Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Creating habitat DIY "Sputnik" Fish Attractors from Bowling Balls & PVC

I got one of these put together and thought I'd share the experience with y'all. It was fun and turned out pretty well.

The finished product ready to launch into the pond


Sitting in about 4 feet of water


What I started with; six free bowling balls


Measuring and making a template for the holes



Son laying on the templates


Drilling the 1/4" pilot holes; follow these up with 13/16" holes after removing the templates. Drill to a depth of about 1".



Jig we set up to saw the 1/2" PVC pipe; We set it up at 2-1/2 feet so we'd get 4 pieces from each stick.The other son feeds them to me through the door.



After drilling all the holes and cutting all the pipes simply drive the pipes into the holes with a mallet; there you go, your very own "Sputnik' fish attractor made from a used bowling ball and about 11 dollars worth of PVC.

Let me know if you guys make some or need any help.

Best regards,

Chip

...any signs of buoyancy?...no problems sinking?
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still my vote for most creative idea for the month of May! Can't wait to see what he does with the pins.
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(edit)...oh yeah...kickin' pond, dude!

Brettski,
Thanks.No problems with bouyancy, it settled right to the bottom and I threw it in from over my head to see if the pipes would break. It went down slowly as the pipes filled with water
Score one for the boys! They were a big help.
Chip

That's a thing of beauty.

Thanks Bruce, let's hope the fish think so.

They will. Did you see my bluegill condominium? There's a bluegill sitting in every hole right now.

Dang, now I have a use for that bowling ball drill press and all the bits I bought two years ago. Now I just have to find some used balls.

Bruce, find some bolwing balls and I can get the holes drilled for you.

Sorry Bruce I missed that post can you send or post the link?
Chip

Chip,
I wanted your instructions within this thread for future reference. There probably is a better way to accomplish this but this is the best I can do. Thanks for sharing your project with us.
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I use the full diameter of the ball so I can get out to about 6 feet using 1/4 sticks of pvc. I have the boys set up out in the barn working on it now. The circumference of the balls is 28" so I made some masking tape templates with 7 holes on 4 inch centers. Just stick it to the ball , turn it 90 degrees, put on the 3 other templates and you're ready for the drill press. Pre-drill with a 1/4" at about 2200 rpms then finish with a 13/16" drill at about 850 rpms to 1 inch deep. I'll have to see if the finished holes are too tight with the 13/16" bit but that was as close as I could come. I think when you do it this way you'll wind up with 26 "branches".
Chip
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Schroeder,
No problem. I might add that it makes assembly easier if you chamfer the holes or the pipe ends to go together smoother. You wind up with about a 0.0275" press fit.
Chip

Chip, I got 8 free balls last night and they offered more. Planning to do the project this weekend. The guy in the pro shop said they were made from polyurethane so I was thinking of using Gorilla Glue (polyurethane) to glue the PVC in after roughing it up a bit. It sounds like yours are friction fit, any problems keeping them together?

Ryan,

No problems with coming apart, it's a tight press fit if you drill to 13/16". You can grab one of the branches and tow it.The 13/16" drill bit is something you have to shop around for. I got mine at Grainger.

The pipe size is 0.840" O.D. and the 13/16" drill is 0.8125", pretty snug for what were doing.If I moved it a lot I would put an eye bolt in it for a rope.

The Gorilla Glue should work well since the standard drill size most TSC and hardware stores carry is 7/8", the glue expands as it hardens tightening the joint.
Chip

Here you go, Chip!

Bruce,
What size corr. pipe is that...guessing 6"?...larger? Also, and this is very important, is it part of the BG condo time-share network?

Wow,now that's some structure. I bet it holds a lot of fish.Thanks for the picture Bruce.

Bruce,

That thing is really cool!
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What does it do?

Ed

Could something like Bruce's contraption be made for fathead minnows? Maybe smaller pipe, in shallower water, not stacked as high?

(Sorry Chip, didn't mean to hijack your thread)

That has to be at least 10" pipe for Bruce's broad shouldered, steroid injected bull BG to ease into.

At least if we're gonna hijack Chip's thread it's on a relevant subject. I'm positive that smaller pipe could be used for fathead spawning. Basically anything that has an underside will be utilized.

Chip's is more of an attractor, mine's more of a refuge. Both good, but slightly different purposes.

burger, my broad shouldered bluegills keep getting stuck in that pipe.

Ed praises, then queries:
(Bruce...if I may...)
Ed,
As Bruce has noted, this structure is a BG condo. It's main function is to provide deluxe shelter for BG during the Winter months. The common term, albeit somewhat politically incorrect, is a Snow-fish condo. Similar to the annual midwest migration by humans to Florida, mature senior BG also need a "cold temp change of pace". As a responsible Snow-fish condo landlord, Bruce has no doubt created structure nearby that simulates Space Mountain and the Epcot orb. These items seem to provide a calming effect and the feeling of "belonging" in the new evironment. You will note the "stacked look" of the condo units. This construction method came about from many years of study based on "BG cultural offense or BG-CO". An anti-social behavior was common between Canadian and domestic US BG upon arrival at the BG condo. The old construction method of laying the condo units horizontally (side-by-side) was scrapped for the tower effect. Scientific studies revealed that the physiology of the eye placement on BG encouraged most sight horizontally, thus promoting the highest level of BG-CO when housed in horizontal units. Bruce has wisely chosen the tower construction method, thus allowing bonding of BG of similar culture background in adjoining units at one level. Differing culture backgrounds can now exist in harmony within one condo complex provided they have habitated units on different "floors". Although all the scientific data has not yet been analyzed, there is also evidence that the feeding and resting habits of Snow-fish alters with age as they tend to eat the largest meal between 3:00 and 4:30 pm, ultimately resting suspended in the condo unit well before dark.

10" ...and yes, bluegill time share network. Bluegill are allowed to pick any two week period that hasn't previously been assigned to any other bluegill. Federal regulations do not allow us to prohibit use by redear sunfish as we had previously hoped.

Bluegills in socks and sandals; what a visual.

Bruce,

If you don’t get some water over this contraption soon…………it may attract purple martins and barn swallows!

Oh and by the way Chip, very attractive “sea urchin” attractor located in a gorgeous setting!

Ed

Bruce,

That looks a lot like a MLRS
MULTIPLE LAUNCH ROCKET SYSTEM

I wonder how far it would shoot a bowling ball?

Chip

Brettski- You have now earned my vote with that soliloquy, as the #1 BS expert in the history of Pond Boss! :p

Moderators note: BS stands for Bluegill Snowfish not Bull excrement although they may be the same thing! :rolleyes:

PFF,
I am honored, but must give credit where it is due. The ability to expound 10 lbs of BS (Bluegill Snow-fish) within a 5 lb forum is the result of numerous years of diligent study beneath the likes of Prof. Cliff Clavin and my current grad-school mentor, Theo. (the stuff that isn't true I just made up)

That's great! I haven't tried to launch a Sputnik just yet. I'm still in the R & D phase.

I made two this weekend with a slightly different approach than Chip. I used a 7/8" "slugger" bit to drill the holes. It machines out a hole similar to a hole saw with about a 1/4" kerf leaving an inner dowel to slip the PVC over and drills very fast with little heat and no smoke. The first hole was drilled and the ball was left on the bit. I turned the drill on, allowing the ball to spin while a friend marked three horizontal lines, turned the ball 90 deg. and repeated. This created a grid to layout the remaining 24 holes. The holes were a little loose so I misted them with water and applied Gorilla glue to the 1/2" PVC. The glue expanded, filling the holes and locking the pipe in tightly. I used 2' pieces of PVC(5 ea. from a 10' length) which resulted in about 5' overall. They look pretty funny sitting in my front yard right now, I wonder what the neighbors think.

Good work Ryan,
I thought about the Slugger as I was filling up at the gas station one of their mobile showrooms pulled in for fuel.I used the older balls which drill really easy but you have a harder time with the newer'rubber feel' balls.
Congratulations,
Chip

Here they are, thanks for the inspiration Chip! We were trying to figure out to light all the bottle rockets at the same time

I just got finished with mine. How does it look?

It looks like the DEA will soon be knocking on your door.

Nice! Very nice! Bruce's condo looks great too.

I've been trying to figure out how to build something similar using slats from plastic venetian blinds. I'll either build something that looks like palm trees or simply nail them in interesting patterns across the end of oak blocks. I mainly want them to breed fathead minners.

I think they look great Ryan!

Chip

I sent the pics to my brother-in-law. He asked "how do they work" here was my response...
A 30,000 mhz transducer manufactured by Applied Ultrasonics has been set into the bowling ball with thermal-epoxy. The black ball collects solar energy which powers the transducer which sends out ultrasonic frequencies through the outreaching arms. The ultrasonic waves travel through the water column, up to 30 miles, replicating the sound of a school of injured baitfish. Predator fish such as bass and walleye pick up these sound waves on their lateral lines and are attracted by the sounds of an easy meal. The high frequency sound waves also break up low end aquatic plants such as filamentous algae keeping the arms of the device and the entire lake free of algae.

:D

And they even make Julian Fries!

You can adjust the ultrasonic frequencies and it will send you a digital pic of your BG ( up to 5 per min.) and tell you if they are male, female or alternative life style (sneaker , cuckholder or even satellite ). They are still working on the program to add the ability to tell maturity but it can't grasp the concept of "I know it when I see it" . :p

It sounded better than...Some guy named Chip on the internet thought it would work.

You all have been watching too much MST3K! :p

Ryan,
I really like your explanation of the Sputnik's inner workings. My next project is a "AquaDozer" for piling up floating debris and FA since I couldn't talk the CFO into letting me stock Tilapia. We rounded up some pvc pipe and snow fence for the dozer arms and blade and I'll see how it works.

I have to get all the work out of the twins that I can since they'll be starting their new jobs as Combat Engineers with the Marines come September.
Chip

Bruce contracts Bobad:
...strategic placement of the venetian palm trees adjacent to the Epcot orb structure for Bruce's condos will attract busloads of migrating BG.

Chip.....great idea. I love stuff like this. After putting out 5 "store bought" Sputniks this summer, I made some of my own this past spring. I used 10'irrigation (rubber lined) pipe and 1/2 inch pvc.......If you can imagine a 10' long Sputnick that is what they looked like. I am sorry I did not take pictures to show. I made one big mistake however I wish I could get a "do over" on. I did not weight them down thinking that the "arms" would bury in the mud and that they were heavy enough not to move.....WRONG. I can't find a one of the 8 I put out. I am sure they are housing fish however so in someways it worked real well......Again, great idea......thanks for the details

[/QUOTE]...strategic placement of the venetian palm trees adjacent to the Epcot orb structure for Bruce's condos will attract busloads of migrating BG. [/QB][/QUOTE]

The inventor didn't say, but I assume the spikes on the orb entity are flashing, multi-colored neon tubes, right?

Bobad,
Bright, flashing lights will often be found near mature BG condos, particularly near warmer waters. It is an effective visual enhancement used to lure younger BG to area presumed to provide excitement and stimuli. The origin of this practice goes back to the mid '70's when it was discovered that items like mirrored balls and multi-lighted bottoms (or floors) initiated a strange syncopated gyration of the immature BG. It was likened to dancing, the first official reports coming from a fish squeezer who had lowered his secchi disc into the depths. As he rotated the disc, he reported scores of immature BG pairing off and executing this "gyrating dance" about the disc. Subsequent sampling revealed that most pairing was M/F, some F/F, and, in later years, an unexpected abundance of M/M. This disc dance, later dubbed "disco", seemingly faded only to be replaced by the likes of similar reactive effects found in polluted waters. The first of these "lesser quality water" encounters was descriptively spun off as "grunge". There are others, all strangely correlating back to the known concept of providing bright flashing lights. It should also be noted that these visual enhancement discoveries supported the design of many new fishing lures, though spandex proved to be flimsy and unappealing past the early '80's.

That disc dancing sounds rather distasteful, Brettski. I'm gonna stick to putting ethanol in the pond to encourage RNS spawning. RNS may not always be pretty, but they don't wear polyester.

For the life of me, I can't figure out what RNS stands for?

Red Nosed speckled?
Red Neck Sports?
Randy necked steelhead?

I give up!

PFF:

Sorry for the confusion. See here.

Oh now I remember! What a brain fart! How could I forget the Redneck Sunfish! :rolleyes: :p

The real inspiration for the orb comes from Brisco County, JR.



Chip

I went to the local bowling ally and they told me they had just thrown away 60 plus bowling balls. Said I could have had all I wanted. I explained to the guy at the pro shop what they were being used for and he said to stay away from the lighter balls as some of them have light cores and will not sink.

I wonder how the guy knows the lighter ones wont sink..Maybe he gets rid of them in the River

I check the bouyancy of my bowling ball quite frequently. :rolleyes:

great idea!! I haven't seen that one until now. Start hitting the local bowling alleys and garage sales!! Thanks for the step by step.

does the 'sputnik' catch a lot of hooks if you fish near them?

Looks like it might, but i have no experience in such matters

axis, it's not as near as bad as you think. I've only lost one lure in 3 years and that's because the fish wrapped the line around it.

Welcome to PB! What suburb if I may ask? I know some people in those parts.

How does one secure pvc into a bowling ball?

Good to hear. Kicking around design ideas for PVC based locators. This one looks intriguing.


Homer Glen. West of Orland Park. I fish a strip mine in a Campground in Wilmington that is rather devoid of structure, and too acidic to just drop trees.

I've got a buddy in Tinley, and just last Thursday night I met him and another buddy at Outback on Harlem for dinner.