Spreaderbar thoughts ?

[R'nR Bob]

Consider this thread the SPREADER BAR COMPLAINT DEPARTMENT. What is it that irks you the most about the spreader bar? Is it too long, too short, too heavy, too expensive? Too wide or too narrow? Does it tangle too often? Does it submerge when you know darn well it needs to stay on the surface to be effective? What about the speed range? What about the sea conditions and the wind?
There are a good number of spreader bar builders that visit this web site and I believe they would welcome your comments and observations. As builders, they should and will, take your negative comments to heart and upgrade and re-design to help eliminate the negatives.
I suspect we should add some positives here as well as they will help to keep the negatives in perspective.
R’nR Bob……..very interested in reading the replies to this post.

[pitch bait]

I hate them, honestly. BUT I HAVE TO ADMIT THEY WORK WELL. I like to use them as teasers. I like the tournament cable spreader bars they work fine for me. Im using them as teasers. Off the hook bait and tackle in cape may makes one with Pink squids that worked extremely well last year.

[TOMMYV]

I'm glad you brought this up. Bob some if not all of those reasons are why my partner and I spent the time to develop the G-TEK prodoucts! For years we have always run spreader bars and done well with them, but it was always something. Tangling, picking up weeds, not staying in the water, baits getting compressed when you speed it up a notch. This is why we designed the G-TEK bars. Take a look at are site and checkout some of the pictures and video and you can see the diffference. G-TEK the STUFF WORKS!

[lazyfatass247]

I prefer to run a spring steel bar, with three arms, its just easier to deploy.

The reason that I prefer this is stealthy presentation comes first with a stealthy bar.

I also like to deploy bars with ease as I am generally the only mate in the cockpit.


I do not not like the extra fittings and bulkiness of must bars. This is why i tend to go towards a spring steel bar.

[92 feet down]

I hate them, honestly. BUT I HAVE TO ADMIT THEY WORK WELL. I like to use them as teasers. I like the tournament cable spreader bars they work fine for me. Im using them as teasers. Off the hook bait and tackle in cape may makes one with Pink squids that worked extremely well last year.

I'm with you, Pitch. I like 'em as teasers. I hate them most when wiring a fish.

[Squidnation]

BLUEFISH - Spreader Bars make great bluefish teasers!

One thing I have learned is spreader bars work and work very well.

In North Carolina people use them on the shotguns or long riggers.

In OC we use them on the flat lines and short riggers.

Jersey and North they use them in every position.

Some like stealth where just the squids are hanging in the water and the bar is out.

some attach birds to the bars to make them even noisier.

Some have to have floats so they can get drifter bites when other stuff is hooked up.

Some prefer they sink slowly so when the other baits get attacked and the boat slows, the bar starts to slowly sink where the majority of the school is lurking. Think about that one. Why is jigging so successful? Cause you are going down to where they live not up on the surface where they visit.

Some like 3 to 5 inch squids on the bars. Because they are matching the hatch. While some of the most successful charters I know purchase the absolute biggest squids they can find becuase it is their belief that they are trying to cause a ruckus to raise the fish from the depths - nothing more.

Some like them as teasers because they are a pain to wire or usually the fish outrun the bars - gets ahead of them and lose the hook. Some wouldn't think of deploying one without a hook - or two - or three

Some prefer a flex bar (some even like plastic bars) that will allow the squids to bunch up and spread out with the wake. kinda like watching a jellyfish swim. Whiles others use the a-frame style to keep the bars as straight as possible so the squids stay in perfect uniform position

I have not been doing this for ever but in the last 6 years of making and selling bars my biggest piece of advice would be. MAKE YOUR OWN! Don't get me wrong. I love selling complete bars. They work - you don't have to worry about making them - and you can blame someone else if they fail. But nothing beats the satisfaction of catching a big eye or yellowfin, bluefin or longfin on a bar that you tinkered with until you reached perfection.

Stop on by our store - http://squidnation.com and pick out your components or give me a call if you want my opinion.

410-726-3582 cell

bill

[R'nR Bob]

OK, we’re off to a good start. Pitch Bait, could you go into some detail as to why you “hate them”? This detail will (hopefully) help to improve the spreader bar, if this is possible, and I think it is. If the bad issues are documented here, maybe the builders can attempt to eliminate these or at the very least, some of the negatives. This is what this thread is about.
TommyV, I absolutely applaud your thinking “out of the box” and coming up with something new in the way of spreader bar design. You recognized the negatives associated with the available spreader bars and spent much time, effort and $$$$s to perfect your idea of a solution to the problems. Very, very good.
Lazyfatass247, assuming “three arms” is a three leader bar, correct? Like three chains? Three leaders as opposed to some of the five leader bars that are available? Less tangles while deploying and / or running? Why exactly do you prefer the “spring steel”. You mention “extra fittings”. I guess I am not real sure what you are saying here and will assume others reading here will be at a loss also. But, hopefully the builders will understand. Have you experienced the other bar materials? Hoping you’ll come back with additional, detailed comments. Thank you.
92 feet down, thanks for adding to this thread. The “wiring” problem you’ve mentioned; do you think there may be a solution? Is the problem the length, the overall bulk or some part of the bars design that you think could be improved upon that is causing the issue?
Hi Bill. As a builder of quality ‘bars, I believe you are very interested in the design and running issues that will hopefully come to light here during the course of this discussion. There is no doubt that you know some negatives and have done things, both design and construction wise, to help eliminate these negatives. Can you think of a customer complaint that stands out that you feel is impossible to overcome? What’s your biggest negative issue directed towards current spreader bars?
Let’s have some more COMPLAINTS. And, let’s try to do the complaints in a constructive manner if possible. Design suggestions? Anyone out there with what they think is a good idea or suggestion for the ‘bar builders?
R’n R Bob

[TOMMYV]

OK, we’re off to a good start. Pitch Bait, could you go into some detail as to why you “hate them”? This detail will (hopefully) help to improve the spreader bar, if this is possible, and I think it is. If the bad issues are documented here, maybe the builders can attempt to eliminate these or at the very least, some of the negatives. This is what this thread is about.
TommyV, I absolutely applaud your thinking “out of the box” and coming up with something new in the way of spreader bar design. You recognized the negatives associated with the available spreader bars and spent much time, effort and $$$$s to perfect your idea of a solution to the problems. Very, very good.
Lazyfatass247, assuming “three arms” is a three leader bar, correct? Like three chains? Three leaders as opposed to some of the five leader bars that are available? Less tangles while deploying and / or running? Why exactly do you prefer the “spring steel”. You mention “extra fittings”. I guess I am not real sure what you are saying here and will assume others reading here will be at a loss also. But, hopefully the builders will understand. Have you experienced the other bar materials? Hoping you’ll come back with additional, detailed comments. Thank you.
92 feet down, thanks for adding to this thread. The “wiring” problem you’ve mentioned; do you think there may be a solution? Is the problem the length, the overall bulk or some part of the bars design that you think could be improved upon that is causing the issue?
Hi Bill. As a builder of quality ‘bars, I believe you are very interested in the design and running issues that will hopefully come to light here during the course of this discussion. There is no doubt that you know some negatives and have done things, both design and construction wise, to help eliminate these negatives. Can you think of a customer complaint that stands out that you feel is impossible to overcome? What’s your biggest negative issue directed towards current spreader bars?
Let’s have some more COMPLAINTS. And, let’s try to do the complaints in a constructive manner if possible. Design suggestions? Anyone out there with what they think is a good idea or suggestion for the ‘bar builders?
R’n R Bob

Thank you, for the kind words. Does the normal spreader bar Float? Are's does.

[JaySmalls]

Like everyone has stated already, they are a pain in the ass at times but man do they produce fish. My brother-in-law has perfected the art of making these over the past few years which keeps costs down so you don't feel so bad when the dreaded bluefish invade.

We fish out of jersey so they have become a must if you plan on consistently catching fish around here. Not to mention it looks pretty bad ass when a big yellow or bluefin explodes on one.

[Joey Herring]

How the Fred Archer bars?? Anyone here have any experiences?