to use the PVC I could build it up higher to save my neck from bending down.  Sure looks neat.

Bahahah, no that is Fireman196's setup. I just fixed his picture for him.

[RebelSS]

An upside down plastic milk carton box works too. Can you still even find those?!

[leech~~]

1 hour ago, RebelSS said:

An upside down plastic milk carton box works too. Can you still even find those?!

Crate, milk crate.

[Fireman196]

8 hours ago, Cove said:

So, Leech, you fish over top of your sonar?  The hole is behind your apparatus from appearances.  Interesting.  If I was to use the PVC I could build it up higher to save my neck from bending down.  Sure looks neat.

Cove,

Yes, I fish over top of my pvc stand. It is 90 and 45 degree elbows and I cut it with a standard pipe cutter you would use with copper pipe. Greatly reduces the mess from cutting with a saw when assembling it in the house. When I use a Marcum camera i position that in the corner and can watch all three (rod tip, vex, and marcum) at the same time without using up all my real estate in the shelter. I put a rod holder on the front and attached a bread pan(?) in the back to hold stuff. They are made out of aluminum and won't rust. It fits a vex battery perfectly for running lights etc.

3 hours ago, leech~~ said:

Bahahah, no that is Fireman196's setup. I just fixed his picture for him.

Leech,

Thanks for fixing the pic. I had no idea what you were talking about as I replied via my Ipad and the pic is correct on there. I didn't notice it was upside down until I logged in on my home computer.

[slammer]

I took a 3/8' thick piece of plastic and cut out to fit inside 5 gal bucket.  Put in short screws around the top of bucket about 3 inches down so lid will not fall in bucket.  Bolted the Vex to lid and it sits up nice and high now.  When done fishing,  flip the lid over and vex, battery, tackle and whatever else you want is inside the bucket.  Then I snap one of those swivel seat cushions on the bucket and go.

[Lud]

I always use the 6 gallon bucket I bring it out in.

I have a screw top lid on my 6-gallon bucket.  My vex and my hot seat fit in there nicely and then I just screw the top on.  When I am fishing, I just take the vex and the hot seat out, screw the lid back, on and set my vex on top of the bucket.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Leaktite-Screw-Top-Black-Lid-for-5-Gal-Pail-Pack-of-3-209299/203923741

 

[RebelSS]

20 hours ago, leech~~ said:

Crate, milk crate.

Ya, that's it! Brain fart! 

[avsfan605]

I bought two folding stools from walmart for $10.00 each.  I sit on one and my Vexilar sits on the other, now I can look straight ahead at the dial and have my rod up where I can see it. No more neck pain

[lovebigbluegills]

The opening I cut in this particular bucket is 3.5x7, and works well to put your scoop in as well as any fish you keep.

[Rope]

I use a Genz Blue Box. Made to fit into the top of a 5-7 gal. bucket. I have a LX-6 and a FL-22 rigged this way.

[fishhook34]

On ‎1‎/‎20‎/‎2016 at 4:02 PM, Cove said:

Looking down at my sonar and rod tip for hours on end is getting to be a killer as I get older.  Hurts while I do it and for a few days afterwards.  I now set my sonar on top of a tackle box that buys me 11 inches but I could use another couple of feet elevation at least!  I drag my gear on a sled so size and weight matter.  Hoping the collective experience of the Forum can come up with some solutions.  Has to be light yet stable and ideally impervious to water and cold conditions.

What I have started to do for the transducer when pulling from hole is put another stopper under the real one with a long zip lock tie.  I do not have to bend down to pull it for a fish getting tangled.