coolest feature in your fish house

[Big Dave2]

What is the coolest feature or idea that you have incorporated into your permenant fish house? Tell us your best inventions. Pictures are always welcome.

[Steve Foss]

I taped the metal base of a Coleman magnetic battery-operated light on the top pole of my Fish Trap II and tossed the light assembly in one of my totes in the Trap. When it gets dark, out comes the magnetic light, pops on the base at the top of the shelter and provides enough light without giving too much.

Also sewed a couple fairly heavy lengths of chain into the hollow sleeves of the skirting along each side of the trap's fabric. Keeps it tight against the snow and ice and the skirting can be maneuvered from inside, which is a pretty big deal with the old Trap II, which has no zipper door and has to be flipped up to enter and exit.

[dougger222]

Probably the rattle wheels that are set up with burglar alarms. Or DirecTV!!!

[bulldoggie]

Could you please explain more on the rattle wheel alarms ???That sound interesting to me.

[dougger222]

I got the alarm rattle wheel idea from a buddy of mine who has them in his custom built fish house.

Here's what you do. You start with either store bought rattle wheels or you could even use a spool of line mounted to the wall with a bolt. Once you have your spools or in my case rattle wheels you're in business. On a couple of the rattle wheels a dowel was removed and the bells were removed for more sensitivity.

I went to Radio Shack and bought all the following parts. First you have to find window or door burglar alarms with a magnet set up. They are small white devices covered in plastic with two small wires. Attach this to the wall or the base of the rattle wheel. Next you need magnets attached to the back side of the rattle wheel to be attached with good super glue. I first bought large magnets but now have four small stronger rare earth magnets glued onto the wood of the rattle wheel. You can use two or four, four will make more noise as the sensor sounds when the magnet crosses the path of the contact. Place your magnets evenly around the spool.

As an option you can add an on off switch and lights to each device but I learned with underpowered lights and switches they were quickly burnt out by the 9 volt system. If you buy the lights and switches buy larger voltage or wattage ones so they don't burn out.

Now with your sensors and magnets intact you simply wire the system to a central point were you will need to put your little buzzer and battery holder. It's also a good idea to add an on and off switch so you can turn it off prior to going to the hole so it isn't noisy. In my case I actually used a manufactured device to use as the alarm which has a light on it and a nice on off switch or just a light to turn on when the sensors are activated. The system I used was bought on the internet by a company that went out of business a few years back. The device was actually made to have line run through two sensors so when the line moved the alarm went off. This system would have required a device at each hole which would have been $10 per hole plus a battery for every hole. The device was taken apart and the switches and buzzer were wired into to make it custom.

About five years ago I spent about $90 and bought enough parts to do three separate fish houses. Being a newb, I bought plenty of spare parts! Unless the prices have gone up I'd say you should be able to spend under $5 per hole for this type of alarm system.

For convenience reasons I mounted the buzzer device within my reach while laying down.

My friends system is slightly different as his alarm sounds when the magnets leave the contact while my system does the opposite. He also has very sensitive spools made out of thicker x-ray paper which weight nothing. With this same system he also made a couple custom portable units made like this. He took a small piece of wood with a spike on the bottom mounted his custom spools to them took the same steps outlined above and added a battery, buzzer, and on off switch to both units. There pretty handy and I bet he could sell some if he put them in stores!!!

I've got pictures I could put on one of my web pages if anybody is interested in seeing the fish house units or I could take pictures the next time I see my buddy with the portable devices.

[hoggs222]

I've got the same style buzzers. I would miss so many fish at night if it wasn't for these things!

[K9Art]

Well i just started it today so if it works or if someone else has done it let me know. My wife decided to get ride of the hide-a-bed sofa in our basement. I have done some measuring and am going to take it apart and relocate it into the bench seat in my perm. house. I will lose some storage space though. Looks like it will fit and then should have a comfy place to sleep. If anyone has ideas let me know.

[Ears]

JJ, so when your wife kicks you out, you and your dog have a place to stay?

[K9Art]

thats the plan....the sooner she kicks me out the more i get to fish :-)

[schweady]

Hey k9, sounds comfy, but I've moved a few of these, and doesn't it weigh somewhere near.. I dunno... a TON? Not really a first ice option, eh?

[K9Art]

im guessing closer to 2 ton by the time i got it to the top of the steps!!!!! once i get it apart i will weight it. im not one for taking the house out until there is ALOT of ice anyway.