Sonny
06-10-2008, 08:08 AM
IT'S FOR FISHING NOW! (originally submitted on the ULF ultralight fishing website http://www.ultralitefishing.com/phpBB2/index.php?sid=ea486d480ea0dbea3b3226de5c3255da )
I am a freshwater fishing addict. And this is not an addiction I wish to be free from, either. In making this statement, I am just facing facts. One of the results of this fanaticism is thinking about fishing all of the time. An offshoot of this is the perversion of consumer goods and packaging into uses for fishing. Now I'm not just talking run-of-the-mill warping of the original intent of a product (like using needle-nosed pliers to remove hooks or using cleaning buckets for toting fish you catch). These are "thinking-out-of-the-box" uses for some of this stuff.
1. Electric cord reels - a. What it is (for those who don't know): a large spool with a handle in the spindle area to hold it, and a handle on one side to turn/wind it. b. Intended use: neatly organizing coils of extension cords. c. Warped use: neatly organizing anchor rope for carrying around your own anchors (those rental boats usually never have decent anchors in them)
2. Stitching tool - a. What it is (for those who don't know): a small, screwdriver-like implement that has a "J" bent into the tip instead of having a slotted or philips blade. b. Intended use: in sewing, pulling threads through fabric. c. Warped use: sorting out backlashes in baitcasting reels, sorting out line tangles
3. M & M tube - a. What it is (for those who don't know): a long, thin, cylindrical plastic tube with a snap-on lid. b. Intended use: packaging for M & M candies during special seasons (usually Christmas). c. Warped use: keeping cigarettes, cigars, or other items dry and in tact in the bottom of the tacklebox
4. Empty Water Gremlin soft weight packages with zip-locks, that are in good shape - a. Intended use: holding Water Gremlin's fine line of weight products. b. Warped use: keeping books of matches dry in the tacklebox
5. Fisherman's Friend or Sucrets tin, aluminum or plastic containers - a. Intended use: holding throat or cough lozenges. b. Warped use: dry, safe storage of band-aids that takes up much less room in the tacklebox than the original Band-Aid containers
6. Nail clippers (particularly if they don't cut nails that well anymore) - a. Intended use: trimming finger and toe nails. b. Warped use: cutting monofilament line
7. Emory boards - a. What it is (for those who don't know): a crucial part of a woman's purse that is nothing more than a long, thin piece of cardboard with an abrasive surface on at least one side. b. Intended use: file down sharp edges on finger nails. c. Warped use: sharpening small hooks (jigs, ice fishing lures, etc.)
8. Tic Tac mint containers - a. Intended use: safe keeping and dispensing of Tic Tac mints (which are good mints, by the way). b. Warped use: safe keeping and dispensing of splitshot weights in a pocket for "shore roaming" from one spot to another without bringing the whole tacklebox
9. Child-proofed prescription pill bottles - a. Intended use: safe keeping of prescription drugs. b. Warped use: safe keeping of larger weights, hooks, small lures and/or jigheads in a pocket for "shore roaming" from one spot to another without bringing the whole tacklebox
10. PVC piping - a. Intended use: removal of waste water from homes and businesses. b. Warped uses: (1) rod holders on Lake Michigan piers, or (when attached to narrow flatiron) shore/beach fishing; (2) safe rod transport on long trips; (3) rod transport on bicycles (strapped to bike frame with furnace strapping).
11. Rifle cases - a. Intended use: safe transport of rifles and shotguns. b. Warped use: safe transport of two (or more)-piece fishing rods. Most rifle cases will allow you to leave the reel right on the rod.
12. Two-wheeled shopping carts - a. Intended use: transport of groceries from the store to home when walking, used particularly in urban areas. b. Warped use: (when modified) transport of rods, tacklebox and bucket for fishing piers and jetties on the Great Lakes
What products (or packaging) have you morphed into a use for fishing? Or what products (or packaging) of those listed above have you morphed differently than I have?
I am a freshwater fishing addict. And this is not an addiction I wish to be free from, either. In making this statement, I am just facing facts. One of the results of this fanaticism is thinking about fishing all of the time. An offshoot of this is the perversion of consumer goods and packaging into uses for fishing. Now I'm not just talking run-of-the-mill warping of the original intent of a product (like using needle-nosed pliers to remove hooks or using cleaning buckets for toting fish you catch). These are "thinking-out-of-the-box" uses for some of this stuff.
1. Electric cord reels - a. What it is (for those who don't know): a large spool with a handle in the spindle area to hold it, and a handle on one side to turn/wind it. b. Intended use: neatly organizing coils of extension cords. c. Warped use: neatly organizing anchor rope for carrying around your own anchors (those rental boats usually never have decent anchors in them)
2. Stitching tool - a. What it is (for those who don't know): a small, screwdriver-like implement that has a "J" bent into the tip instead of having a slotted or philips blade. b. Intended use: in sewing, pulling threads through fabric. c. Warped use: sorting out backlashes in baitcasting reels, sorting out line tangles
3. M & M tube - a. What it is (for those who don't know): a long, thin, cylindrical plastic tube with a snap-on lid. b. Intended use: packaging for M & M candies during special seasons (usually Christmas). c. Warped use: keeping cigarettes, cigars, or other items dry and in tact in the bottom of the tacklebox
4. Empty Water Gremlin soft weight packages with zip-locks, that are in good shape - a. Intended use: holding Water Gremlin's fine line of weight products. b. Warped use: keeping books of matches dry in the tacklebox
5. Fisherman's Friend or Sucrets tin, aluminum or plastic containers - a. Intended use: holding throat or cough lozenges. b. Warped use: dry, safe storage of band-aids that takes up much less room in the tacklebox than the original Band-Aid containers
6. Nail clippers (particularly if they don't cut nails that well anymore) - a. Intended use: trimming finger and toe nails. b. Warped use: cutting monofilament line
7. Emory boards - a. What it is (for those who don't know): a crucial part of a woman's purse that is nothing more than a long, thin piece of cardboard with an abrasive surface on at least one side. b. Intended use: file down sharp edges on finger nails. c. Warped use: sharpening small hooks (jigs, ice fishing lures, etc.)
8. Tic Tac mint containers - a. Intended use: safe keeping and dispensing of Tic Tac mints (which are good mints, by the way). b. Warped use: safe keeping and dispensing of splitshot weights in a pocket for "shore roaming" from one spot to another without bringing the whole tacklebox
9. Child-proofed prescription pill bottles - a. Intended use: safe keeping of prescription drugs. b. Warped use: safe keeping of larger weights, hooks, small lures and/or jigheads in a pocket for "shore roaming" from one spot to another without bringing the whole tacklebox
10. PVC piping - a. Intended use: removal of waste water from homes and businesses. b. Warped uses: (1) rod holders on Lake Michigan piers, or (when attached to narrow flatiron) shore/beach fishing; (2) safe rod transport on long trips; (3) rod transport on bicycles (strapped to bike frame with furnace strapping).
11. Rifle cases - a. Intended use: safe transport of rifles and shotguns. b. Warped use: safe transport of two (or more)-piece fishing rods. Most rifle cases will allow you to leave the reel right on the rod.
12. Two-wheeled shopping carts - a. Intended use: transport of groceries from the store to home when walking, used particularly in urban areas. b. Warped use: (when modified) transport of rods, tacklebox and bucket for fishing piers and jetties on the Great Lakes
What products (or packaging) have you morphed into a use for fishing? Or what products (or packaging) of those listed above have you morphed differently than I have?