[troutbiscuits]

I wanted to try the jaw jacker but with Christmas coming up and three kids to pay for I didn't want to spend the $50. I ended up making one out of scrap in my garage and about $6 worth of supplies from Home Depot. I can't take credit for the idea as I have seen a few other people do something similar on the interwebs.

Step 1:

Cut some 1 1/2" PVC at a 38 degree angle. 38° may seem arbitrary but I played around with a few different angles and this is the one I liked the most.

Step 2:

Cut a 2x6 piece of scrap wood to the ideal length for the rod I'm going to use.

Step 3 :

Screw the PVC onto the wood board and put an eye screw near the end of the board. Here's a picture of the eye screw.

Step 4:

I made the trigger mechanism out of some stiff wire I had. I actually used one of those flags that are meant to mark sprinklers and cut the wire to length and bent it into a shape. This is the tricky part and you kind of have to play around until you figure out what works for you but I started with this general shape and had to make some adjustments.

Step 5:

I bought a wire lock pin. This was about $3 and I drilled a hole near the bottom of my PVC so it wouldn't get in the way and I use this to lock the rod in place so a fish can't steal it from me.

Here is the finished product

 

[JohnnyO19]

Have you used it yet??

 

[troutbiscuits]

Have you used it yet??

I am taking it out tomorrow morning for its first try! it seems to have a pretty sensitive trigger so I'm sure it will work just fine if the components don't freeze up.

 

[slayerfish]

Why the lock pin. Looks like a PITA in the heat of battle-

 

[troutbiscuits]

Why the lock pin. Looks like a PITA in the heat of battle-

To ease my paranoia. No fish stealing my rod. Probably don't need it TBH. I tried it today! Works like a charm. Caught 4 browns on it. Nothing huge though.

 

[slayerfish]

Nice. and no $40 down the hole!

 

[TEAM CO.F.F.]

I tried it today! Works like a charm. Caught 4 browns on it. Nothing huge though.

That's awesome man! I should've done the same instead of buying one.

 

[Zman]

lol Slayer will have a 150 of them for wyoming lakes that dont have an ice fishing rod limit...6 trout in 23 minutes and he can go home lolololol...

 

[ghostman]

Hey t-biscuit... if you put a couple of "outriggers" on the 2x6 to keep it from tipping over you prolly won't need the safety lock thingy. No way that rod will leave that holder unless the whole thing tips over... just a thought.

 

[troutbiscuits]

Hey t-biscuit... if you put a couple of "outriggers" on the 2x6 to keep it from tipping over you prolly won't need the safety lock thingy. No way that rod will leave that holder unless the whole thing tips over... just a thought.

That's an interesting idea. I might try that. That's the bad scenario I was picturing in my mind. But after using it it's a lot more stable than I thought and I don't really see that happening even with a 5-lb trout on the line.

 

[lake1177]

That's an interesting idea. I might try that. That's the bad scenario I was picturing in my mind. But after using it it's a lot more stable than I thought and I don't really see that happening even with a 5-lb trout on the line.

That's an interesting idea. I might try that. That's the bad scenario I was picturing in my mind. But after using it it's a lot more stable than I thought and I don't really see that happening even with a 5-lb trout on the line.

 

[lake1177]

Looks good. Another tip, I would add 2 or 2 and 1/2 inch drywall screws driven thru the corners, or at least the front to prevent slipping on the ice,..and it will...