Fly Rods & Reels

Line Spool Holder

Posted Wed, 09/23/2009 - 09:31 by jmaslar
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I could not find a simple, yet satisfactory, line winder to load fishing line onto a reel. Too often they were wimpy held in place with suction cups, attached to the rod itself, or even made of plastic.  (I still have pencil lead embedded in my hand due to the failure of a suction cup on a pencil sharpener.) So, I turned the project over to the Research Department at TroutUniversity.
 
Steve Maslar a mechanical engineer and Chancellor at Trout University took up the challenge and has designed a simple but effective line spooler for winding line on fishing reels.  It uses laser technology in manufacturing a stainless steel bracket which together with zinc plated components provides a durable assembly at a very affordable price.
 
Features Include:
Accommodates a wide range of lines     
Can be mounted on a wall or on a bench
Easily removed from its mounting
Provides rapid tension adjustment
Add’l arbors available for quick line changes
 

How To Make A Fly Rod Case

Posted Fri, 07/31/2009 - 07:55 by smaslar
Your rating: None Average: 4.7 (3 votes)

Protecting what can potentially turn into a sizeable investment in trout fishing, your fly rod, is very important.  Toward that end, having a fly rod case can save you aggravation and money by preventing fly rod breakage, especially when travelling.  Shown below is a simple method on how to make a fly rod case.

Telescoping Fly Rod With Homemade PVC Fly Rod Case

Telescoping Fly Rod With Fly Rod Case

For my fly rod case (which is used for my telescoping fly rod), I used 1" Schedule 5 (this means it has approximately a 1-5/16" outside diameter and 1/16" wall thickness) white PVC pipe.  Note that if you have a fly rod that breaks down into two or three sections, you will likely need a larger diameter pipe (See the chart here for actual pipe diameters and wall thicknesses).  Choose a pipe whose outside diameter minus twice the wall thickness is large enough for your fly rod (once broken down into its individual pieces) can reasonably fit into.  Note that some pipe sizes/wall thicknesses may be easier to find at the store than others. Using a hacksaw, cut the pipe to the appropriate length.  You may need to file or sand down the cut edge.

You will also need to purchase two end caps for the pipe.  In my case, I simply rely on a friction fit between the end caps and the pipe, because I normally store my telescoping fly rod in the back of my fly vest.  However, in the general case, you will need to glue (using the special cement specifically designed for PVC pipe) one cap on one end.  On the other end of the pipe, drill a hole through both the cap and pipe's end, and use a pin to keep the cap on.  Then, to access the interior of the pipe, you can remove the pin and take the cap off.

A refinement to the fly rod case's design is to add an eye hook or strap to the removable pipe cap to allow the fly rod case to be hung from a backpack (while hiking to a stream) or on a nail on the wall at home to store it.  Also, you may want to cut a slot in the removable cap end that would allow the fly reel to remain attached to the rod.

Getting Started Fly Fishing Basics

Posted Wed, 07/22/2009 - 10:17 by jmaslar

 

Selecting Flies and the
Tools of Fly-fishing is
a Fly Fishing Basic

  $29.95 Free Shipping


 

Fly fishing basics of choosing the right fly, fly line, fly rod, fly reel, leader, tippet, etc. for your particular needs and requirements is a step in the right direction towards success on any fly-fishing excursion. 

     

The purpose, function and features of each fly-fishing tool, fly rod, fly reel, fly         
line, flies, waders, etc. , including its construction and material, are thoroughly covered.

   

Example Script Segment on Tippets:

 

The following are some fly fishing basics that you should know if you are going to consistantly catch trout. Smaller size leaders are designated by their length and the tippet size number, which is designated by a “X” that identify the size and breaking strength of the tippet. The larger the number immediately preceded by  “X” the smaller the diameter and lower the breaking strength of the tippet. 

Larger size leaders do not use the “X” system to designate size. They are identified as being extra light, light, medium, heavy or extra heavy and may also be designated by the diameter of the tippet. If the tippet size is larger than the zero ”X” size designation, they are referred to by length and tippet size designated as the tested breaking strength. For instance, a designation of a tippet may be, a nine, foot leader with a .015-inch diameter tippet, or nine-foot leader with a breaking strength of ten pounds.

The larger the tippet, the more difficult it is to make the fly look and act natural. So from the
standpoint of the presentation the tippet should be as small in diameter as possible. However, since the tippet is also the weakest link between the angler and the fish a balance of choices must be made between the quality of presentation of the fly and the risk of a fish breaking the tippet.

The larger the fly, the larger the size tippet you can use without it adversely affecting the presentation of the fly. For example, this larger size streamer fly can be effectively presented on a much larger size tippet than this very small dry fly. Ideally, you would use a very small, light tippet for the dry fly – as small as possible without it compromising your ability to successfully fight and land the fish. Most anglers would much rather take their chances fighting a fish on light tackle than to fish heavier tackle.

 

Strike Indicators for Trout Fly Fishing

Posted Mon, 06/29/2009 - 16:27 by jmaslar
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Class 403 Strike indicators Selection and Application has been added to the list of free graduate level classes at Trout University Troutu.com.  This class is in line with Trout University's  proud tradition of continuing to expand the learning capabilities for all levels of fishing expertise. Since there are a number of good strike indicator options available, a good understanding is necessary to make the proper selection as well as the proper appliction of indicators.

Fly Casting Methods

Posted Fri, 06/19/2009 - 20:16 by jmaslar
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Trout University has developed another class in the graduate series of complex classes.  Class 422 Exploring Various Casting Methods is not for everyone, it for the experienced fly fisherman who needs some casts in his arsnel for the most challenging situations.  When we use the term "skip casts" we are not talking about skipping stones!

Exploring Various Casting Methods

Posted Thu, 06/18/2009 - 15:59 by jmaslar
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Class Code: 
422
Syllabus: 

Upon completion of this class the students will have two new types of casts in their arsnel.  These casts can be used under some difficult situations perhaps in smaller streams. This class is desinged to increase the students catch per centage in small or difficult streams. However a word of caution:  The student should not attempt these casts until they have become proficient in the use of the casting techniques taught in previous classes.

Course Content: 

 Skip Casts:
IT USUALLY TAKES ME three or four casts to finally put the fly over the fish where I'd like it to land. But I'm a believer in presenting the first few casts to a spot that will be at least a foot or two to my side of the fish. If the fish is really hungry, it'll often charge over to grab the fly. If it doesn't, I can gradually work the fly in closer to the fish's holding spot and get better floats as I adjust the angle of my casting arm and the power of the cast for more dramatic left hooks.

I'll work the bankside run as far as I can with comfortable fifteen- to twenty-five-foot casts upstream and to the left. But before I lengthen my casts I'll try to gradually work the little dry fly in tight to the bank just in case there is a fish that I can't see under the shady willows. Getting a fly under low-hanging willows or any other kind of brush can be almost impossible from my standing position. And it's a good way to lose a lot of flies.

I'm not one who can execute all the fancy "on-my-knees sidearm casts" that I've seen the experts demonstrate to shoot a fly for fifteen feet a few inches above the water. Once in a while, when I'm really on, I can get a fly to skip under the low, overhanging brush by overpowering a low sidearm cast. It takes a little practice to make a skip cast work because you have to aim the fly to hit the water immediately under the overhanging branch with enough sidearm force to cause it to skip back under the brush. The fly actually hits the water behind a short loop of line and leader, which picks up the fly and throws it back under the brush.

To make this work, the casting loop must be in a near horizontal position with the fly trailing lower than the loop. If the angle isn't just right, you'll drive the fly into the water with a hell of a splash of leader and line and scare the fish. It's a little like skipping a flat pebble with a string attached. I'm always afraid the splash the fly makes as it skips back into the dark spaces will spook whatever is in there.

When making a skip cast, I look for a little vertical channel of air between the branches. This isn't an easy cast because the forward line and leader loop must perfectly match the gap in the foliage or you'll catch one of the branches to either side. The slightest breeze can mean trouble. This cast is best made with a rather open loop so that, if the fly does come in contact with a leaf or branch, chances are it'll dribble down to the surface much like a natural that has lost its grip.
If I can't find an open channel between branches, I'll make a few roll casts toward the center of the stream as I gradually sidestep upstream. I move into a position that will allow me to make an across-and-downstream cast to drift the fly downstream under the willow branches, after I've fished the easier water just under the outside edge of the overhanging brush.


I'm always a little surprised that I occasionally get a few strikes out in the middle of the stream with my roll casts. I can spend two hours fishing no more than twenty feet of stream without getting to the other side, where the big trout hang out. The first hour or two spent doing this is a warm-up for what is ahead. I see it as a chance to try a few patterns, net the water to see what I can find, and check out my casting ability. Some days I cast better than other days. And if there are a few little trout rising in a place like this, isn't it a good idea to try to catch them just in case someday a hog is in there? If I'm successful, I'll have a much better chance of fooling the big fish because I know what to do to get a good drift in a tough spot.

My favorite rod for fishing this kind of water happens to be a 8 1/2-foot bamboo with a 5-weight line. It's a 2-piece rod with a butt section strong enough to turn heavy rainbows in whitewater, yet the upper butt and tip are delicate enough to cast eighteen feet of leader with forty inches of 7X tippet and a size 24 dry fly.  I think that rods shorter than 8 feet have some built-in handicaps for streams wider than ten or twelve feet. Since mending line seems to be essential in almost every fishing situation I encounter, the longer rod allows me to lift more line from the water to toss an up- or downstream loop to extend drifts. A longer rod allows me to keep my backcast above the willows and other bankside brush, and I can lean a cast to either side of my body.

Lean Casts:
What I call a lean cast comes close to being a reach cast, which is usually made across and slightly up- or downstream by sweeping the rod either right or left just after delivering the forward cast and before the fly lands on the water. This action places the fly line up- or downstream of the main current. I like to think of the reach cast as something I do because I can't or am too lazy to move upstream or down two or three steps. It's a great way to extend a drag-free drift.
I use a lean cast when I've already waded way too deep. To get a proper drift I need to stretch my casting arm far to the right or left as I false-cast (no, I can't cast left-handed) in order to lay the fly line in a section of current that won't drag the fly downstream faster than the current where the fly is. This can often happen when I'm fishing almost straight up- or downstream.


Upstream lean casts are a little easier for hooking a rising trout than downstream casts. In downstream casts the leader tends to straighten way too fast and cause drag, or worse yet, the leader straightens just as the fly comes to a riser. When the fish comes up to suck in the fly, the tightness of the leader prevents it from moving. A good way to stop this from happening is to give the rod a little jiggle as the line is still in the air on the forward cast. The jiggle will produce a bunch of shallow S curves in both the line and leader, which will allow me to strip line from the reel and continue to jiggle the rod as the fly comes within striking range of the fish. The challenge I have in this situation is being able to quickly set up when a fish does take the fly because of all the S curves in the fly line. Since the fly can't move until everything is straight, I try to be careful how big the S curves are.

Another situation that might require a lean cast is when you're behind a boulder and wish to present a fly either upstream or down. The current coming around the boulder will create faster currents that fan away from the boulder for some distance downstream. Study these currents carefully and use the lean cast to get your fly and line to land in the middle of the current.
  
Note: This class is baed on excerpts from Fly Fishing with AK a Stackpole Books publication.

Assignments: 

Assignments, practice, practice and practice with a bit of yarn to act as a fly and remember, be patient.

Continue on to class 4221 for more advanced csts.

Extra Credit: 

Read these books by A. K. Best

Fly Fishing with A. K. Best by Stackpole Books

TechVest Development

Posted Tue, 06/16/2009 - 11:31 by jmaslar

For years we have struggled with fly fishing vests that lacked organization for the fly fishing tools, were bulky, hard to get into, hot in the summer, cold in the winter, too loose at time and too tight at times. We took it upon ourselves to find just the right vest.

When we saw the new TechVest developed by a fly fishing engineer in Montana, we bought the rights to distribute the TechVest. It has its own rod holder, it conveniently stores all the fly fishers tools within easy reach, is fully adjustable so it can fit over winter clothing or summer clothing, it has a detatchable hand warmer for winter, and it is light weight and easy to slip on and off.  It can be used to wade the stream but it is also especially nice for float fishing or kyacking.
We are pleased to report the TechVest is in manufacture and our stock is currently at some 350 units.  They can be purchased here at Trout University.




Top 5 Ways to Protect Streams

Posted Sun, 06/14/2009 - 15:03 by jmaslar

When leaving a trout fishing habitat remember to:

1.)   Remove any visible plants, fish or animals from clothing and equipment.

2.)  Remove mud and dirt since it too may contain a hitchhiker.

3.)  Eliminate water from all equipment before transporting anywhere.

4.)  Clean and dry anything that came in contact with the water.

5.)   Do not release or put plants, fish or animals into a body of water unless they came out of that body of water.  Whether you have obtained bait at a store or from another body of water, do not release unused bait into the waters you are fishing

FISHING TACKLE LOAN AND ADAPTIVE GEAR PROGRAMS

Posted Fri, 06/12/2009 - 08:19 by jmaslar
Your rating: None Average: 3.7 (3 votes)

First-time and novice anglers in North Carolina are encouraged to borrow rods and reels free of charge to join in the trout fishing fun this year. The loaner rods and reels are provided by various city and county parks statewide and by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission through the Commission’s Fishing Tackle Loaner Program (FTLP). 

The Commission created the Fishing Tackle Loaner Program to introduce North Carolinians, especially children, to fishing and to encourage novice anglers to continue developing their angling skills. The Fishing Tackle Loaner Program operates just like a library. Anglers of all ages register at participating parks to receive a tackle loaner ID card, which allows them to check out a rod and reel. Anglers under 18 years of age must have a parent or guardian complete the registration form. After returning the loaner rods and reels to the park office, first-time participants under 16 years of age will receive a free mini-tackle box containing hooks, bobbers, sinkers, and a stringer. 
 
Adaptive fishing gear can be loaned to disabled anglers at some TLP sites. The gear types are electric John’s Reels with either a push button or joystick-operating device. Typically, these special reels are placed on easy cast fishing rod devices. Some sites also offer rod holders for those persons with shoulder problems and or an inability to hold something for an extended time. For individuals with grip problems action life gloves are available in various sizes. These gloves are available for either right or left hands.  For the complete story including the pictures of the tackle available go to the North Carolina
Fishing Tackle Loaner Program (FTLP) and click on Disabled Opportunities.

Furled Leaders Introduction Class 402

Posted Sun, 05/17/2009 - 16:30 by jmaslar
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As promised, the class for the introduction of the furled leaders is now open.  Robert Morselli has written a class explaining what they are, how they are made, and how they are used.  In many ways, they are superior to the monofiliment so common today.  Please go to Trout University Graduate level Class 402 Furled Leaders Introduction to take the short class, free of charge.