[John Mason]

Went fishing with a couple of mates between Aberdyfi & Tywyn this evening and with no surf to speak of (= no fish by & large), I took the time to try these D-vice gizmos out.

I have never before found something that combines easy long casting with 100% intact bait (I knew that because nothing was feeding so I could retrieve everything back for a look!).

Just to get this into perspective, I was fishing 6ft running legers of 20lb Amnesia with ~10 beads, to 1/0 hooks baited with soft crab and mussel (no elastic), with as a tip a single 3-4 inch ragworm head-hooked just once or alternatively a thin strip of AMMO frozen razor.

Because nothing was about to eat them, I was reeling in every 40 minutes or so and able to inspect how the baits had fared. The ragworms were not only intact, but still wriggling! This is after casts exceeding 100m.

I am very impressed indeed. This is far superior to any bait-clip system I have used FOR LONG-RANGE - that is where the advantage exists. It's not far off casting a plain lead out in terms of easy distance even with an overhead thump-type cast.

Had one cast (my first) where the D-vice failed to eject its contents: I was aiming at just inside a sandbank beginning 100m out, but the thing whizzed out much further than expected, and went plop into the foamy surf breaking over the bank - very shallow in other words given that no surf was to be seen anywhere else. So if you are only fishing water six inches deep it won't work LOL! The other casts all worked perfectly well.

The lads eventually had an insize turbot apiece close-in within minutes of each other - a small group of them must have passed along very close to the shore - so I switched to seeing if I could pick up a straggler, to no avail, but found the D-vice to be an effective swimfeeder full of finely-chopped mackerel at the same time. So they have their uses close-in as well.

Now I can't wait to deploy them in "fishy" conditions

Great invention, and after today's tests, I would recommend it highly for anyone wanting to fish soft or delicate baits, especially at range and especially where presentation is critical, which is particularly the case in daylight on shallow beaches where sight plays a big role in fish feeding patterns.

A recommendation I would make is to make an additional one, with the same weight of lead but squatter in shape, so that a wider tube may be fitted. This would have applications with monster-size cod baits etc. Something to think about IMO.

Cheers - John

 

[seancodbod]

never heard of them mate,have you got a picture?sounds a bit like the old intakl baitsafe capsule.

 

[dabcatcher]

wouldnt mind seeing a pic myself. i could think of load of uses if i like the look of it.

 

[John Mason]

wouldnt mind seeing a pic myself. i could think of load of uses if i like the look of it.

Here you go mate:

http://www.fishyrob.co.uk/DVice/index.htm

Cheers - John

 

[coelacanth]

Here is the baitsafe....had to dig around for this picture.What are the differences or improvements between this and the D-vice?

 

[Bass-ic Instinct]

I like the look of all these feeder devices. Currently myself i am just using home made film canister feeders or modified freshwater feeders. I have tried a few other materials with varying success includings; PVAbags (carp anglers gear), Method Feeders and small bore copper pipe. I liek some of the ideas on your website though and will try some of them and my own ideas over the summer months. Was that a science lab test tube fitted to a lead?

 

[DoubleShotDamo]

Went fishing with a couple of mates between Aberdyfi & Tywyn this evening and with no surf to speak of (= no fish by & large), I took the time to try these D-vice gizmos out.

I have never before found something that combines easy long casting with 100% intact bait (I knew that because nothing was feeding so I could retrieve everything back for a look!).

Just to get this into perspective, I was fishing 6ft running legers of 20lb Amnesia with ~10 beads, to 1/0 hooks baited with soft crab and mussel (no elastic), with as a tip a single 3-4 inch ragworm head-hooked just once or alternatively a thin strip of AMMO frozen razor.

Because nothing was about to eat them, I was reeling in every 40 minutes or so and able to inspect how the baits had fared. The ragworms were not only intact, but still wriggling! This is after casts exceeding 100m.

I am very impressed indeed. This is far superior to any bait-clip system I have used FOR LONG-RANGE - that is where the advantage exists. It's not far off casting a plain lead out in terms of easy distance even with an overhead thump-type cast.

Had one cast (my first) where the D-vice failed to eject its contents: I was aiming at just inside a sandbank beginning 100m out, but the thing whizzed out much further than expected, and went plop into the foamy surf breaking over the bank - very shallow in other words given that no surf was to be seen anywhere else. So if you are only fishing water six inches deep it won't work LOL! The other casts all worked perfectly well.

The lads eventually had an insize turbot apiece close-in within minutes of each other - a small group of them must have passed along very close to the shore - so I switched to seeing if I could pick up a straggler, to no avail, but found the D-vice to be an effective swimfeeder full of finely-chopped mackerel at the same time. So they have their uses close-in as well.

Now I can't wait to deploy them in "fishy" conditions

Great invention, and after today's tests, I would recommend it highly for anyone wanting to fish soft or delicate baits, especially at range and especially where presentation is critical, which is particularly the case in daylight on shallow beaches where sight plays a big role in fish feeding patterns.

A recommendation I would make is to make an additional one, with the same weight of lead but squatter in shape, so that a wider tube may be fitted. This would have applications with monster-size cod baits etc. Something to think about IMO.

Cheers - John

So you had live wriggly worms at 100 yards plus, yet you failed to catch?! Hmmm, correct me if I am wrong but surely if the D-Vice was such a good idea you would have caught loads? That leads me to believe that either you were casting in the opposite direction to the sea, or the fish were not impressed by wriggly worms! I think if the bait is mashed up a bit, letting out a scent trail you may have avoided the blank. And from experience (in my neck of the woods anyway) head hooked wriggly worms fish best at short range.

If they made a wider D-Vice big enough to accomodate a live hardback shore crab, then that would be a different story.

 

[Bass-ic Instinct]

You can only fish for whats infront of you mate. Although this will help bait presentation it is not a magic wand, nor can it make you instantly catch more fish. personally i think it is a good idea and will try one out when they hit the shops. Personally i like using feeders for sea fishing, but they are only effective from certain marks and for certain species at the correct times of year. This is not a science fact, but more a method of trial and error and best second guesses, nothing in fishing is certain.

 

[John Mason]

So you had live wriggly worms at 100 yards plus, yet you failed to catch?! Hmmm, correct me if I am wrong but surely if the D-Vice was such a good idea you would have caught loads? That leads me to believe that either you were casting in the opposite direction to the sea, or the fish were not impressed by wriggly worms! I think if the bait is mashed up a bit, letting out a scent trail you may have avoided the blank. And from experience (in my neck of the woods anyway) head hooked wriggly worms fish best at short range.

If they made a wider D-Vice big enough to accomodate a live hardback shore crab, then that would be a different story.

Damo, it is obvious that you do not know the shallow surf beaches of Cardigan Bay very well. No surf = no fish is a rule of thumb that has held good for generations here. That was one point of testing it in such crap conditions - to see how the bait looked after a certain amount of time, and that was more than satisfactory.

Now do the same with that bait with a nice SW 3-4, clear water and a steady surf - different game. But as I say I wanted to see how it worked. Had I wanted to catch fish on this occasion I would have gone very close in with fish baits or waited till after dark for the dogfish. However, I was more interested in the way the thing worked!

Likewise, the use of lightly-hooked wriggly rag baits. These will be deadly for bass later in the summer, once they have finished scoffing the shore-crab peelers (and I don't target bass in the surf specifically at the moment: there are better marks elsewhere). So I am looking forward to that bit of the fishing calendar more than usual!

Cheers - John

 

[fishyrob]

Guys, Could I clear up a couple of points regarding the DVice,

1) It is not, and was never designed to be, a swimfeeder. It carries your hookbaits. If you wish to use it as a swimfeeder you can, but it is not what it is designed for.

2) DD. Did you wake up on the wrong side of bed yesterday? You seem to have left angry posts everywhere. For the record this is a unique and revolutionary piece of kit. Fish are often well off the beach, and if thats where they are, then thats where you WILL catch them on head hokked wriggly worms. If you have previously fished wriggly worms at 100+ yards, please share with us how that is possible, as I dont believe there is a rig out there that can allow you to pendulum cast with head hooked worms. Therefore, I dont understand how you think head hooked worms dont work at distance. I think you are commenting about the type of fishing you are used to, and not considering that there are other places to fish. We catch shedloads of codling on head hooked worms, for example, in the Thames Estuary, where, as like John, we are casting to sandbanks. If you come down to Worthing Pier on the 13th, perhaps I can show you in person the DVice.
Its not useful for a start up business having someone being dismissive about their product without having used it. Mike Thrussel snr loved it when he saw a prototype four years ago, and he travels all around the world for his fishing, not just Sussex....

3) John and H.A.. Cheers for your kind words. Now that you have used it, John, I'm guessing you can see why we are so excited about it. And we have a new record for biggest fish on the DVice, as last night my partner in this, Bob, took a lovely 7lb 14oz Thornback, at range, on VERY soft herring, without elastic or clips!!
Have a look on the diary for www.fishyrob.co.uk, and the entry for the 5th April.

 

[Rajabatis]

So you had live wriggly worms at 100 yards plus, yet you failed to catch?! Hmmm, correct me if I am wrong but surely if the D-Vice was such a good idea you would have caught loads? That leads me to believe that either you were casting in the opposite direction to the sea, or the fish were not impressed by wriggly worms! I think if the bait is mashed up a bit, letting out a scent trail you may have avoided the blank. And from experience (in my neck of the woods anyway) head hooked wriggly worms fish best at short range.

If they made a wider D-Vice big enough to accomodate a live hardback shore crab, then that would be a different story.

And from experience (in my neck of the woods anyway) head hooked wriggly worms fish best at short range.

Head hooked worms work well up here too! At any range you can cast them too in one piece!
That Dvice looks a good idea for getting soft baits out and in a natural presentation too. Not wrapped up like a mummy in elastic.
__________________

 

[jack-the-kipper]

Here is the baitsafe....had to dig around for this picture.What are the differences or improvements between this and the D-vice?

seen these at rovers tackle,fareham.

 

[Rajabatis]

Guys, Could I clear up a couple of points regarding the DVice,

1) It is not, and was never designed to be, a swimfeeder. It carries your hookbaits. If you wish to use it as a swimfeeder you can, but it is not what it is designed for.

2) DD. Did you wake up on the wrong side of bed yesterday? You seem to have left angry posts everywhere. For the record this is a unique and revolutionary piece of kit. Fish are often well off the beach, and if thats where they are, then thats where you WILL catch them on head hokked wriggly worms. If you have previously fished wriggly worms at 100+ yards, please share with us how that is possible, as I dont believe there is a rig out there that can allow you to pendulum cast with head hooked worms. Therefore, I dont understand how you think head hooked worms dont work at distance. I think you are commenting about the type of fishing you are used to, and not considering that there are other places to fish. We catch shedloads of codling on head hooked worms, for example, in the Thames Estuary, where, as like John, we are casting to sandbanks. If you come down to Worthing Pier on the 13th, perhaps I can show you in person the DVice.
Its not useful for a start up business having someone being dismissive about their product without having used it. Mike Thrussel snr loved it when he saw a prototype four years ago, and he travels all around the world for his fishing, not just Sussex....

3) John and H.A.. Cheers for your kind words. Now that you have used it, John, I'm guessing you can see why we are so excited about it. And we have a new record for biggest fish on the DVice, as last night my partner in this, Bob, took a lovely 7lb 14oz Thornback, at range, on VERY soft herring, without elastic or clips!!
Have a look on the diary for www.fishyrob.co.uk, and the entry for the 5th April.

Hi It's a good idea but doesn't seem to be a lot different from those spod rocket marker devices carp anglers are using? Similar idea.
Dave.
p.s. Can I bring my shed down for filling?

 

[fishyrob]

Hi It's a good idea but doesn't seem to be a lot different from those spod rocket marker devices carp anglers are using? Similar idea.
Dave.
p.s. Can I bring my shed down for filling?

Not really the same, as the spods are designed to hit the surface and tip over to eject the contents, so using gravity. The DVice uses air pressure for its first line ejection, and then water pressure as a fail safe.
In this way it has more in common with the Baitsafe. But the baitsafe has bits that dangle and flap, and is not designed for aerodynamics. I think that Ted Thwaite, who invented the baitsafe, was a total genious, and his creation is a fine display of engineering. But it is over engineered for the task. You are also limited to small baits. I am not knocking the baitsafe for this, as it was originally designed purely for small delicate baits. The DVIce will deliver both small and large baits however.

Can I also point out that the DVice is not likely to appear in the tackle shops in the near future. At this stage of the project we want to get the DVice out on the beach, and have direct lines of communication with the people using it. When we do get to the point of wholesaling, the trade price will still be £2, so you can imagine the retail will be most likely £3+

Dave, bring a couple of sheds, your gonna love it...!!

 

[Rajabatis]

Not really the same, as the spods are designed to hit the surface and tip over to eject the contents, so using gravity. The DVice uses air pressure for its first line ejection, and then water pressure as a fail safe.
In this way it has more in common with the Baitsafe. But the baitsafe has bits that dangle and flap, and is not designed for aerodynamics. I think that Ted Thwaite, who invented the baitsafe, was a total genious, and his creation is a fine display of engineering. But it is over engineered for the task. You are also limited to small baits. I am not knocking the baitsafe for this, as it was originally designed purely for small delicate baits. The DVIce will deliver both small and large baits however.

Can I also point out that the DVice is not likely to appear in the tackle shops in the near future. At this stage of the project we want to get the DVice out on the beach, and have direct lines of communication with the people using it. When we do get to the point of wholesaling, the trade price will still be £2, so you can imagine the retail will be most likely £3+

Dave, bring a couple of sheds, your gonna love it...!!

Hi The Baitsafe didn't carch on but I can see this one getting used. It's a simple yet robust design with no dangly bits as the baitsafe. Have you got some sort of patent applied for? I can see it being copied very easily.
Dave.

 

[bigads]

I like the look of that DVice, may just have to purchase one for a try.

 

[DoubleShotDamo]

Personally i like using feeders for sea fishing,

It is not a feeder, but a bait protector.

 

[DoubleShotDamo]

Damo, it is obvious that you do not know the shallow surf beaches of Cardigan Bay very well. No surf = no fish is a rule of thumb that has held good for generations here. That was one point of testing it in such crap conditions - to see how the bait looked after a certain amount of time, and that was more than satisfactory.

Now do the same with that bait with a nice SW 3-4, clear water and a steady surf - different game. But as I say I wanted to see how it worked. Had I wanted to catch fish on this occasion I would have gone very close in with fish baits or waited till after dark for the dogfish. However, I was more interested in the way the thing worked!

Likewise, the use of lightly-hooked wriggly rag baits. These will be deadly for bass later in the summer, once they have finished scoffing the shore-crab peelers (and I don't target bass in the surf specifically at the moment: there are better marks elsewhere). So I am looking forward to that bit of the fishing calendar more than usual!

Cheers - John

You are correct, I know diddly squat about the beaches in your neck of the woods. But personally, I would test a new gadget when there are a few fish around to see if it has the edge over conventional methods. It has been proven from your experiment that it does not give you the edge when the fishing is poor.

 

[Rajabatis]

It is not a feeder, but a bait protector.

Originally Posted by fishyrob
Guys, Could I clear up a couple of points regarding the DVice,

1) It is not, and was never designed to be, a swimfeeder. It carries your hookbaits. If you wish to use it as a swimfeeder you can, but it is not what it is designed for.

 

[fishyrob]

Have you got some sort of patent applied for? I can see it being copied very easily.
Dave.

Yes we have, and we are very glad we did, as one major manufacturer of tackle in the UK already tried to remove our baby from us. Went to court and we came out with our idea still ours. EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE FOR BOTH PARTIES!! Wouldnt want to do it all again, but we would if we had to, cos we think that it is worth protecting. Cant name names regarding the court case, as a condition of the court case, so dont bother asking. But one bit of advice, if you have a good idea, try and carry it all through yourself, otherwise you will get robbed. Not everyone smiles at you because they are happy and like you.......