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Betalight/isotope alternative

Darren Hawen

Darren Hawen

Senior Member & Supporter
Is there a viable alternative about? Had a look around online for tape/paint but seems it needs activating before it’s effective.

My line wrapped around my Drennan isotope yesterday evening, it was dark, in heavy rain so didn’t twig I had a wrap.

Is there a better option out there? Maybe a better way to attach to rod top than the standard way?

Any thoughts/ideas welcome.
 
I try to use tiny bits of thin brown parcel tape in such a way as they taper and there's no obstruction for the line to catch on. It's v. fiddly and it only works easily if everything's dry when I attach the isotope, ie there's no dew in the air.
 
Darren Hawen said:
Is there a viable alternative about? Had a look around online for tape/paint but seems it needs activating before it’s effective.

My line wrapped around my Drennan isotope yesterday evening, it was dark, in heavy rain so didn’t twig I had a wrap.

Is there a better option out there? Maybe a better way to attach to rod top than the standard way?

Any thoughts/ideas welcome.
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I don’t like the isotope standing vertically off the rod either for that very same reason that it’s all too easy to get a loop of line over it. It happened to me once on one of those quick fit rod tip things. The line looped over it and I didn’t realise, went to cast and it pulled off the tube seeing £15 quids worth of Korda isotope in the river.
Mine is now fitted horizontally directly on top of the tip eye.
Tiny drop of glue to situate it then 4-5 coats of rod builders epoxy clear coat to completely seal it all over and it’s not coming off.
Much less problems with line but more importantly it’s never gonna get flinged in the river.
Here’s the tip section of my peregrine GTX. My most used rod by miles.
I don’t like a full white or full black tip on a rod as I can only see them clearly on certain backgrounds so I use 2 white bands meaning its covered for all backgrounds
I’ve spent some time on that rod tip to cater it for me.
 

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Richard Isaacs said:
It was the green case with the isotope set into it that gave me the idea to do mine like I have.
I opted the way I’ve done it with clear coat simply so that I could see the isotope from all angles.
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Also did a version with a replaceable isotope in a clear acrylic. Some of the previously pictured were done with glow powder and give a diffuse glow outside the main isotope area.
 
Bob Gill said:
Also did a version with a replaceable isotope in a clear acrylic. Some of the previously pictured were done with glow powder and give a diffuse glow outside the main isotope area.
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Ah I see. So the whole thing glows at night?
I didn’t realise that. Very nice neat job and I particularly like the way they taper off at the back. Line will struggle to get caught on those.
 
Richard Isaacs said:
Ah I see. So the whole thing glows at night?
I didn’t realise that. Very nice neat job and I particularly like the way they taper off at the back. Line will struggle to get caught on those.
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Yes, the 'blob' mass does glow. Another advantage of the glow powder was that you could boost it with a torch to increase the glow intensity, which lasted a reasonable time.
The shape was developed to keep tangles to a minimum.
Also played with a double separated version.

Cheers
Bob
 
Glorious workmanship!


If I say so myself, my 50p glow sticks are a similar shape when I've applied a few micro-slivers of parcel tape, and they aren't going anywhere or snagging any line

(can you tell I rarely night fish ;) )
 
I had Dave Lumb retrofit these 'isotubes' to my barbel rods, very happy with them. Just hope the isotope lasts..

He sells the clear shrink tube on his website if you want to have a crack at doing them yourself.
 

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Rhys Perry said:
I like your idea Richard, nice and simple, I might try it.
What's the best paint to use on rods?
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That’s enamel spray on mine. Just 1 heavy coat straight onto the blank varnish. It’s not chipped off yet but I’m sure it will over the years. In which case I’ll touch it up.
 
Joe Winstanley said:
I had Dave Lumb retrofit these 'isotubes' to my barbel rods, very happy with them. Just hope the isotope lasts..

He sells the clear shrink tube on his website if you want to have a crack at doing them yourself.
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That’s certainly a very nice way of doing things. I sent 2 isotopes off to mark Tunley last month to do exactly the same thing on my new torrixs coming.
Very much Looking forward to their arrival.
 
Richard Isaacs said:
They glow for a very very very long time.
My step dad still has isotopes lashed to his rods from the late 90’s and they are still working spot on.

I hope so. I read somewhere (maybe on here) that the half life of an isotope was about 12 years? But I've got Drennan isotopes kicking around somewhere which are still bright as ever and are over 15 years old.
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I have a Torrix built by Fosters, the isotope is secured via a whipped rubber tube, never had any problems, unlike like the Drennan pegs.
 
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