4 ways to make kukan with your own hands at home

Kukan Vinogradova

Making a Vinogradov's kukan with your own hands is also of interest to many fishermen, since this device is intended for underwater hunting. You will need to get a metal needle, which can be made from a tube with a diameter of about 10 millimeters. The tube must be cut at an angle and treated with sandpaper.

Now you will need to find a thick nylon cord or get a cable wrapped in braid. It is much easier to put fish on a line. Typically, the length of the cable is selected within one meter, depending on the number of fish caught. In addition to the cable, you also need to purchase glue and two nails. The tools are very simple, all you need is a file, a hammer and a vice.

Making Vinogradov’s kukan with your own hands is quite simple; you just need to adhere to certain recommendations and follow a clear sequence of actions:

Take the cable and solder the ends of the insulation on a gas stove or with a lighter.
The sealed ends need to be generously coated with glue so that they take a smooth shape and wait until completely dry.
Now you need to take a needle and drill holes in it, one about 20 millimeters from the edge (which is not cut at an angle), the second 20 millimeters from it. The diameter of the holes depends on the thickness of the selected cable.
Now you need to insert about 10 centimeters of the cable inside and hammer the nails into the holes. The sharp ends of the nails must be cut off.
The second end of the cable must be formed into a loop and all burrs removed with a file.

How to make a winding ring?

This is probably the simplest element that can be done just as easily. It is enough to find an unnecessary one or purchase a spiral for an electric stove within 2 kW on a used market.

The diameter of the wire and its rigidity will provide the winding ring with the necessary properties. We simply bite off “rings” with pliers every 3 turns of the spiral. Now you don’t have to worry about losing such a trifle.

Recommendations for the use of kukan

Using a homemade kukan is a very simple task, as is its manufacture. But not everyone knows how to store fish impaled on it. If certain rules are not followed, you can simply injure the caught fish and it will not live long.

Follow the recommendations provided to maximize the life of your catch and avoid injury to the fish:

When fishing for pike, it often happens that it swallows the tee deeply and safe removal is simply impossible; most often this happens when the fish xxl bite activator is used while fishing. It is best to disconnect the hook from the bait and place the predator on the kukan along with it. So she will live about 4 hours.
After hooking, the fish will still be active for several hours. When catching several trophy specimens, you should not put them on one tackle and drag them behind the boat while moving around the reservoir. It is better to secure the kukan away from the fishing spot so that the prey does not scare away other fish.
Planting fish must be done very carefully. You need to be especially careful when mounting a pike, since in addition to teeth on its jaw, it also has small spines on its upper palate. If you don't watch your fingers, the fish may simply bite you, which is not very pleasant.

As you can see, building a fish kukan with your own hands is not such a difficult task, which will take no more than an hour of time. But, regardless of whether you bought the tackle or made it yourself, you need to adhere to the general recommendations for hooking and transporting fish.

How to use carabiners correctly?

To ensure the correct level of insurance, it is necessary to adhere to certain principles of carabiner operation. First, it must be a working product and must be tested every time before use. It is worth calculating the load pattern that will be applied to the carabiner so that they do not accidentally fall on the weak side. There should also be no more than two load points, otherwise the holder may break or rupture. Under no circumstances should heavy loads be applied to an open, unsecured carabiner. And if it does not have a safety clutch, even more so, you must first install it, orient it correctly, and only then apply force.

The most exciting lures for pike

Do not allow anything to impact the product other than the objects attached to it; if it comes into contact with something due to destruction, then under the influence of load this circumstance can become decisive and a crack is guaranteed. In the event of a shock or any other load other than longitudinal, the carabiner may open and the rope may fly out if it is moving in many directions in a very active mode. It can also unwind the clutch if you have positioned the carabiner so that with each upward movement the rope catches and moves the rope slightly.

The functionality of the rifle, which should be checked before each stage of work, depends on its integrity. Therefore, if there are even the slightest cracks or scratches in the main cargo line, the product must be destroyed so that it does not fall on someone after you. It’s worth doing this even if the fasteners have fallen; stresses and microcracks may appear in its internal structure, which will betray you at the most crucial moment. Check the clutch properly. If the connections of the carabiner are dirty, washing is permitted, but the product must be protected from corrosion.

What is kukan

A fisherman who has caught a fish is faced with the question of how to deliver the caught fish fresh to his home. Fishing can last for many hours, during which time the fish will have time to spoil. The best way to preserve caught fish is to keep them alive in the aquatic environment. Kukan is one of the devices that allows you to do this.

When a fisherman catches fish, he needs to think about how to get it home fresh. Fishing can last for many hours. In this case, the fish caught at the beginning must be preserved throughout this time. An effective solution to this problem is to preserve the trophies alive in the aquatic environment. Kukan is a device that helps to do this.

Kukan is a special device for storing caught fish in water. Kukan allows you to keep fish alive for a long time and allows the fisherman to bring the caught fish home in fresh condition.

Kukan consists of a synthetic cord or metal cable with metal or plastic fasteners suspended on it for the caught fish. Fish fasteners are most often made from durable stainless wire. At the end of the cord or cable there is a carabiner or loop for securing the cucan. The end of the kukan is secured on the shore by a peg stuck into the bank or by a branch of a tree or bush growing on the shore.

The caught fish, after being removed from the hook, is transferred to the kukan. The fastener of the kukan is passed through the fish's mouth, then brought out under the gill cover, the fastener is snapped so that the fish does not break loose and escape.

When immersing a kukan with fish in water, you need to choose the right place for this. It is better to keep the kukan with fish in the shade, in a place with running, oxygenated water. It is advisable for the fish to be in the lower, deeper layer of water, then it will stay alive longer. To do this, a weight is tied to the lower end of the kukan.

When there are several fish on the kukan, it is better to keep it away from the fishing spot, otherwise the noise and fuss of the fish placed on the kukan will scare away the other fish around the fishing spot.

In autumn, in cool water, fish caught and placed on a kukan can remain alive for 1-2 days.

Kukan can be used for spinning fishing from a boat. The end of the kukan is tied to the oarlock. You need to tie the kukan on the side of the boat from which you will not be casting.

Kukan is convenient for spinning and fly fishing. In this case, the end of the kukan is tied to the branches of a bush on the shore or by a belt on the angler’s belt.

Kukan is used by underwater hunters; they most often attach the kukan to their belt.

How to make a twister yourself?

Both our fishermen and our predators have become very fond of soft baits. Pike, pike perch, perch, bersh... The only significant drawback of vibrotails is their pliability to the teeth.

After catching the second or third trophy, the silicone becomes cut up and down, losing its working properties. Remember: never throw away twisters that have served their purpose!

So, first we need to make a mold for casting. We dilute the gypsum to the state of thickened sour cream in a convenient container. Then we carefully place a couple of baits there, drowning them to get an imprint.

When the plaster has completely hardened, we carefully take out the submerged baits. Now let’s lubricate the resulting impressions in plaster with regular sunflower oil so that the new twisters don’t stick.

The starting material for pouring is melted old silicone baits or silicone from the household goods department. We cut them into pieces and melt them in an iron jar on the stove. Be sure to stir the silicone while melting. For aesthetics, add dyes to the melted mass. It is enough to choose a couple of contrasting colors: yellow-red, green-yellow, black-red, etc.

However, there is one “but”: if we want to make the twister two-color, we first pour one layer into the plaster mold, wait for it to dry, and only then pour silicone of a different color. The poured mass dries within 20-25 minutes. Carefully remove the finished twister and place it in cold water for a few minutes. The bait is ready.

Kukan for spearfishing

When a fisherman stocks up with devices for preserving fish: a kukan, a cage or others, he can calmly fish without worrying about the future fate of the fish. When spearfishing, there are much fewer opportunities. However, in this case, it is possible to use the kukan.

In order to explain why it is needed, it makes sense to imagine what will happen if an underwater hunter does not have such a device at his disposal. Having hit a fish with a harpoon, he will have to return to the shore with the prey, ensure its safety, and only then go hunting for the next fish again.

However, using a kukan eliminates this need. It allows you to keep your prey with you and continue hunting. Although it is not as important as a speargun, its use nevertheless makes the hunting process much more comfortable.

How to make kukan with your own hands:

There are two options for mounting this device. The first is the use of a buoy. It is located on the surface of the water nearby and all the caught fish are attached to it.

Another option is to attach it to your belt. This makes the hunter more independent. But at the same time it creates the need to constantly drag the caught fish along with you.

When using kukan, you need to remember that it cannot be used for bream, ide and some other fish. The fact is that their lip or gills can easily rupture, and the fish will fall off the hook and die. It is beneficial to use this device when hunting predatory fish: eel, pike, catfish and others. These fish stay firmly on the kukan.

This device consists of the following components:

There is a mount that holds the kukan with fish.
A stainless steel metal needle is used. It is needed to pierce the caught fish.
A cable is used on which the prey is attached.

There are several designs of homemade kukans.

The simplest of them looks like this. Instead of a needle, a thin metal pin is used, to the middle of which a cord is tied. At the other end of the flexible element there is a loop with which the kukan is attached to the belt. After the fish is caught. The hunter pierces her with a metal part. He threads it all the way through and continues hunting. At the same time, the prey swims behind it, clinging to various objects.

Sometimes kukans are used in the form of a fine mesh. Its edges are made in such a way that it can be wrapped around the body and put prey in the net like in a pocket. This method is convenient in its own way, but it cannot be used if large and heavy fish are caught.

Modern kukans use braided wire as a flexible element. The needle is attached to one end, and the fish cannot slip off it because the design has a folding pin that prevents this. If the fish is too active, then it is enough to pierce the cerebellum with a needle so that it stops struggling.

A special fastener is used for attachment. It looks like this.

You can make a kukan for spearfishing with your own hands. First you need to make a needle. It is recommended to use stainless steel or aluminum as the material for manufacturing. To do this, it is convenient to use a tube no less than 12 and no more than 16 cm long. If such a part is not found at home, it is not difficult to find it in a car store. One side is filed with a file at an acute angle and carefully cleaned with sandpaper so that no burrs remain.

At the blunt end, two holes are drilled at a distance of 2 and 4 cm from the edge.

It is convenient to use a laundry cord as a flexible element, which is made in the form of a flexible metal cable located in a plastic sheath. After the desired piece is cut, the polyethylene is sealed at the ends. This can be done conveniently with a lighter.

The cable is inserted into the tube from the blunt end, and in the places where holes are made they are pierced with nails. The protruding ends are bitten off and the edges are flattened with a hammer. Then they are carefully cleaned with a file.

A loop for attaching to a belt can be made in this way. From the tube from which the needle is made. Cut a ring 4 mm thick, thread the cord 10 cm, then wrap it and thread it again into the ring, which must be flattened with a hammer.

To store the needle, you can use a rubber tube of a suitable size.

Making kukan for fishing

There are several options for preserving fish so that it does not spoil. The first solution is a cage, but this option is not convenient for boat fishing, because it is not easy to swim to a new place with it. The second solution is a kukan, which can be made from available materials.

What is kukan for fish?

Kukan

(translated from English Fish Stringer) is a device for storing and moving catch. After fishing for a large fish, it is placed on a kukan.

In simple terms, a kukan is a thick cord with a thick wire loop at the end.

How to bait a pike on a kukan

To mount a pike, you first need to hold it from above by the eye sockets, immerse your thumb and forefinger in them, and pierce both jaws of the fish from top to bottom with the rod of the kukan 2 times.

Kukan is a device that should be in every fisherman’s arsenal.

What you need to prepare for work

a cable with a diameter of 2 or 3 mm of at least 5 m, most of it (5 parts of 0.7 m each) will be used for loops;
cable clamps - 12 pieces;
2 large carabiners for the ends of the cable, and 7 smaller ones for the loops;
plastic tubes 20 cm, 4 pieces;
5 swivels - small devices to avoid twisting.

You will also need wire cutters for cutting through metal, a tape measure and a hammer.

The process of making a kukan for pike

Cut the cable into 5 pieces of 70 cm each. There should be 1 long piece of 1.5 m. You need to put on it: a swivel, then a tube, then 4 devices to avoid twisting, and the final fifth closes the entire chain.

Attach large carabiners to the edges of the cable with clips. And put the small ones, 2 pieces each, on the free edges of the swivels.

Make loops from the remains of the cable and secure the edges with clamps. You can make a strong setting using a hammer. Attach the loops to the carabiners. The device is ready.

Kukan from a knitting needle

You can make a device from a knitting needle. To do this you will need:

metal cable, chain or nylon cord;
a bicycle spoke or an equally strong wire;
plastic separator tubes;
carbines;
end sinker.

First, attach the weight fastening to the end of the main cord with a carabiner on the outermost link.

Place the tubes and carabiners on the lace in order. The tubes must be selected according to the diameter of the cord. If it is a chain, the carabiners are attached through a specific number of links. The length depends on the planned catch: for catfish - up to 20 cm, for pike or pike perch - 7 or 10 cm.

A loop is made at the upper end, the end of which is threaded into a carabiner and secured to the shore or vehicle.

Kukan with float

Kukan with a float is a device for storing and carrying the caught catch. A float is necessary to prevent the structure from accidentally sinking. If this happens, the device will be visible, and thanks to it you can easily remove the kukan from the water.

Manufacturing

If all the necessary components and devices are prepared, you can proceed directly to making the kukan. If you have not encountered such work before, then it makes sense to rely on detailed step-by-step instructions for creating the fishing accessory in question.

First you need to divide the cable of a suitable length into 6 separate sections. One of them should have a length of 1.5 m. This segment will correspond to the length parameter of the kukan itself. The remaining 5 segments, each 0.7 m long, must be left for further production of loops.
You need to take a cable, the length of which is 1.5 m. You will need to carefully put plastic or rubber tubes on it, depending on which one you have chosen for the work.
Next, you will need to properly secure large carabiners at the ends of the cable section. This can be done using special clamps.
You should still have small carabiners. They will need to be installed on swivels.
From 5 cut pieces of cable, each 0.7 m long, you will need to build strong loops. It is these components that will be responsible for the reliable retention of fish caught in the reservoir. The hinges will definitely need to be secured using reliable clamps. To make the final and most powerful clamp, you should use a hammer.
Do-it-yourself strong and securely installed loops will need to be attached to carabiners. The latter will need to be pre-installed on the main cable.

Once collected in this simplest way, you can safely use the kukan and go fishing with it. This homemade device is suitable for catching a wide variety of fish. Thus, many fishermen make kukan for catfish, carp, pike, pike perch, asp and other types of fish.

The described method of making kukan yourself is not the only one. Different fishermen use different methods. For example, it is more convenient for someone to knit this device from soft rope, knitting needles and other available materials.

How to choose a quality carabiner

Rules for choosing a carbine:

The carbine must correspond to the type of gear (spinning or feeder gear, where the choice is based on the size of the carbine).
Correspond to the method of catching fish (for example, if you are fishing with small baits, then you should not use a carabiner; if you are using large-sized baits when fishing with a heavy jig, then use our tips listed below).

What to look for when purchasing:

Thickness of the material.
Quality of material.
Carabiner size.

Varieties

Let us list the main types of kukan designs.

The simplest kukan is based on a thin metal cord, to one side of which a short knitting needle is attached, and a loop is made from the other end; it is the latter that is inserted under the gills, after which it is tightened on a knitting needle;
A nylon cord can be used as a base, onto which wire loops are placed, in which case we can talk about a wire-thread kukan; Such products must be dried after each use, and the downside is the possibility of the fish biting the cord and leaving the fisherman, right with the hook attached;
A triangular kukan is made from a long metal knitting needle, which is bent to give it a triangular shape; after bending, fasteners are threaded onto the knitting needle, and the top can either be soldered or wrapped in the manner of a fastener; the advantage of this option is the possibility of greater immersion of caught fish, which leads to longer storage;
Round-shaped kukans are rings onto which previously bent steel hook-and-loop clasps are placed; the ring is sealed, and the kukan can be secured using a rope or a thin chain;
Kukan can also be one large metal clasp; it is made from fairly thick (3-4 mm) steel wire, which is bent to form a U shape; then one edge is bent at a right angle, and on the other a loop is made, at the end of which there is a hook that acts as a fastener.

How to make a feeder for a donkey or feeder?

The most important element of bottom gear is the feeder. But why spend money on primitive designs if you can make them yourself? For a spiral type feeder, you will need an empty ballpoint pen and steel (or copper) wire.

Using pliers, we fix the wire at one end of the rod adjusted in length and “wrap” the spiral around it to the other end. Having bent and crimped the end of the wire on the rod, we bite off the rest. This feeder is successful when used as a sliding rig.

If you want to make both a feeder and a sinker at the same time, then the finished spiral feeder can be lowered with one edge into a spoon with molten lead. Or fix a thick lead plate on the rod in advance.

What tools are needed to make kukan?

It is difficult to recommend any specific tools, because each person may prefer to use different tools to create kukan. But here is a list of the tools that you will obviously need:

Wire cutters. Needed for cutting cable or wire.
Chisel. Also serves to cut the cable (when it is large in diameter).
Roulette. In order for the kukan to turn out to be of really high quality, it is advisable to maintain certain dimensions; this is exactly what this tool will be needed for.
Pliers. Required for fastening clamps on hinges.
Hammer. Will be needed throughout the entire manufacturing procedure.

How to make kukan?

Step 1. First of all, take a reliable cable 6 meters long and with a diameter of 0.3 - 0.5 mm. Next, it is cut into pieces, the largest of which will serve as the basis of the tackle (2 meters). And from the remaining 8 parts loops will be made (each 50 cm). Step 2. Previously prepared swivels and tubes are put on the main cable

It is important that their diameter is slightly larger than the diameter of the cable. They must alternate in the correct order: first the swivel is put on, and then the tube

Thus, the tackle will require 8 swivels and 7 tubes. Step 3: Once the swivels and tubes are in place, loops are made at both ends of the cable using aluminum clips and large carabiners are placed on them. Thanks to two large carabiners, the kukan clings to the place the fisherman needs. Step 4. Preparing the loops will not take much time. You will need to make 8 loops, using a hammer and clamps to secure them tightly. The fish will subsequently be threaded onto the loops. Step 5. 8 small carabiners are attached to the previously prepared swivels, and loops are already put on them. This way, taking off and putting on the fish will be convenient and easy.

As you can see, the procedure for creating a kukan with your own hands is not so complicated. The only thing you need is the necessary parts, tools and a little ingenuity.

When making, you can use completely different sizes, based on how much fish you plan to catch, what size this fish will be, etc.

Also, instead of loops, homemade hooks made from strong wire or a bicycle spoke can be used. The knitting needle is bent into a horseshoe shape. After this, a small loop is made almost at the very end of the knitting needle, and the end itself is bent so as to form a hook. The second end is bent at 45°. Ultimately, we get a hook with a loop, as well as an opening and closing mechanism. Using a loop, it is attached to the swivel, and after the fish is put on it, it is closed using a created mechanism so that the fish does not come off. Considering that the knitting needle is very rigid and durable, the fish is unlikely to be able to escape from such a hook. Very suitable for storing pike.

Making Vinogradov's kukan with your own hands

In most cases, this type of gear is used for underwater fishing, but some anglers also use it for regular fishing from the shore. So, to make Vinogradov’s kukan with our own hands, we will need the following parts:

a homemade metal needle; a small-diameter metal tube is suitable for its manufacture (by cutting it at a slight angle and processing it, you will get a pointed end);
a strong rope of small diameter, preferably in a plastic sheath, its length should be adjusted to the number of fish (from 1 meter);
carbine.

Manufacturing process

Take a rope and use a lighter to singe its ends.
At one of the soldered ends, a loop is tied for a carabiner.
Using a drill, drill a hole in the needle: preferably at a distance of two-thirds from the pointed end of the tube.
Use a small file to remove all sharp edges of the hole so that the cable does not fray. The cable is threaded through a prepared needle and tied into a loop.
The ends of the cable are melted using a lighter.

The result is a finished kukan. A needle is used to pierce the lower jaw of the fish and push it onto the cable itself. When the fisherman releases the needle, it turns perpendicular to the puncture and prevents the fish from leaving. In this way, you can place up to 10 fish on Vinogradov’s kukan.

In general, this kukan is easier and faster to make than a standard one; you will need literally a couple of hours of time and little expense.

How to make your own carbine. DIY steel wire carabiner

Fishermen often use carabiners to set up rigs. There are many models of them in stores, everyone can find a suitable one. They differ in sizes, shapes, designs, and manufacturers. Naturally, reliability, ability to withstand certain loads.

A common drawback of most products is insufficient load capacity and the presence of various hooks in the design. The first often leads to loss of prey due to the bending of the carbines and their opening. The second is the reason for constant hooking, clinging, scratches on the hands, etc. In addition, almost all devices do not pass through the passage rings on the rods, and get tangled in the fishing line when they are wound with it on the reel.

One of the ways to solve the problem is to create new designs of carabiners that would not contain the noted shortcomings. There are enough attempts at this, it’s worth looking at the offers of fishermen on the Internet. One of them, in our opinion one of the best, is discussed later in the article.

The proposed design of carabiners is based on the refusal to fix the detachable loop of the device with different locks and hooks. And replacing them with a ring-shaped, enclosing element that does not have any ends protruding to the side. And most importantly, this element is held on the carabiner not only due to frictional forces, but also due to its elastic properties, which are overcome when the carabiner is opened.

Carabiner with straw

To make this version of the carbine, you will need an elastic wire 0.03 mm in diameter and a piece of fluoroplastic tube.

The procedure for making a carbine:

The body of the carbine is made from wire in the shape of a figure eight with the middle part elongated in a line; both free ends join exactly in it, approximately in the middle; the rings are made of different diameters: the smaller one is under the fishing line, the free end of the wire extending from it is pressed tightly to the middle part of the “eight”; the larger one is for attaching the nozzle; its free end is left away from the middle part of the “eight”; The ends of the wire are made oblique with a file.
cut off a piece of fluoroplastic tube: its length is equal to the length of the center line of the “figure eight”; the diameter should ensure a tight fit (through the smaller ring of the carabiner) onto the middle part of the device; if the tube is too small in diameter, there is no need to worry: the first time you put it on, it will take on the desired diameter; if it’s too big, you need to stretch the tube, it will shrink to the desired diameter.