54 replies to this topic

[Nazz315430]

Finally found a mold that is going to work.
Latest test fire got me out about 200 yards, the weak point was the frozen bait mold. Too many inconsistencies with it.
I had a friend with a lathe make up a wooden duplicate. Actually three of them, and we are making a bait mold that will be a perfect fit for the barrel.
It will be a three pack made of rubber, which is not sensitive to heat or cold.
Once i have that done, i am confident i will get the three hundred yards i am looking for, and then it's off to Montauk to spend a night or two there trying it out.
I'll keep you posted.

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[mrchow]

Only 1 problem tons of bunker but no fish on them

[Nazz315430]

Fished the Sore thumb thursday night, and the wind was bad, current was pushing my bait all over the place, and once there was a massive swarm of snapper chasing spearing, but never had a hit all night.
I threw everything from bunker, to clams and even fished for some Blackfish by the rocks with crab, and not a single bite.

[Nazz315430]

Just a little update on the SB.
Still fine tuning the mold, running into cost issues with that. But it's a minor detail.
So far i am getting just about 200 yards out of it fairly consistently,
If i can get the frozen bait mold fine tuned, i am fairly confident i can get 300 yards out of it.

[DrBrianDDS]

Any video?

[Nazz315430]

Not of the distance, but i have a few that show it being fired in the earlier stages.
Since the video, i have taken 1 foot off the length of the barrel, added a bipod and rod holder. which helps make it easier for 1 person to use it.
I have them on my phone and will post them later when i get home.

[jimmy958]

Hey OP, this is not you in the video, is it? If not, here is a video of a Blaster at work.

https://www.facebook...526785/?fref=nf

[Nazz315430]

Anyone can get one of those blasters, that guy is located in Florida and sells them for $1000 a piece, and the bait molds for $40 each.
I made mine, which doesn't look as nice as that for about $250.
I'm waiting until someone does something stupid with it like blow a hole in a boat or shoot a guy off a kayak and then they'll ban them.
At that point i'll be out $200 which is a lot better than being out 1000.
I have someone making my rubber molds for me, and that should be done in the next week or so.
So i won't be ready to go full blown until next season.
As of the last test in Oyster Bay, i was getting 200 yards per shot.

[Captain Will]

It looks like, from the pic earlier in the thread, that you are using a ball valve and a PVC barrel.
If you want maximum distance, IMO you would benefit from studying how higher end potato guns and t shirt launchers are made. Look into a sprinkler valve (bleeding off manually pops a diphragm with much better flow characteristics than opening a ball valve, and an easy retrofit to your system) and using extruded aluminum or DOM steel tube because that has a smooth wall and should get you a lot better performance than PVC. Even ABS is smoother than PVC., all the PVC pipe I have ever seen is all ripply on the inside and that equates to friction.

How is your line currently fed? Directly from your rod/reel combo or a front mounted spool, or ?? That tether is probably the other major drag contributor.

I wouldn't pa y a thousand bucks for something I could make myself either, who cares what it looks like, if it does the job.

[Nazz315430]

I am using 90 b steel leader that is going to a split ring to the main one off the reel. The steel leader is about 7 ft long. That is how i attached the frozen bait bullet to the reel.
It is a coated leader, and is pretty flexible.
I agree what you are saying about friction. But I am already getting 200 yards, I expect with eh bait mold refined, then if i'm getting 250-300 yards, then what more can i ask for.
I can only imagine what it would be like trying to reel in a big fish from 300 yards out. lol

[Captain Will]

, then if i'm getting 250-300 yards, then what more can i ask for.

I was gonna say 400 yds, 'cuz that's just the way I think.

[LiDad]

Looks like you have to freeze the bait/rig projectile. Not the best bait in many cases for bass.

[Nazz315430]

It takes about 2 minutes on average for a huge bunker chunk to thaw out. The other thing that you should do, is not only use water to freeze the projectile, but make it a chum mix. Serves a dual purpose, it gets the projectile and bait out there, and scents and makes the water more attractive with the chum.
Also remember you don't have to necessarily target only bass, this will work with any species fish.
Catching a big cow would be the icing on the cake, but to quite honest I would feel like it would be more an accomplishment for me to catch a big cow on something like a plug, or bucktail, but thats just my personal preference.

[LiDad]

My point was frozen bait in general isn't as good as fresh, even if just frozen a short time.

The pics show a lot of sharks but I'm not seeking shark from shore much.

[Nazz315430]

Agreed on the bait,
The chum just helps a bit.
I'm sure there is a way to fire a whole unfrozen bunker or other bait fish. It would just be a matter of having a disk or some other material between what your firing and where the initial blast of air comes through when you hit the valve. Might not get the maximum distance, but i would bet it would get you out there a fair distance 125 psi is a lot of pressure.