Cat Tip of the Day: Poor Man's Wind Sock

[SteveD]

This is a Cat Tip of the Day I first posted back in 2006.

Have you ever setup on a wingdam or just positioned yourself on the perfect current chute in your favorite backwater and the wind starts blowing upstream in your face and you cannot keep the boat positioned on the spot you want to fish. Here is a little tip that could help you beat the wind and keep your boat right where you want it. This is a home made wind sock that you hang off the back of your boat in the current and it will help hold your boat in position. It is smaller than a standard store bought windsock and easy to keep in the water and fish around.

You start by taking a standard 5 gallon bucket and drill 5 holes in the bottom with a 1 1/2" hole saw.

Then you drill out 4 evenly spaced 3/8" holes on the top edge of the bucket and run 2 pieces of rope through the holes, each rope about 6'. Run the rope through a D ring swivel (costs about $3 at the local hardware store). Tie the ropes so that the knots are on the outside of the bucket.

Snap a D ring on the D ring swivel so you can quickly hook it to a piece of rope to tie off on your boat.

Just toss the bucket off the back end of the boat, tie it off on a cleat, and it will fill up and keep your boat snug in the current and help fight the wind. It is easy to pull in and comes in handy for storing things in. Keep your spare anchor in the bucket when not using it.

[Here-Kitty-Kitty]

LOL Wow that actually look like it works. Not that SteveD posts anything that doesn't work out for the better.

[aanderud]

Trust me, if that works on Steve's battleship, it'll work on the average fishing boat as well. That tank Steve fishes out of can catch a LOT of wind, given that it's basically a house on the water!

Great tip, Steve.

[ec30_06]

Even a small bucket rigged like that woks with smaller boats. Good tip again Steve.

[wooduck26]

These Tips are the best Ive read online! Every one of them seems to be very well made, and thought out! Two Thumbs up!

-Dave

[mplspug]

Poor man's wind sock? More like brilliant man's wind sock. It is really something to see Steve operate in person as I had the opportunity many times last year. He runs a very tight ship. I can attest that all of Steve's tips are very valuable. I may sound like I am sucking up and well, yes I am. But that doesn't mean I am lying either.

[Ed Carlson]

Good rig Steve.

I would recommend you add a 5th line, to the front snap ring and down to the bottom center of the bucket...make that new line yellow (The contrary color Dump Line makes it easy to distinguish from the herd day or night)...now you made a "Dump line".

The "Dump line" will flip the pail and allow for easier retrieval in current...flip pail...dump water...slide in easily on surface.

I have made my drop/drag pails like this for years and it really does help in boat positioning in current and in wind.

[Shack]

An idea I have heard of, but never seen in action!

Thanks Steve for sharing!

[harvey lee]

Thanks for another great tip.

We may need to rename you to the Tipman.

[Slowhand]

Thanks for another great tip.

We may need to rename you to the Tipman.

Here, here.

[Here-Kitty-Kitty]

What is that like " just the tip nothing more just the tip, but maybe more if you like it " Now thats funny