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! )

thats how the origional ones looked before they changed them to the latch ones

that will do the job, i have to say i was not over impressed with the flick over clips. I still have the old ones that look like that but the PX alarm has that silly clip

DanDanUK wrote:thats how the original ones looked before they changed them to the latch ones

Yeah I know!
I've had the debate on several forums and Fox think the gate ones are an improvement.
I wanted them like the originals and wasn't prepared to trawl eBay for 2nd hand items and shell out more money when I'd already spend £28 on a pair.
Now I've got what I want and it was for FREE!

nice work...

They are spot on Gord, well done pal

Have some rep.

well done mate cant beat abit of a custom job to get things the way you want them

top job mate. i like em i love making fishy things myself. i made the marks mk ll's earlier from some miniture high light felts

the body of these are much smaller than my previous (mk l's ) haha i like the way the line clip fits in the end of these they look like they were made to fit

i'm pleased with em and they only took 20 minutes to knock together

what bits u use mark?? i could do with making some myself as im skint at the moment

Well who'd have guessed, highlight pens! Amazing.
Top job Mark.

you get a blue peter badge for that mark, how much for a set......

if i had the bits i'd make you em no bother but i've run out of the weights, clips and even the bar/stem. i had to take the old ones to pieces to make the new ones

mark u should do a step by step guide on making them mate for the newer members i mite try and make our kid some think ive got some old bobbins but what are u using for the stems

Mark,

Where did you get the your line clips from?
I've seen the solar ones but yours are a different style?

Gordon

craigpix2000 wrote:mark u should do a step by step guide on making them mate for the newer members i mite try and make our kid some think ive got some old bobbins ;) but what are u using for the stems

i used some some small bars off an old clothes horse in the cellar its been thrown out now though i could have got loads of it my mate used some plastic coated wire coat hangers thats just as good.
i'll try do a step by step tomorrow i'll have to use the bits i've already put together though

nightwatchman wrote:Mark,

Where did you get the your line clips from?
I've seen the solar ones but yours are a different style?

Gordon

i got em from erics in leeds. they were £2-£3 for a pair and the design is very clever they can be very slack if that what you want or very tight

very similar to the MW ones...

The original linegate that fox now use was given to fox by a lad called Mark Haughton, he is on the predator forum and he has started to make and sell them again, he is so upset about the way fox have abused his idea thaht he has started to sell them again. The lads reckon that its the best line release bar none.



Here is what Mark had to say about the new linegates

Right, a couple of pics of the originals....on this one you can see the wide linegate which opens with very little resistance (as opposed to the tiny Fox linegate). I`ve improved the actual gate arm - instead of a bead to keep the line away from the hinge, which could become loose and fall off, the new arms are shaped to keep the line in exactly the right place every time. The new heads are solid plastic egg shaped heads as opposed to the old cast resin kinder egg ones. Slightly lighter too, which makes them more suitable for paternosters etc where the heavy head could drag the float down, but still heavy enough to show dropbacks well. The line passage through the gate is so smooth with dropbacks, extremely heavy heads arent necessary unless baitboating baits out to several hundred yards.....

there not very tarty though.....

i was thinking of kinder eggs when the lads asked how to make some. that gate looks a bit fiddly but if it works then it works end of. i bet he's not happy he gave his idea away now they sell em at £14 each and have probably sold a few hundred thousand

mark wrote:i was thinking of kinder eggs when the lads asked how to make some. that gate looks a bit fiddly but if it works then it works end of. i bet he's not happy he gave his idea away now they sell em at £14 each and have probably sold a few hundred thousand

going to have a mess about today in the garage, see what i can throw together...

NIDGE MAC wrote:

mark wrote:i was thinking of kinder eggs when the lads asked how to make some. that gate looks a bit fiddly but if it works then it works end of. i bet he's not happy he gave his idea away now they sell em at £14 each and have probably sold a few hundred thousand

going to have a mess about today in the garage, see what i can throw together...

hahah yeah don't go sacrificing a garage for the sake of a set of drop offs nidge

my garage is neat and tidy i,ll have you know,

NIDGE MAC wrote: my garage is neat and tidy i,ll have you know,

I know it is mate still got the picture when i came round last year