Do NOT use plain white bouy

Learning from my mistakes (trying to be cheap) I used white pool noodles and Clorox empty jug. We were on a boat 2 weekends ago, we kept missing my traps in spite of having waypoints and marks (there are tons of birds) every time we think it's the one, it flies away from us. 

  I can see how that could be a problem     

Definitely learned that lesson first time I dropped my nets. I also learned that anchovies will fall right through the hoop netting.

Definitely learned that lesson first time I dropped my nets. I also learned that anchovies will fall right through the hoop netting.

i have been using the blue bait bags with good success. they have a much smaller mesh and seems to keep everything well contained for a day's use.

Learning from my mistakes (trying to be cheap) I used white pool noodles and Clorox empty jug. We were on a boat 2 weekends ago, we kept missing my traps in spite of having waypoints and marks (there are tons of birds) every time we think it's the one, it flies away from us. 

Next time, try using a bird as a buoy and it might be easier to find...

Aww mannn!
I just got all my hoops rigged with floating seagull decoys!
  j/k bro, sorry you had a hassle.

just like with a kayak, bright colors not usually found in nature are a huge help in location.
Hit your white jugs with some bright spraypaint for a cheap fix.

ha, that last line is kind of funny without context....

I really like my buoy's I made from Gatoraid bottles that stand straight up and are florescent orange, I can see them from a pretty good distance.  But even then in bouncy seas it can be hard to spot them.  Feel like the  new buoy requirements make this a more common issue, as it's too hard to differentiate your buoy from someone else's until you can read the markings on it. 

...as it's too hard to differentiate your buoy from someone else's until you can read the markings on it.

I paint my buoys with stripes so they are unique.

Cheap foam rollers from Ross , but seagulls devour so I continually chase them off until a solution is formulated. The pink Visibility works great tho

The little yellow football floats from dollar store were a bust. Water logging and deterioration

...as it's too hard to differentiate your buoy from someone else's until you can read the markings on it.

I paint my buoys with stripes so they are unique.

Sure, but at what distance can you differentiate yours from others?  I'm sure it helps, but from a distance, they all look pretty similar.  Will only be worse when traps are allowed and there are a ton of them out there.  I'm thinking o trying to make them stand up again and have a mylar flag or something shiny so it's easy to spot.

Definitely learned that lesson first time I dropped my nets. I also learned that anchovies will fall right through the hoop netting.

i have been using the blue bait bags with good success. they have a much smaller mesh and seems to keep everything well contained for a day's use.

+1 on the bluebait bags. When using smaller baits like anchovies or such in bait cages, I’ll use leftover orange mesh bags that tangerines come in. The fruit bags fall apart pretty quickly tho and only get 1 or 2 use

...as it's too hard to differentiate your buoy from someone else's until you can read the markings on it.

I paint my buoys with stripes so they are unique.

Sure, but at what distance can you differentiate yours from others?  I'm sure it helps, but from a distance, they all look pretty similar.  Will only be worse when traps are allowed and there are a ton of them out there.  I'm thinking o trying to make them stand up again and have a mylar flag or something shiny so it's easy to spot.

Mine are bright orange and blue so I can tell they are mine from pretty far away.

Speaking of painting. Whats a good paint to color my new buoy Red/White?

Learning from my mistakes (trying to be cheap) I used white pool noodles and Clorox empty jug. We were on a boat 2 weekends ago, we kept missing my traps in spite of having waypoints and marks (there are tons of birds) every time we think it's the one, it flies away from us. 

Next time, try using a bird as a buoy and it might be easier to find...

The light went on!  I'm gonna start using spoony and malard deeks as floats to keep the poachers off my traps!

Real birds flap and make a ruckus. Much easier to find. Another pulse is they may attract large fishy predators, to which you can sight cast!