Drop : Easy-Drop

kitefisher

Sealiner
I saw this dropper which resembles one that I made about 15 years ago, advertised in a fishing magazine.The quality of this ,being made of a solid bar of Aluminium, obviously exceeds my feeble attempts by far.
The principle is the same however: Basically it takes two to ''tango'' with this method.It is attached to your kite-line between 20 and 100 meters from the kite,(conditions/terrain depending).Once your fishing outfit is clipped in by pulling the spring-loaded long leg of the dropper,inserting your swivel(at the trace),then the fishing-rod ''drives'''the kite, with the kite-rod operator merely paying out line.Enough line to always be slack between kite-rod and dropper,or else it will open up the dropper,and release your offering.

Kite is then let out further by the angler at a rate so that the kite-rod can keep up with paying slack line,without this slack line touching water or other obstacles,which would lead to ''premature-release''.

When desired distance is reached,kite-line slack is taken up,(or merely locked whilst fishing rod is still giving line),which in turn opens up the clip and drops your bait and sinker(if sinker is used).I have only experimented with it briefly,and used a diagonally sliced Carapau of about 8inches long weighing maybe 350g and a 6 oz grapnel which we could easily take out 250meters,using a Windsong 1mx1m with merely a puff of wind.

It comes inside a rubber-cap-sealed PVC tube,with full instructions enclosed,and retails for approx R200-250.per unit.Handmade by Piet van Zyl 083 780 4535,whom I think is in Kempton Park.

p.s In my experiment using a 1mx1m Windsong the terminal tackle was airborn at all times,obviously it would be dependant on size kite,bait,sinker and windstrength.
 

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Enigma

Moderator
Is it adjustable in terms of tension of release if you are sending out a big bait through the surf?

Bit pricey with the other alternative being the Goldfinger release clip at R65 each?
 

kitefisher

Sealiner
Craig,no its not tension-adjustable. It relies solely on the tension between the fishing rod which is flying the kite once the bait is clipped in,combined with the pull of the kite. I understand your angle regarding a very big bait through the surf,with the possibility of slack line between clip and fishing rod.One will have to physically test it and make a deduction...
Apparently the manufacturer has tested it in various conditions and with various sizes of bait and weight,which I havent,unfortunately.
 

mnyamane

Senior Member
Hi Alan, longtime. How are you doing in the casting comps?

I'm developing an interest in kite fishing and wanna try it someday. Now, for a kite fishing illiterate like myself where and how do I start, and is it useful in the Kzn waters in summer?
 

kitefisher

Sealiner
Mnyamane,(Sipho),great to hear from you as well.Thanks for asking,achieved what I set out to do,and now again focusing on other things a bit more. I would suggest that you spend an evening and browse through the Kitefishing section.Unfortunately ,because the Kite-forum was started quite some time after a lot of interest was shown did we have to draw all the Kite-related topics from under Saltwater section into this forum.As a consequence a lot of the topic headings simply read ''Kite-fishing''ás they were posted under the Saltwater section,way back .

Nonetheless there's some great info posted by a great many guys.Once you've done that, you can decide what will work for your application and what not.I suspect you are a Zululand fisherman hence the Summertime question? Anyways if my assumption is correct then I think the ""drop'' method will work for you ,especially on day one of a Westerly,as the Flatties which I presume you target, might still be around after a North-Easter spell(probably only on day one of the West).Be that as it may,first day of West is also good for Greysharks,maybe even the bigger ones with big enough bait taken out a bit further. I am not too sure about the North coast but Lower South,Salmon/Kob are also not averse to a Westerly. Mentally search the areas that you have fished for an outcrop on the Southern-side of the beach(lots of KZN-beaches are like that ,North and South-coast),and there's your Kite-spot on a Westerly.

Tight lines and once you've browsed a bit, and have specific questions ,load them ,sure you'll get the answers from the guys on here.:wfish

p.s. It need'nt be a buster-Westerly for you to drop a 6oz and whole chokka behind backline with the dropper above ,or any, if not all of the dropper mechanisms showed on this forum.
 

sandyslider

New member
Hi there.

I am very exited ... went to the beach last Sunday, dropped 5 baits with not 1 problem. My kite stays in the air, is very stable and my self designed and made release clip worked 100 %. It is a bit ajustable and we dropped small and large biats with 9oz sinkers. They drop by simply tightening up on the bait rod - no pre release and no shaking or pulling!

It seems to be a easy sport with the right gear.

Anybody interested, I am having some kites made and will look to sell a starter kit (Fold away kites - 1 large and 1- medium with 4 home made release clips @ R500)

See you on the beach .... NW this weekend!!
 

Enigma

Moderator
Yip he should have posted a link

http://www.sealine.co.za/view_topic.php?id=75817&forum_id=82&highlight=kites+and+release+clip
 

sandyslider

New member
sorry! i am IT / Computer / Technology challenged. I hope this does not spill over to my fishing.

thank you for showing me what to do - next time.

Tight lines all - long weekend coming with West /North West winds in CT - Kites up!!

Lets post some pics of good fish next week.
 

Psy

Sealiner
I saw this piece of kit today at the tackle shop.
It looks the goods...Im sure it will do the job too.
A little explanation posted with the Easy Drop.

:)
 
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