Copy&Waste

Powerline Fishing

I've been fishing on Chicago's lakefront since I was a very young child. There is a certain culture that arises from people that like to fish but don't have boats. I never picked up on this culture until I lurked several chicago fishing messageboards. Like any hobby, hobbyists are nerds which can't wait to tell you about something they built... and help you along in your own projects. I've always heard the rumor or urban legend about powerlining rigs. Powerlining is essentially launching a high test fishing line out with an anchor and several baited hooks. Pitching a line out with several other smaller lines allows you to achieve distances (and in turn depths) that would be hard to achieve using the traditional rod and reel.

There are three main ways to pitch this monster line out into the water:

1. Throwing the anchor/weight by hand
2. Using a water balloon sling shot
3. Using the pressure of a CO2 tank (think potato gun)

Guess which one I'm interested in.... you guessed it... CO2 tank.

After perusing several messaging boards I've come up with the following bill of materials:

1. CO2 Fire extinguisher
2. 5ft of 1" pipe
3. some sort of pipe adapter (I'll figure that out once at home depot)
4. 12 oz 1" x 2.5" weight
5. 70' of rubber band/cord
6. A couple hundred yards of 10-12 lb test
7. Reel
8. two large swivels
9. 10 smaller swivels
10. hooks
11. beads

Then my additonail ideas:

1. Door stopper spring
2. Dowel rod
3. Bell
4. Screweyes

The plan I'm working on... still need to add snelled hooks.