# DIY Stripping Buckets / Baskets - Again!



## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Guys, I felt were were killing Bonecrackers thread on Strip and Feed Research stripping baskets and got way off topic, which I'm guilty of many times.  So I wanted to start a new thread to finish any DIY stripping basket ideas, which there are a lot of great ideas for them. Sure, these ideas below doesn't necessarily look ultra cool in those F3 videos, but they are functional for just normal fly fishing outtings, especially if you are on a budget.

To answer the question for the pop-up mesh laundry baskets if they will hold a fly rod and run. If you don't think the weight of one or 2 wet towels is heavy enough in the bottom of it, when it's sitting in your cockpit, you can add extra weight the bottom with a garden hose coiled flat full of sand or even lead weights from an old cast net. The framing of the basket is stiff enough to hold your fly rod. I just take it off the front deck and run with it in the cockpit. You can also cut a disc out of plywood and put an old 5lb bar bell weight on top of it. But I don't think it's necessary.

I like the white with the larger mesh and just cut off the zip top and handles. White seems to be stealthier on the boat, though I have a black one for the jetties that I fish off of, which I just set on the rocks beside me.








http://www.walmart.com/ip/Whitmor-Collapsible-Laundry-Hamper-White/13905967



This one looks cool too, haven't tried it out yet, but weighting it down would work well. Plus it folds down as well.








http://www.walmart.com/ip/Honey-Can-Do-Canvas-Laundry-Basket-in-White-Green/22439304

One other thing is I've fished with a standard jelly bean shaped stripping basket on the deck and just kicked it around if I wanted to switch positions. The pick it up, set it in the cockpit and place the rod it it, facing/pointing to the rear of the boat and run that way and not had much problems doing so.















http://www.walmart.com/ip/Sterilite-1.25-Bushel-Hiphold-Laundry-Basket-White-6-Pack/44785739


or this....









http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=116178


This one below would be a good one since it's shorter, has handles to easily move around with a wider throat. Maid by rubbermaid. I would add some materials to the bottom for non-skid and some weight in the inside to hold it in place. Then take a rubber foam mat cut to fit with large zip ties pushed through it for the fingers.








http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=116202




We had a thread a while back on this subject of DIY stripping baskets and* BayStYat*
did a cool DIY cutout striping basket you should also check out.
http://www.microskiff.com/threads/stripping-barrel.22387/
So check that thread out.


Btw, I'm going to the Western Antilles in May and was looking for new ideas to pack along a folding stripping basket HEre's what I came up with that folds out of the way. I'm ordering boat and trying out here to see which one works best. I'm planning on adding straps for my waist and possibly my thigh. I'm also adding a thick foam pad with large zip ties pushed through it for the fingers to keep the flyline from tangling in the bottom of the basket.

I like the wide throat of this one to make it easy to throw line in it. But I'm not so sure if it's deep enough to keep the line in the bottom if it's windy.








http://www.walmart.com/ip/45414851


I like the fact that it's deeper so I don't have to worry about my flyline blowing out if it's windy (I'm not crazy about shallow pan stripping baskets when it's windy). Plus I might be able to set my flyrod in it if it's also strapped to my thigh. But I don't want the lenght to get in my way and also concern if the throat is wide enough to not interfere with throwing line in.








http://www.walmart.com/ip/40821800

I'll let you know which one works better.

Ted Haas


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

LOL.... I get that feeling everyone's got that... "that looks lame" feelin...

Maybe so, but inexpensive and funtional.


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## bryson (Jun 22, 2015)

I appreciate the write up -- I currently use a plain white trash can with a wet towel in the bottom, but I might get a collapsible one soon. I went with the hard-sided on originally because I like to put my rod in it when I'm not actively fishing, but it looks like the collapsible one might work fine as well.


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## NoeSmyrnaBch (Aug 19, 2013)

Am I the only one that can't regularly strip into the bucket?
I end up with line in the bucket, around the bucket, out of the bucket, under my feet. I think a mat is more my style....or just let it flow wherever it wants to go lol


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## blackmagic1 (Jul 3, 2014)

I like this. Plastic bottom with holes on the bottom also.


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## salt_fly (Apr 23, 2012)

Backwater said:


> Guys, I felt were were killing Bonecrackers thread on Strip and Feed Research stripping baskets and got way off topic, which I'm guilty of many times.  So I wanted to start a new thread to finish any DIY stripping basket ideas, which there are a lot of great ideas for them. Sure, these ideas below doesn't necessarily look ultra cool in those F3 videos, but they are functional for just normal fly fishing outtings, especially if you are on a budget.
> 
> To answer the question for the pop-up mesh laundry baskets if they will hold a fly rod and run. If you don't think the weight of one or 2 wet towels is heavy enough in the bottom of it, when it's sitting in your cockpit, you can add extra weight the bottom with a garden hose coiled flat full of sand or even lead weights from an old cast net. The framing of the basket is stiff enough to hold your fly rod. I just take it off the front deck and run with it in the cockpit. You can also cut a disc out of plywood and put an old 5lb bar bell weight on top of it. But I don't think it's necessary.
> 
> ...


Here's mine:
Two gallon buckets, stainless steel wire, some plastic auto door trim, and it works fine.


Backwater said:


> Guys, I felt were were killing Bonecrackers thread on Strip and Feed Research stripping baskets and got way off topic, which I'm guilty of many times.  So I wanted to start a new thread to finish any DIY stripping basket ideas, which there are a lot of great ideas for them. Sure, these ideas below doesn't necessarily look ultra cool in those F3 videos, but they are functional for just normal fly fishing outtings, especially if you are on a budget.
> 
> To answer the question for the pop-up mesh laundry baskets if they will hold a fly rod and run. If you don't think the weight of one or 2 wet towels is heavy enough in the bottom of it, when it's sitting in your cockpit, you can add extra weight the bottom with a garden hose coiled flat full of sand or even lead weights from an old cast net. The framing of the basket is stiff enough to hold your fly rod. I just take it off the front deck and run with it in the cockpit. You can also cut a disc out of plywood and put an old 5lb bar bell weight on top of it. But I don't think it's necessary.
> 
> ...


Here's mine:
Two 5 gallon buckets, stainless steel wire, plastic auto door trim.....works great!

Salt_fly


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## RobA (Aug 21, 2015)

Backwater said:


> This one below would be a good one since it's shorter, has handles to easily move around with a wider throat. Maid by rubbermaid. I would add some materials to the bottom for non-skid and some weight in the inside to hold it in place. Then take a rubber foam mat cut to fit with large zip ties pushed through it for the fingers.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


This is what I use. I put egg sinkers in a plastic tube to weight the bottom. It won't blow over and the large mouth makes it fairly easy to strip into. No problems with anything catching the flyline.


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## RunningOnEmpty (Jun 20, 2015)

Thanks for the ideas backwater.


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## nehrkesm (Aug 11, 2013)

I have made a few of these pop-up style over the years and love them. Here are the 2 big things I have learned:
1) Get solid wall - the mesh wall lets the breeze through and pushes all the line to one side
2) Get a tall one - the most recent ones I bought on Amazon are a little shorter, and it takes more effort to hit. Plus it does not hold the rod up as well while running. 

I get the pop-up circular nylon clothes basket, cut the handles off the top, and drop a piece of plywood in the bottom then a piece of hard foam matting over it. They collapse for stowing and last a few years till you lose them to rust, but they are cheap, so who cares? As for looks, I look better with a fish in my hands, and they help me do that when windy!


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

nehrkesm said:


> I have made a few of these pop-up style over the years and love them. Here are the 2 big things I have learned:
> 1) Get solid wall - the mesh wall lets the breeze through and pushes all the line to one side
> 2) Get a tall one - the most recent ones I bought on Amazon are a little shorter, and it takes more effort to hit. Plus it does not hold the rod up as well while running.
> 
> I get the pop-up circular nylon clothes basket, cut the handles off the top, and drop a piece of plywood in the bottom then a piece of hard foam matting over it. They collapse for stowing and last a few years till you lose them to rust, but they are cheap, so who cares? As for looks, I look better with a fish in my hands, and they help me do that when windy!


I found that the mesh let's more air blow thru and therefor less wind resistant. Try punching small holes/slits thru your foam mat you put on top of the plywood, just big enough to pushup large zip ties thru it and then glue the zip tie head up in the foam mat (hope you understand that). The zip ties will help to keep the flyline in place and seporated. I've used 3/4" plywood and seems to be enough weight, tho I've also used the lead weights in the hose trick as well.

I also like the shorter, wider throat so I don't have to think about throwing the line into a smaller spot. However, if it's howlin, the you have to pay attention more. On the flip side, sometimes the basket/throat being too tall get's in the way as well. That's where I figured tilting it towards me by tying one side down with a small piece of paracord.

I guess I always take the stripping basket and bring it down to the cockpit area when I run and I'm not seeing too many problems that way with the rod standing in it.

Ted


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