So what is the white plate thing sticking up? Is it on a spring hinge? What is a "coffee can hinge?"
The white plate is a rectangular piece of plastic about 1/8" thick. It serves as the access door to the bait holding area (it is in the open position in the above photo). The coffee can hinge is just a plain hinge that I got out of my coffee can of miscellaneous hinges. I have coffee can bolts, nuts, screws, springs, caps, etc. LOL - sorry for the confusion.
The black rubber strap is a handle for carrying it or just to hold the bait door down? I think I see another metal handle sticking up to the far right of the top of the cage maybe that is for hanging it up to dry?
The black rubber strap is part of a rubber bungee cord that has been cut to length and had holes punched in it so that it could be bolted to the cage. It serves as a holder to keep the bait door closed. The metal handle on the far right is to carry it by and wrap up the chain that I use to hang it in the water.
If the bait is in a sock then you aren't using visual clues just smell? I always thought if I used fish pellets or dog food or bread that it was the visual clues that drew the fish in. The bait enclosure does it go all the way down to the bottom of the cage?
I have not used anything but a sock for the bait, so it's the smell that attracts the fish. I do have my eye open for something like an over sized hot tea infuser to use instead of the sock...the sock is not fun to clean out as I don't want to throw a mushy food filled sock in the trash.
Something that would let the food be visible and escape some might even work better, but I have not found the right junk to make that yet.
The bait enclosure goes from top to bottom. It's just a mesh tube fastened between the top and the bottom.
I watched this video before starting my build. I had to apply the zipties by hand. Gloves and sleeves would have kept some of my blood in.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5DNd0ubSGE
