Putmeincoach
09-27-2011, 05:39 PM
Over the past few months, I've seen several people ask about lobster snares. They can be expensive, some upwards of $50.. which is a high price to pay for something that will most likely be forgotten on the bottom at some point in time. While I prefer net and tickle stick, I use a homemade snare from time to time when I come across the big boys who aren't so friendly. I decided that I wanted a longer snare today, and while I was making it, I took a few pictures of the process to show just how simple it is.
Ingredients:
-PVC cut to your preferred length, diameter is up to you, I went with 1/2
-2 PVC caps matching selected diameter
-1 45* elbow adapter with one side being the outside diameter of your PVC and the other being the inside diameter (there's probably a technical term for this, however my plumbing knowledge stops at a plunger)
-Basic mono + 2 crimps
-Golf ball.. yes, a golf ball
-Butter!!! Can't have lobster without butter.
You can get all of these for a grand total of <$5. The golf balls I used were free.. from the jackasses who like to drive them into the ocean.
Step 1
Put the elbow on the PVC, pushing it as far in as you can. Then drill 2 horizontal holes, right above the lip of the elbow,that are large enough for your mono.
2. Take one of your caps and drill 2 holes in it as well, side by side.
3. Run your mono through one of the holes on the outside of the cap. Then run it through your elbow as well. You can just let them dangle now.
4. Thread the same piece of mono that you just put through the cap and elbow into the holes that you drilled in the PVC. Form a loop, pull it as tight as you can so the mono on the outside of the PVC is laying flat, and crimp it as close to inside of the PVC as you can. (I know that's a terrible explanation, see pic 1, it's self explanatory.)
5. Now that the mono is secured to the PVC, measure it out to the length of the snare, and add two extra feet.
6. Run the other end of the mono through the second hole on the cap, through the elbow, and thread it up the full length of the PVC, out the other end. Attach the elbow to the PVC and the cap to the elbow. Make the holes horizontal, should you be holding the snare vertical. (Another bad explanation, see pic 4.)
7. Drill a hole in the center of the second end cap, run the mono through it, and push it onto the end of the PVC.
8. AHA! The golf ball.. drill a hole through the center of your golf ball, thread the mono through it. At this point, go back to the actual looper part of the snare, pull the mono until it's the maximum size that you'd ever want it to be. Now, while the loop is that size, run the golf ball all the way to the top of the snare, and crimp it. Voila.. you're done.
I've had great success with this snare. You can grab the bugs by the tail with it, or use it to grab the knuckle of the antenna. When using it, hold the snare in your right hand, when you've got the bug where you want it, pull the golf ball with your left hand. Keep the pressure on the bug by pulling on the golf ball, and let your right hand slide up the snare to your bug..works every time. If the mono gets worn down, you can just cut the loop by the elbow and pull it out. There's no need to glue the pieces, they'll stay in place, and the pressure from you pulling pulls them together. I drill a few holes in random places on mine so it fills up with water quicker. The mono will have the memory of it's previous shape on the spool. I wrap it around a gatorade bottle and pull it tight then leave it overnight. This gives it new memory of the shape I want it to open with.
Here are some pictures of the process in order.
Ingredients:
-PVC cut to your preferred length, diameter is up to you, I went with 1/2
-2 PVC caps matching selected diameter
-1 45* elbow adapter with one side being the outside diameter of your PVC and the other being the inside diameter (there's probably a technical term for this, however my plumbing knowledge stops at a plunger)
-Basic mono + 2 crimps
-Golf ball.. yes, a golf ball
-Butter!!! Can't have lobster without butter.
You can get all of these for a grand total of <$5. The golf balls I used were free.. from the jackasses who like to drive them into the ocean.
Step 1
Put the elbow on the PVC, pushing it as far in as you can. Then drill 2 horizontal holes, right above the lip of the elbow,that are large enough for your mono.
2. Take one of your caps and drill 2 holes in it as well, side by side.
3. Run your mono through one of the holes on the outside of the cap. Then run it through your elbow as well. You can just let them dangle now.
4. Thread the same piece of mono that you just put through the cap and elbow into the holes that you drilled in the PVC. Form a loop, pull it as tight as you can so the mono on the outside of the PVC is laying flat, and crimp it as close to inside of the PVC as you can. (I know that's a terrible explanation, see pic 1, it's self explanatory.)
5. Now that the mono is secured to the PVC, measure it out to the length of the snare, and add two extra feet.
6. Run the other end of the mono through the second hole on the cap, through the elbow, and thread it up the full length of the PVC, out the other end. Attach the elbow to the PVC and the cap to the elbow. Make the holes horizontal, should you be holding the snare vertical. (Another bad explanation, see pic 4.)
7. Drill a hole in the center of the second end cap, run the mono through it, and push it onto the end of the PVC.
8. AHA! The golf ball.. drill a hole through the center of your golf ball, thread the mono through it. At this point, go back to the actual looper part of the snare, pull the mono until it's the maximum size that you'd ever want it to be. Now, while the loop is that size, run the golf ball all the way to the top of the snare, and crimp it. Voila.. you're done.
I've had great success with this snare. You can grab the bugs by the tail with it, or use it to grab the knuckle of the antenna. When using it, hold the snare in your right hand, when you've got the bug where you want it, pull the golf ball with your left hand. Keep the pressure on the bug by pulling on the golf ball, and let your right hand slide up the snare to your bug..works every time. If the mono gets worn down, you can just cut the loop by the elbow and pull it out. There's no need to glue the pieces, they'll stay in place, and the pressure from you pulling pulls them together. I drill a few holes in random places on mine so it fills up with water quicker. The mono will have the memory of it's previous shape on the spool. I wrap it around a gatorade bottle and pull it tight then leave it overnight. This gives it new memory of the shape I want it to open with.
Here are some pictures of the process in order.