atractive bobbins/bite indicator

[Chavender]

Not a new item ,but new idea ,previously i'd shown my light bobbins made from a 4-6" piece of surgical tubing and a little peg



but ever looking to improve on things (i'm a compulsive tinkerer) ,I had the idea of using magnets to make the join ,so they're easy to put on and take off ,but strong enough too stay connected in use.so I looked for some tiny 3mm X 4mm magnets .



I got 10 , for £2 odd ,so can make 5 ring magneto bobbins using two in each



a quick lick (to lube them to aid insertion) a good tight fit .



bit fiddly doing them on their own so strung a few together ,made it easier to push in the other side of the tubing ring ,just found the end that repulsed the other fitted magnet ,inserted that into the tubing.



I had two attracting faces and the magneto rings was born ! ,work brilliantly ,a little clink as the snap together and need a little pressure to pull apart .



converted my other two ,so now I have three magneto bobbins ,quick to fix on and remove ,and light weight ,I've 4 magnets left so will probably buy some more incase I loose any of the rings ,plus I've still fancy getting some glow tubing and make some night versions for when I fish into dark or want a different colour too look @



I did experiment with using a screw in one side and one magnet ,but they just didn't sit right ,they was just better with the too magnets because they always snap together face to face.

I also tried gluing a bit of felt too one end to give a softer connection ,these are composite material magnets and can crumble with a high impact ,so thought a bit of felt would soften any blows and protect the magnuts



glued (only had super glue too hand so possibly not best as it soaked the felt and dried hard.



trimmed ,used sharp scissors too trim too size.


again I probably used wrong glue ,they just didn't sit right and the glue made the felt hard ,so I cut it off ,had too try or it'd bugged me,i've tested and tested then but can't break the magnets ,clicking together or onto other metal items ,so could only conclude in this application its just too low a impact at this size of magnets .So all's well that ends well .they're just great as are & no further need too over complicate things .

[Troydog]

I still use bread bobbins, heavy enough to indicate drop back bites......

[Chavender]

these have a little weight but not enough to cause resistance ,and should I need weighted ones it'd be easy too tie a bit of old line too them and add shot or pop the magnet out and stick some shot in the tube and pop the magnet back.but I mostly use such light bobbins when perch or roach fishing & just a visual indicator.these are soft on the rod too and can just stay on the line while you play the fish .

[LuckyLuca]

Nicely done Chav!
The magnets are a great idea.

[Windjammer]

Excellent fettling there!

[Olly]

Does this come from the clear aquarium tube version? Isotopes being inserted into the tube along with split shot if needed.

A small piece of Velcro was added, both to the rod and the indicator, which kept the indicator from moving and it became a large "rod ring" when both parts of the Velcro were clipped together keeping it away from the reel and 1st ring when reeling in and casting.

[Chavender]

ring bobbins are traditionally generally used ,can't recall where I picked it up from probably from a book or old picture,but the basic version is too use a matchstick as the spigot joining the bicycle valve tube or surgical tube ,the aquarium tube version a adaption of this earlier version ,and this magnetic version taken from that origin (see my other ring bobbin post) even with the original match /valve tube version you could add No4 shot inside the tube if wanted ,I like the isotope idea though and I have a few from by barbel days so could make a dark/night version using one .i'd think there's many variations on the theme the other trick like all ring /tube indicators is too use a old bankstick (that's lost its plastic head/rest) or knitting needle angled through the loop to minimise wind disturbance and work like a monkey climer .as the bite develop the ring slide along the needle and pops off .

[Olly]

I was using them in the 70's - I think it was the Tenchfishers (who still use a version of them) including Len Head who may have been the first starting to use it.

It is mentioned in "The Big Fish Scene" by Len himself as the plastic tube indicator. The book edited by Frank Guttfield published in 1978.

Also named/illustrated is the 'Betalight' bobbin bite indicator - I still have them and the isotope still works although less bright than 46 years ago!