gate/clip on Fox Predator Drop-back indicators...

[img][/img]

I use two indicators similar to the one above, only they both have different gates & not a clasp.., it is a small bar that 'flips' open & shut supposedly when there is a take. Supposedly, i caution.. I have found that it takes a fair old tug to open the bar/gate.. the 2 recent Pike i have caught both failed to actually open the gate, the alarm went mad & the rod tip flinched, the indicator jerked up & down alright but that's all. Am i expecting too much for it to open or is it not supposed to do so ?

i've used fox micron p's with the same gate on them for 2 seasons mate..... i've found that if you fish with them tight to the reels and turn the gate so the end that opens is pointed more towards the spool (hinged end towards the ground) then it takes alot less of a pull to remove the line from the gate.
this i assume is an inbuilt design to vary the amount of tension required to release the line in differing situations where more/less tension is required.... if it was an accident it was a bloody good one lol

i just found this, i think you'll find it rather interesting mate.....
http://www.foxint.com/articles.php?lang=&article=25

Cheers Rob, thanks for that & a good link I do fish the gate close up under the spool, following advice from Andy M. I so far have used it with the bar horizontal but will experiment with this.. I was well impressed with the indicators/set-ups that Mad Bad & Adie1200 were using recently, with the rods elevated, totally different set up to mine.

The lads are bang on. If your line is close to the hinge it requires more force to open the line gate than it would if your line was closer to the clip end. It's simply a case of tilting the head back and forth until you're satisfied you've achieved the right amount of tension to spring the gate open. Try setting your rod up in the garden and try a few 'runs' until you have the tilt of the head set to your satisfaction. It's really quite easy to suss out.

.....Regards.....Andy.....

I think i know what you mean...? I usually have the line passing through the 'clasp' mid-way between the hinge and the opposite end which is the first bit to pull open. Rather than tilt..do you mean twist/revolve?? If i twist the indicator bulb head around i can get the hinge nearer the bottom & the other end near the top, so to speak. I will try and post a photo illustration, if i can A sketch/drawing is worth a thousand words, as the saying goes...

[img][/img]


This is the clasp open.

I have it set up like this, when viewing it from above, with the clasp closed & the line running down vertically

i set mine the other way round and almost vertically pointing at the spool with the open end of the clip..... i've never had much trouble with resistance that way mate

I get what you mean, Rob. I messed about earlier today with it but didn't get any runs to try it. I thought that is what you meant but now i know for sure, cheers mate..

no probs mate..... hope to get over your way at some point when petrol budget and the missus allows it lol

yeah, crap isnt it... fall in cost of oil barrels and no drop at the pump

Bazz wrote:yeah, crap isnt it... fall in cost of oil barrels and no drop at the pump

yup.... i passed the local asda on my way back home today and noticed petrols gone back up by a penny again!!!! and just when i was starting to hope it would go down below 79.9p too!!!

Bazz wrote:Rather than tilt..do you mean twist/revolve??

Sorry Bazz...yes that's exactly what I meant but it seems you've worked that part out yourself.

.....Regards.....Andy.....

I had a play about with the clip, tried rotating it in various directions & that made a slight difference. Outside in garden last night, neighbours 'twitching curtains' & peeping at the funny little man next door mucking about again To me, the groove that the line passes through should be a little wider, so you can sit the line nearer the opening end or otherwise. Went into local tackle dealer & asked if there is an alternative clip & whether an improvement can be made. He said the new Fox gates are crap & many people don't like them. He sold me the one shown below to try. It seems to be a lot better & much more adjustable.




[img][/img]

i had another little mess around with mine today when i got bored of having no runs and discovered something.... if you position the rod so the clip is an inch or so behind the spool, but still tight to it when clipped on the line, then it takes alot less of a pull to release the line from the gate because of the more acute angle on the line i.e. with the line under the spool it's at a 90 degree angle but with the reel slightly more forward it was at 45 degrees

Ah yes, that's a good observation and one I hadn't thought of Rob. It might mean a bit more footering around with the banksticks right enough (to get the butt-ring tight to the alarm and have the drop-arm set to spring where you want it) but once you've got it right once, it'll always be right after that so well noticed and good info.

......Regards......Andy......

HI all if anyone would like to modifi drop off arms with gate type clips I found that if you contact Fox direct they will supply them as a replacement part

That's good of them but nobody wanted the new line gate in the first place...lol
The PTFE line-clips are a far better.

as long as the clip holds the line and releases on a take does it matter what brand they are.

ei: rolls-royce vs ford escort they both do the same job(myself i'd have the escort)

Andy Macfarlane wrote:That's good of them but nobody wanted the new line gate in the first place...lol
The PTFE line-clips are a far better.

i know i've sung their praises in the past but recently i've noticed i've been getting more and more dropped runs before the line even releases from the gate on the new clips even with them set to a light pull to release them, just to clarify i use fox micron p drop off alarms with the line gate built into the head....... i'm attempting to make a modification to counteract this over the next few days as this never happened with my old drop offs (ptfe clips with variable tension), i'll let you know if i come up with anything that can help (obviously for those of you that have the same problem with the gate clips)

I'm going to end up going back to kirby grips and beads for making line-clips. A good stainless bead in the right shape should do it. Most art shops and haberdashers have loads of beads to choose from.

.....Regards.....Andy.....

lol andy, thats exactly how i've ended up modifying the gates!!!!
my lass had some kirby grips lying around so i nabbed a couple, re-shaped them and whipped some 60lb shockleader around them to tension them.
i havent taped the gates shut as i found when testing them that the grip was too small to fall off the line gate anyway.
hopefully this has cured the problem, i know that it takes alot less of a pull to release the line from the clip rather than the gate itself
[img][/img]

well done robh, they look the business,

anglers who don't think don't really fish?

I like the tensioning bit but what I'd do is snip the ends off the kirby grip and glue a bead on so you basically have what you have in your picture but 2 beads on the end.

i get what you mean andy but i always found that using beads like you described detracts from the drop back indication because they seem to cause a little more drag..... the way i've set these new ones up the line has completely free movement while in the clip so dropback indication is instant should a dropback occur.