Hip Shooter Mark #3
Printed From: The Fishing Website
Category: Saltwater Fishing
Forum Name: Saltwater Flyflingers
Forum Description: A forum for saltwater fly fishing enthusiasts
URL: https://www.fishing.net.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=101150
Printed Date: 20 Sep 2026 at 11:42pm
Topic: Hip Shooter Mark #3
Posted By: FishMan
Subject: Hip Shooter Mark #3
Date Posted: 16 May 2014 at 1:36pm
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My previous two efforts at hip shooters weren't that great. Number one was a round bucket that suffered from roundness and the fact that the light plastic version I used didn't last very long. Also the bottom surface area was not large enough, nor did I get around to putting line control spikes in it. Version two was also round and made out of the closed cell rubber foam that the commercially produced hip-shooters were made of. It was difficult to glue to together, took a long time to build, and also suffered from roundness, small area, and lack of spikes. Its big advantages were lightness and comfort. However, the hard bucket had been a great rod resting platform (put a bit of water in it and its a great place to rest your rod- especially when you're surrounded by sharp rocks, oysters and reel destroying sand). So, I went shopping again. Needed a container that had the oval hipshooter shape, plenty of volume and floor area and was big enough to act as line holding device and put down rod rack in one. Found what I was looking for in Plastic Box. Perfect. A five litre heavy duty rubbish bin liner($15). With a couple of belt holes it fitted snug against my hip and with a rod butt hole drilled at the back made a perfect temporary rod holder.  Finding long line-control spikes to put in this was a bit of a mission. Eventually I found some irrigation springers in the gardening section of the hardware store. These were secured to the bottom of the bucket with 75mm stainless steel dome-head screws plus washer.   Enough gap was left between the rows of spikes to allow for a fly reel to sit snuggly between them.  In the end I'm very happy with the result. Not a lightweight stripping bucket, but sturdy and useful. The black colour may make it a bit hot, but I'm planning on covering most of the outside in stickers. The inside is shiny smooth and hard wearing. The line slides out of it with absolute ease and the spikes seem to be doing a good job of keeping tangles under control. It should travel ok too, being able to lie flat on its side in a suitcase. I'll just have to pack clothes in around the line-control spikes. All-in-all I'm very happy with the result.  |
Replies:
Posted By: Jaapie
Date Posted: 16 May 2014 at 2:12pm
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Very cool mate! Just as an observation Craig, it might pay to add a few drainage holes in it. You never know if a wave will decide to try jump in there. I'm speaking from experience and it's a bloody scary situation when you're swamped and this thing drags you down. Admittedly it was surf fishing......... ------------- "Only when the last tree has died, the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught,will we realize that we cannot eat money" - 19th Century Indian Creed |
Posted By: FishMan
Date Posted: 16 May 2014 at 2:58pm
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Yeah, I should. But I'm also contemplating using it as a flotation device by turning it over and trapping air in the top half and then swimming across some of those annoying channels on the flats that are at chin depth. More intended for flats use than reef edge or surf use. I may drill some big drain holes in it but will retain the ability to hold about 2cm of water in the bottom- just enough to stabilise it as a rod holder. |
Posted By: Ahab
Date Posted: 16 May 2014 at 3:34pm
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Nice one! |
Posted By: Silvio
Date Posted: 16 May 2014 at 5:34pm
Kiwi ingenuity, nice one 
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Posted By: Millsy
Date Posted: 19 May 2014 at 6:21pm
| Nice, might look at making one of those up also. |
Posted By: FishMan
Date Posted: 19 May 2014 at 6:27pm
| I got some more of those irrigation springer tubes here if you want them. |
Posted By: Mike.Thomas
Date Posted: 19 May 2014 at 6:57pm
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Hi Craig, what did you use to cut the holes and slots? I always struggle with that bit! All the best. Mike
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Posted By: FishMan
Date Posted: 19 May 2014 at 7:11pm
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Drilled two holes of the right size top and bottom then marked lines between the two holes with a Stanley knife and ruler. Then got the point of the Stanley knife blade sticking out of the knife just a tiny bit then used a bit of muscle to cut all the way through. This bin cut ok. Some of those hard plastic buckets don't cut very well at all. |
Posted By: Mike.Thomas
Date Posted: 20 May 2014 at 5:37pm
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Yes, i tried the stanley knife on my last one, nearly lost a finger then the bloody plastic broke rather than cut! All the best. Mike
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Posted By: DeVille Incarnate
Date Posted: 22 May 2014 at 3:44pm
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Nice design and build Craig, I'm still figuring out how to get a base with line control spikes into my flexible stripping basket - it's virtually a must as the agro from a nest in the basket is just as much as a tangle in/on the rocks/oysters or what have you. ------------- Approach with extreme caution - I NEVER look where my back cast is going.... |
Posted By: nymphOmaniac
Date Posted: 22 May 2014 at 8:44pm
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i made a strip tray with bottom being foam and cut small slits and pushed though cable ties. i am sure this will work if you want to place it in the bottom of a basket. you can get squares of foam around 1-2cm thick from para rubber. |
Posted By: FishMan
Date Posted: 10 Jul 2014 at 7:00am
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The Strip Shooter #3 never left my side on the flats in Aitutaki. It was a very handy device in which to dump your stuff while juggling things around for a quick fish pic. Get your rod and the camera man's in there no trouble plus de-hooking forceps etc. As per:  It really made constant 20 metre casts so much easier too. I will add two more spikes to it to help improve the non-tangle aspects of it even more (I got a lot more tangles and could only cast half the distance when trying to cast wet line out of the water without the hip shooter) and will add a forward notch for the rod to slot into while in the holder. Apart from that though it's a winner Can't live without it on the flats. Also real good for packing breakables into while travelling.
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