The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

Our Barbel fishing exploits on the Wye in the early 1980’s, (Troydog’s fishing journal, Fishy Tales Past - Five), reminded me of the problem we had in accurate ground baiting with large quantities of hemp and maggots or sweetcorn, in deep or fast flowing water. Large commercially bought droppers were not easy to come by in those days, so we made our own. I used 1 & 2 ounce tobacco tins, modifying them with coat hanger wire, copper wire from electrical cable, an old drilled bullet for weight, and a piece of wine bottle cork to bury the hook into, finishing off with matt black paint.
I built up quite a collection of tobacco tins over the years, considering I didn’t smoke! some are far too nice to drill holes in, but are excellent for keeping bits and pieces in the tackle bag, if you can remember what’s in them!

Well used bait droppers from 40 years ago

Too nice to drill holes in....

Great use of old tins. A few years back I made a bait dropper from an old army mess tin big enough to deliver a pint of hemp/corn/pellet mix in one go from my punt. A friend was so impressed he made one from an old saucepan that could deliver two pints! And whenever/wherever he used it one was assured of catching Thames barbel in numbers.

Brilliant idea, just go to show when we can't get out what we come with.

Ha - I see some of my old Three Nuns tobacco tins John!! It was after an all night, all weekend eeling session that Mr Worthing, my dentist, said, “OK Tim we wont worry about your teeth today, but if you come back in one months time and I will tell you whether you have throat cancer.”
Ive still got half a dozen off your specialist tobacco tin droppers that you kindly made for me, but, not fishing for barbel any more, I don’t use them for roach and perch....

I too used to use "Monks Delight" but swapped to Condor later - then went back to cigarettes. then 20 years ago ---- gave up completely!

What great droppers.
We have this one at home but somehow I dont think it would be warmly received if reintroduced to the market.