Picked up a canvas house

[cherokee]

I bought a used canvas house yesterday for 70 bucks. 4 x 6 suitcase style. A few mouse holes that I almost have sewed up. Other than that real good condition.

Question, should I use a big safety pin centered over the spear hole I will cut for hanging the decoy? Any other ideas.

[merkman]

 Originally Posted By: cherokee

Question, should I use a big safety pin centered over the spear hole I will cut for hanging the decoy? Any other ideas.

The short answer is....

NO!!!

You don't want to poke any more holes in the house.

Patch up the holes you have in the house the best you can.

There are many good things to patch holes but, even duct tape works in a pinch if you tape if from both sides.

The other thing you can do is purchase some moving blankets and put them over the outside of your house. This covers the holes and provides insulation.

As for the hanging the decoy, I assume your house has metal pipes or pieces of wood running along the sides of the house. If it does take a piece of rope and tie it between these across your hole. Now you can tie your decoy off to that piece of rope without damaging your house.

I also use rattle wheels that clip on to the conduit of my house. These work pretty good. I loop the line over the rope that is above my hole so I can control where the decoy is in my hole.

[cherokee]

Thanks Merkman, the pipes are on the outside. Maybe I should sew a patch with loop right above the hole.

[bassNspear]

this is what i do, and you can decide if you wanta do it for not.

I drill a hole in the floor in the top part of the hole. From there i place a bolt through that hole, and then lock tight it down, then i have a bracket that i made where the reel is on there, and place it on the top of that bolt, then place another nut on top of it, and screw it down. THis way, if a fish does come and hit my decoy, the drag will go and let him/her take line, not ripping it all off. After i am done, i take the reel off, place the nut back onto the bolt, and have it all ready to go again.

Questions, let me know

[cherokee]

Bass N Spear, if I'm picturing this correctly at the top of your hole in the floor you drill a hole and set in a bolt with a bracket attached. Does your reel that's attached to bracket extend over the hole somewhat?

[bassNspear]

yes it goes over the hole about 1/4 of the way. and the reason i like it that way, is becuase you can see more in front of you, where its tough to see underneath you. The reel is on a bracket.

You can kinda see if in this photo, the decoy is reeled up tight to the reel, and the reel is on the bracket that i put on the bolt.

[cherokee]

BNS thanks for sharing. In my hard sided house I have a reel hooked up. I'll rig something up like you have. I have a short stubby rod that might just work out.

[Gordie]

cherokee the stuff that I used to patch my fish trap canvas was called tear-mender and it works awsome on canvas. the patch that I have on mine are going on its third season and still on tight.

it can be picked up at most hardware stores.

[bassNspear]

you can also try the iron on patches. works great as well, but you have to make sure that you place the house inside and let it warm up before you do it. I places some on my old mankato, which worked great for when i used it.

[cherokee]

Thanks guys, I've been sewing on patches of heavy canvas from a previous canvas house. Works pretty good and my daughters don't seem to mind pulling the needle and pushing the needle back through for me. Couple more tonight and I'll be set for this weekend.

I'll check out tear mender and iron on patches should I need it.

Dale

[moose_bay_traders]

Hey bass,

That looks like the spear I just bought from a guy over in North Dakota. I got just the head and have to put on the handle, were did you get yours?

[Capt'nMorgan]

I have also used that tear mender on my spear house, we have even used it on our roll up tarps on the semi-trailers, works and sticks awesome

[rattlem'up]

I took a piece of 1/2 in conduit bent it 90 degrees mounted a reel like bassnspear's to it and attatch it to the house with a conduit clamp into the wood. works awsome! then you are able to have the decoy/chub in the middle of the hole or swing it to wherever you may please!

[cherokee]

I'm working on something similar to what you guys describe. Tested it out last weekend and it seemed to work pretty good. Got two eaters.

Where do you find tear mender?

[bassNspear]

i love the spear that i have!! I never have to worry about it at all. The spear is built so strong, that im not worried about it at all. The thing that i do like the most, is that its balanced so well through the whole spear, makes it alot easier. Plus, i dont have to sharpen the tips as well. Just a all around great piece of equipment.