Slammer's finished !

[jpollman]

Hi all.

I'm excited now ! I just finished the first of two Slammer's that I'm going to build. They're very easy to assemble. When you order the kit it comes with everything you need except the wood and a few simple tools.
I went overboard and bought nice clear poplar. I took the time to sand it well and stain it. Before I assembled it, I put a couple of coats of good exterior spar varnish on it also. This will help protect the wood for years. I know a lot of you may look at this and think "Hey, I can make that". I'm sure you could. But Matt spent a lot of time researching and developing it. I haven't used it on the ice yet but testing it out in my family room, it seems to work very well. The kits are VERY reasonable. I'm sure you would spend nearly as much for the hardware by going out and buying your own. I'd suggest ordering a kit or two and trying them out for yourself. Here's a couple of pics of the finished product.


http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/500/1200slammer1.jpg

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/500/1200slammer2.jpg

[maxemus]

This setup allows for regular length poles. COOL!!

[1sh0t]

Hey John how does it set off, you know like hold down the rod and release it when a fish hits?


Just wondering cause i couldnt tell in the pic, but if i were to get one i would get it from him.

;)
Dan

[jpollman]

Maxemus,

the instructions say that it's designed for use with 4' to 9' light action spinning rods. WAY cool if you ask me !

1shot,

lets just say that I think it's a pretty clever design for the release.
I'd rather not give it away. That's why I took the photos that way. ;) Pick up a kit or two and you'll see what I mean. It's very elegant in its simplicity and would like to see the one who came up with it get the benefit of its design. I think you can understand. :)

[ice fishin' nut]

Good for you John,,,, I admire your devotion!!!!:D

Slammers are a cool thing, and I was gonna build 2 myself, but now I am gonna order them instead!!!!!

[SPORTSMAN]

:confused: :(

[hypox]

So, where do you buy these kits at?

[josfish]

very nice. i would like to know where to get these kits also. thanks in advance.
be safe
jos:D

[jpollman]

Here's a link to the web site.

Slammer web site (http://hometown.aol.com/slamcoinc/)

Or if you want you can drop me an email or a PM and I'll forward the order info to you.

[bigberniegb]

I bought a slammer last year and I can't wait to use it this winter.Could someone tell me what line I should use? Also I gues this is a big game type of system as in Pike ,Walleye and Steelhead Trout etcetra.What type of lure is good. If I tip a treble hook with a minnow what size hook should I use.

[jpollman]

Gary,
I've never used one before either. But I think I'm going to spool mine up with Berkley Whiplash. I don't know yet what sizes it comes in but Esox told me that the 20 lb has the width of 4 lb mono !! Sounds like just the ticket.

[pikeslime]

I JUST BOUGHT TWO OF THESE ALSO. I HAVEN'T DECIDED ON THE LINE YET, BUT THERE ARE A FEW THINGS YOU HAVE TO CONSIDER. FOR INSTANCE, BRAIDED LINES (FIRELINE, FUSION, ETC.) DON'T STRETCH LIKE MONO, AND THAT GIVES YOU LESS MARGIN FOR ERROR WHEN YOU HAVE A PIKE OR STEELHEAD CLOSE TO THE HOLE...YOU HAVE SO MUCH LESS LINE OUT THAN YOU DO WHEN LANDING A FISH ON ROD AND REAL. WHEN A FISH STARTS SHAKING HIS HEAD AT THE HOLE IS USUALLY WHEN I HAVE HAD BREAK-OFFS IN THE PAST. ALSO, YOU NEED TO GO FAIRLY HEAVY IN YOUR MAIN LINE BECAUSE OF THE LINE CONSTANTLY SCRAPING ON THE ROUGH EDGES OF THE ICE HOLE.
LIKE I SAID, I HAVE NOT DECIDED WHAT TO USE YET, BUT I WOULD BE INTERESTED TO HEAR WHAT YOU DECIDE ON. I WILL PROBABLY JUST USE A LONGER THAN USUAL TRILENE XL LEADER AND CHANGE THE LINE WEIGHT FOR PIKE OR TROUT.

[IT pimp 2002]

Seems like a great concept of hook set but with that long of a rod, it seems like it would be very hard to land a big fish. When we hook steel through the ice, we stick the rod tip of a ice fishing rod down the hole to avoid the ice damage to the line. The other thought is that you risk breaking you rod tip as the fish fight close to the hole. Anyone have experience with use of these and any tips on use?

[plugger]

With slammers I have had good luck with a couple of 5 foot ugly sticks spooled with 8# mono. In the cold we back reel rather than depend on a frozen drag. A group of guys I fished with a few years ago drill ahole in the base of the slammer to hold a 209 shotshell primer, a nail stuck through the upright to fire the primer. Talk about not missing a bite

[Matt Schalk]

I have used nothing but 8# Clear-blue Stren or Stren Magnathin with Slammer Tip-Ups since they were invented. I have had steelies darn near spool me with the line burning through and cutting into the ice and have NEVER had a fish break me off due to the line itself getting caught on the ice. It's usually the hook getting caught on the edge of the ice or a boffed gaff job that results in fish loss. I've had steelies and pike swirl under the ice and skip the line around the bottom edge of the hole - no break-offs - EVER. It is a good idea to put your rod tip past the bottom of the hole to free it from gouging into the ice too much though. I am also playing the fish with a 4' - 5 1/2' rod and a reel with a good drag.

For pike I use a 12" - 18", 12# steel wire leader with a #6 L375 Eagle Claw treble hook - the Slammin Rig. For steelies I run "straight 8" right to the #10 treble for wigglers, #6 Mustad 9260D for floater spawn bags, or a Glopedo steelhead jig tipped with a waxie or wig.

Slammin' Rigs (http://hometown.aol.com/slamcoinc/slamminrig.html)

Good luck Slammin' this season!

-Matt

[jpollman]

Thanks Matt.

I've been kind of wondering what I was going to use for line/hooks and such. I can't wait for DECENT ice to get out there and give them a shot !

GREAT product. Thanks for all your work. Looks like it's going to be FUN.