Customised Fox indicators

I've been using my Fox drop off indicators for a while now and while they look the business I've never been happy about their lack of sensitivity for the 'gates' opening up when I get a take.
I've actually seen the bobbin hit the reel, the gate fail to open and the rod tip ending up banging with a fish on trying to take the bait!
USELESS!
So I was looking for options................
While Fox may praise the new gates they're no good for me on my water. The fish can sometimes be really finicky and give very light bite indication so I need something to suit my needs.
Now I know some anglers use a bobbin set up like for carp because the line frees off the clip more easily and it got me thinking what if i could customise my Fox indicators?
Well with time on my hands due to the weather thats what I did today!

Here's the originals


I found a set of old cheap bobbins waiting for the scrap heap


Then with the aid of a hacksaw everything parted company and I drilled out the body to take the new part


The final solution


Well I have to say I'm pleased with the end result.
Next time out I can set the clips up as light as I want and don't have to reply on something that is pretensioned with a factory setting.
I'll let you know how everything works out next time I get a run. (weather permitting! )

nice modification mate you shouldnt have any problems with those clips now, i had similar problems with the gates on my micron p's so i ended up modding mine as well.... no hacksaw though just a cut down hair grip and a couple of beads on the gate itself..... they work a treat. i'll show you when we eventually meet up.

Cheers Rob.
All I need now is a fish to test it out! lol

Nightwatchman wrote,
I've actually seen the bobbin hit the reel, the gate fail to open and the rod tip ending up banging with a fish on trying to take the bait!

Hi Nightwatchman, the cause of your problem is not due to your indicators,
the problem lies with your lead, t is moving when a pike moves away with your bait,

the rod tip banging you describe above, is caused by your lead waight bouncing along the lake bed, once your lead weight moves poor indication can follow, mimimum 3oz lead should cure your problem.
hope this helps,
Stephen

Hi Stephen,

I usually use between 2 and a half and 3oz leads, but it's definitely Pike as on the occasions it happens I've been fishing very close in. Usually in the margins to the left of my peg (say 6 to 8 ft) and on all but a few occasions when I've picked up the rod I've felt a resistance. If I'm lucky I'll set the hook home but on occasion I miss. Probably due to the fish dropping the bait when it feels the indicator smacking against the reel!
This fish did exactly as I described above but I think it must have hooked itself from the resistance of the rod tip. lol



I'll know for sure if I've achieved what I'm after once I get a chance to fish an ice free water.

They look spot on nightwatchman

Maybe you should send some pics off to Fox and let them know about the trouble you have had with them !!

You never know They might even get back in touch with you lol

Good luck with them mate When the Ice decides to clear that is

Adie

Definetely pike picking up your bait nightwatchman, but pike are not feeling resistance from your indicator smacking against your reel, they are feeling any resistance from your weight, because they are towing it around,
which is evident because your rod tip is quivering.

It's your lead set up that's the problem nothing wrong with your indicators.

I've just bought my first fox drop offf indicator. I only bought one (I'm fishing three rods at the moment) as I wanted to test it first. Used it twice this weekend and got two runs. It seemed to work fine. I think you can adjust the tension on the gate by rotating it. It worked for me and the line came out of the clip on both ocassions.

Well theres only one way to find out lads.
Bring on the fish!!

I'll monitor the situation and if I'm still getting rod movement with the new indicator I might have to step up to 4oz leads!
Don't want to go that way but we will see over the course of the winter.
I'm always willing to tweak my approach until I find the best way of nailing them!

Marty Mac wrote:I've just bought my first fox drop offf indicator. I only bought one (I'm fishing three rods at the moment) as I wanted to test it first. Used it twice this weekend and got two runs. It seemed to work fine. I think you can adjust the tension on the gate by rotating it. It worked for me and the line came out of the clip on both ocassions.

Nice work Marty.

I'm a believer that Pike act differently on different waters.
Some will take bait firmly and with confidence while others will be more delicate and unsure.
I'm just finding ways of catching the latter!

Mark Barrett posted this in response to a similar thread on the PAC forum

Funy thing here, I was talking to a bloke on the banks of the 16ft the other day, and he was slagging off the gate opening clips, saying that they were crap and never opened etc etc. I then took him down to mine and showed him the correct way to set them up, and just how easily they opened when set correctly.

I bet in 99% of the occassions its angler error that is making them not work. The gate opening drop offs should be set behind the lip of the spool. if it is in front or level, it wont work, behind it, they work like a dream.

Personally,I prefer the swinger attached to a front alarm and I don't see that the heavier lead should be an issue...but weren't we on this subject last week and no one replied?

Andy Webster

Andy

You could be right but I believe humans act differently at different times of the year and in different parts of the country:lol!:

Thanks for the info,

Fox already make a model like your modified version...

http://www.foxint.com/catalogues-products.php?lang=&product=312&catalogue=3&section=29

Marty Mac wrote:Andy

You could be right but I believe humans act differently at different times of the year and in different parts of the country:lol!:

Thanks for the info,

I didn't think about that post before I pressed SUBMIT...

I've been trying out one of Billys Back Biters on one rod and my old set up of a fox drop off/front micron.

All i'm gonna say is that Steve at Billy's will soon be recieving more orders....SOooo much better than the fox drop offs in every way.

megsta wrote:Fox already make a model like your modified version...

http://www.foxint.com/catalogues-products.php?lang=&product=312&catalogue=3&section=29

Yeah I know..
I wanted mine like the originals and wasn't prepared to trawl eBay for 2nd hand items and shell out more money when I'd already spent £28 on a pair of the new style.
Now I've got what I want and it was for FREE!

PS: Had a few hours on the river today and my indicators worked a treat.
Because they are adjustable I can tweak the clip to the strength of the rivers current.
The lighter the current the lighter the clip. Worked a dream!

stephen abbott wrote:Definetely pike picking up your bait nightwatchman, but pike are not feeling resistance from your indicator smacking against your reel, they are feeling any resistance from your weight, because they are towing it around,
which is evident because your rod tip is quivering.

It's your lead set up that's the problem nothing wrong with your indicators.

i had the same problem with the line gates on my micron p's even with 3oz korda grippa leads on with the gate set behind the spool, more or less level with the rear of the rotor and the gates pointed skyward!!! i very much doubt its the way nightwatchman has set up the rig because since i modified my drop offs i can fish anything down to a 1oz lead on my rig with no problems, and judging by the clips nightwatchman has modded his drop offs with (i used very similar if not same ones on my earlier drop offs) he will not have any problems from now on.

I use unmoded fox drop back indicators which work fine.
but when i fished for carp i used to get funny indications on my delkims and some drop backs ? then i switch to heavey leads which made the hooks set and every indication is now a run due to lead anchoring and the fish (even when it runs to rods) giveing a run.

never used a light lead since (good job i take a lot of lead out of the houses i work in )

sorry if the discription is not brilliant ?

if you still want to use line gates get the originals from mark houghton hes the inventer of the gate he gave me some about 6 yrs ago i took them t show mick brown who then took it to fox who made a complete pigs ear of them

Andy Webster wrote:Mark Barrett posted this in response to a similar thread on the PAC forum

Funy thing here, I was talking to a bloke on the banks of the 16ft the other day, and he was slagging off the gate opening clips, saying that they were crap and never opened etc etc. I then took him down to mine and showed him the correct way to set them up, and just how easily they opened when set correctly.

I bet in 99% of the occassions its angler error that is making them not work. The gate opening drop offs should be set behind the lip of the spool. if it is in front or level, it wont work, behind it, they work like a dream.

Personally,I prefer the swinger attached to a front alarm and I don't see that the heavier lead should be an issue...but weren't we on this subject last week and no one replied?

Andy Webster

the thing is andy even the fox ones are set up wrong to the originals that i have on the originals they need to be set just off the horizontal so as that when u get a take the arm reaches the lvl and the line justs falls away from the clip its the weight of the haed on the line and gate that keeps um closed not a spring as in the fox ones

that explains why i could not get the fox ones to operate consistently!!

i lost a pike the other day due to my fox gate clip not opening what is the best way to set the clip at first i tried with it vertical and it didnt open all the time then i tried it horizontal and it was a bit better but still not great i think im gonna swap the heads for a solar clip

deadbait wrote:i lost a pike the other day due to my fox gate clip not opening what is the best way to set the clip at first i tried with it vertical and it didnt open all the time then i tried it horizontal and it was a bit better but still not great i think im gonna swap the heads for a solar clip

I hope someone can answer you mate. I need the kids to sort the video player out

i know Andy can vouch for this when i say that in 25 years of pike fishing, i have NEVER EVER used a drop back indicator, and i never will. on one of my first ever pike trips, the bloke i was fishing with was using drop offs, line got trapped in the clip when he had a drop back and it never moved. only noticed when he saw his line was slack result.. pike with both trebles down its guts out of sight . i always use alarms up front with fox swingers behind, just as if i was carp fishing, and i have never failed to get an indication of a run..
not saying everyone should fish like this, as they say each too their own, but you will never find me using a drop off indicator.

i must sat i prefere the carp swingers than dropbacks