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Wondering if anyone makes their own bottom bouncers and what you use for a mold, wire & so on. I appreciate any responses.

If you are talking about a bait rig that bounces along bottom I use a common nail for the weight. I cut the point off the nail. Tie on at the head of the nail. 3 way swivel 8 inches above the nail. A single hook (bait) or a fly on a foot or two of line to the swivel. Keep your line tight and your rod tip high on the drift.

I have never made my own, as you can pick them up for a few bucks each and they last years and years but I saw a guy using a coat hanger twisted and fashioned that way and he used one of those pac man weights (with the cut out and the rubber channel) before. I'm sure it worked fine.

see link ....

https://www.google.com/search?q=inli...H4ssWzNHAWsA_M

or these "rubber core" ones

https://1source.basspro.com/news-tip...ishing-sinkers

You can buy molds or even make your own out of high temp silicone. Smooth on makes a silicon that would work well. There is smooth on dealers in Edmonton and Calgary I believe.

If you plan to make them often buy an Aluminum mold. Try luremaking.com in Ontario or lurepartsonline.com in the US

Are you actually loosing enough of them that the cost of the equipment is justified to make your own? I think I have been using the same 2 oz bottom bouncer for 4 seasons now. Fishing almost every weekend from opening till end of October.

I spend more money making jigs and beef jerky than I would spend buying them at a store. OP is probably looking at it from a hobby standpoint.

I do too, but the upside is that I have way more gear than if I bought commercially.

Do-it has a bottom bounce mold they produce the inserts too. Mind you the inserts for bottom bouncers should be easy enough to DIY too.

I probably left 8 or so in the lake bottom this year fishing in the rocks. Most were lost by my greenhorn friends but sometimes the rocks win. As well I have a habit of teaching people about bottom bouncing & end up giving some away every year. I already have enough lead to make 100 2 oz bouncers. Money wise I don't see a benefit but I like making my own rigs.

I prefer slip sinker rigs to bottom bouncers. Especially in our loon crap lake bottoms. But hey to each their own