Introduction: How to Make a Cheap Bottle Top Spinner

Here is my first ever instructable post.  I have seen bottle tops made into spinners/rattle lures and fancied having a go myself.  However, I could see a few additions or improvements I could make to keep the cost even lower!  Everything I use for making the lure is found or recycled.  The only thing I purchased to make my first effort was the treble hook.  When using hooks, always use new ones that are still sharp pointed.  As hooks are used, they lose their sharpness.  Having a sharp pointed hook will prevent "missed" bites as the hook is more likely to hook the fish.
Most of the videos and instructions I have seen are American and reference the lure as a Bass lure.  But good news for us Brits! They work for our Pike and Perch too!

Step 1: Materials to Make Your Ultra Cheap Pike Lure

Here are the materials needed for the lure itself:
1 x Treble hook - brand new with nice sharp points and barbs
1 x Sea fishing swivel (Found on a beach still connected to line)
3 x Sea fishing beads (Found on a beach)
2 x split rings (found on a beach - but can be brought cheaply on ebay)
2 x AA lead free fishing shot - previously used (closed) on a river fishing outing.  Pulled from line and kept
1 x Beer bottle top (Beer enjoyed first! This top is from a bottle of Cobra I drank at my local Indian Restaurant)

Step 2: Tools Needed

Even the most basic of tools kits should have to following:
Hammer
Nail
Wood (or other expendable surface!)
Pliers (not shown - but not essential)

Step 3: Pierce Bottle Top

The first step is to pierce one side of the bottle top using a nail and the hammer.  I placed mine on a lump of wood so as not to damage by table.   The hole should be just on the edge of the cap side where the crimps are.  Be sure that the hole is large enough for your split ring to go through. Note that this bottle top originally had a soft plastic liner which creates the seal with the bottle.  I removed this by simply scraping it off with my fingernail.

Step 4: Pierce a Second Hole

Turn the bottle top around and pierce another hole directly opposite the first

Step 5: Add Split Rings

Add a split ring to each of the holes you have made.  This is easier if you have a pair of pliers as it can be quite fiddly.  This is the hardest step of all which goes to show how easy this instructable is! 

Step 6: Add a Treble Hook

Add a treble hook to one of the split rings.

Step 7: Tie on Some Scrape Fishing Line

The next few steps are my "improvements" on the standard bottle top fishing lure.  Using a tucked half blood knot, I tied a length of 9lb mono fishing line to the other split ring and left quite a long tag on the knot.  Some anglers choose to super glue their fishing knots, but I just decide to tie them correctly and tightly.  A properly tied fishing knot will not come undone.  Be aware that if you are using braid line, use the appropriate knot to secure it.  "Normal" fishing knots can pull through and undo on braid.

Step 8: Thread on Some Old Sea Fishing Beads

I threaded on some sea fishing beads I had found on a beach. Notice how I have tucked the knot "tag" into the beads too.

 There is always "lost" tackle washed up onto our beaches which just lies around as rubbish.  My idea here is to add some bright colours to the lure so that it is more attractive to fish.  You can see from the beads they are pre-used and a little dirty.  Better than leaving them lying around one of our beaches as rubbish which is never going to bio-degrade!

Step 9: Tie on a Swivel

Again my swivel came from "lost" beach casting tackle.  You can see from it's colour it has spent some time underwater.  Someone's loss is my gain.  I connected the swivel to the line using another tucked half blood knot.  The trick here is to try to tie the knot so that it sits as close as possible to the beads.  This is easier said than done due to the way the knot tightens.  I may revist this step in the future with a better knot, but for now it will do.  

Step 10: Time for a Cuppa!

This is how my lure now looks, and yours should look something like it depending on what "bits" you have found and used. 

Step 11: Add Some Old Split Shot

To make your lure rattle, add some split shot to the bottle top.  Mine have been previously used and would normally have been thrown away.  Lead free split shot can be re-opened to be and used again if you are careful, but it can become brittle and break.  Personally I just save mine up and use them for projects such as this.  

Step 12: Fold the Bottle Top in Half

Simply fold the bottle top in half using your thumb and forefinger. This is quite easy to do and doesn't need any tools. Do not squash the cap too far.  You want it to hold the shot inside but give them space to rattle around.

Step 13: Time to Go Pike Fishing!

Your lure is now finished and ready to go.  The original bottle top lures I have seen leave out the mono and threaded beads.  I think adding the beads provides a bright attractant to the lure.

This lure now provides the following attractions to predatory fish:
1. Noise - it is recognised that lures benefit from some kind of rattle noise.
2. Colour - the beads add colour that is known to stimulate an aggressive attack in a predatory fish.
3. Flash - the reflective bottle top helps send reflected light out through the water.  There is a science about which colours can be seen at what water depths.  However, with a reflective finish, all available light waves at any depth can be reflected to make the lure visible.

Further improvements:
My next efforts at making this lure will probably include some or all of the following:
1. A wire body shaft instead of mono line. (Possible giving the ability to remove the swivel and at least one of the split rings.)
2. A Mepps style spoon attachment to the top of the wire body.
3. Feathers whipped onto the hook to give it a more organic look and movement in the water.
4. Shrink wrap silicon to "clean up" the finish and perhaps remove some of the slack between "bits" like the beads.

This step by step instructable, together with other home made fishing equipment, will also be published on my blog at NetNeo.co.uk