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.
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.
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
Yes we have finally opened our store to help pay the bills! The current featured product is the "Hands Free Fishing Rod Holder", but we have additional products available now as well; and we will be adding new items frequently so please check the products that we offer.
Trout University is proud to announce the featured product this week is the"Fish Hands Free Rod Holder" now available at theTrout Universtiy Store. If you hurry, you may be able to purchase it at auction. However, soon it will become an inventory item listed at $9.99 each while supplies last.
This ingenius device invented by my friend Dave Walko, is so simple you would wonder why you have not thought of it yourself. It can be attached to any vest in minutes, and will hold the rod securely in place freeing the hands for other tasks.
Thousands have been sold thru Orvis and Disks Sporting Goods. Now, it can be ordered from the Trout University Store.
Now is the time of year to start thinking about the spring trout fishing trips. If you are like me, you will be anxious to get going after a winter of rest, in fact in a panic. That is how I have broken rods before, as I rush to get going, I slam the rod in the trunk. Unfortunately, the rods are always a little longer than my trunk’s capacity and so click; I have trimmed the tip off. Also, rods are a little longer than the inside of the car is wide, so I have trimmed the tip off by slamming the car door or by closing the window. Accidents or mishaps that result in a broken rod are usually the result of being careless when transporting the rods. To avoid this potential heart breaker, invest in a rod case.
While fishing, there are a few other careless ways to break rods as well. To understand these, it takes a little understanding of mechanical advantage as the term is used in mechanical engineering. If you do not take the time to ensure that the rod sections are joined tightly, the force of the fish will put additional leverage on the point where the sections are joined and bingo, there goes the rod.
Another common mistake is what I observed while fishing in the Russian River in Alaska. The gentlemen fishing next to me had a big salmon on the line, which would not have been a problem. However, for some strange reason, he held the pole in a straight vertical position. This produced a “coupling” moment about the handle of the rod. If the rod was say 8 feet long, that made the ratio of the force about eight times greater than it needed to be. Needless to say, the rod broke and he went away with some choice words. It is far better to align the rod in the direction of the fish, letting the force be applied to the line rather than the rod itself. With proper drag set for the proper line weight, a large fish does not pose a problem for the rod.
A third error while fishing is to attempt to help the rod by placing your hand somewhere up the rod and not at the handle. If you place your hand three feet up a nine foot rod, you have placed the fulcrum three feet up the rod. This cuts down the leverage of the rod and makes the effective length only six feet.
Finally, over stressing the rod is a recipe for disaster. I have seen the fly rods bent into a complete “U” as the fisherman was trying to tie a fly onto the end of the rod. This can over stress the rod and can also cause a fly to get hooked into your finger or, worse yet, into your eye. The same over stressed condition can exist if the fisherman tries to lift a large fish out of the water. In this situation it would be far better to use a net. These are some obvious examples of how to break a rod. If you have any other methods, please feel free to contact me jmaslar@troutu.com
5. Map This is a map for North Carolina but usually each state's fish and game will have similar sites.
For a more complete discussion of these items including a more comprehensive list, as well as where to purchase these items, please refer to TroutU class 102 What to
This course is meant as addendum to the previous class. In this class, the student will learn a novel approach to fishing the stuborn streams that can be found in the mountains of the South. It combines both fly fishing and in-line spinner fishing. After the completion of this course, the student will have an approach that affords a good opportunity for a father and son team.
Course Content:
We, Steve and Jerry,have fished the mountain streams together for many years and quite often the streams would be under a canopy of rhodendron branches, or other obstacles, that made it extremely difficult to spot the trout. Below is a description of a method for locating the trout and coaxing them into hitting a fly.
As we approached a stream with cascading pools, we would alternate by assigning a pool to the fly fishing technique or we would assign the pool to the spinner fishing technique. However, If we observed a trout near the end of the pool we would assign that pool to the fly fisher. When no trout was observed, whoever had that assigned pool, either fly fisher or spinner fisher, would utilize the blind fishing approach. We would search the water by simply blind casting the dry flies, such as terrestrials. over the water hoping to get a hit. The first few casts would be to the tail of the pool. ( Usually brook trout could be found there.) If those casts did not yield a hit the next series of casts would be toward the bank or shady spot in the pool, hoping to get a hit possibly from a brown trout lying there waiting to ambush some food. The next casts would be to the rapid highly oxygenated head water at the pool inlet, where we might expect to find a rainbow trout. The flies necessarily had to just happen to land ahead of the trout and not too far to the right or to the left. When blind fishing the odds of that happening can not be expected to be high so this method often proved to be unproductive.
The spinner fisherman, using in-line spinners such as Rooster Tails or Mepps, would use the same approach of blind fishing. The trout would often follow the spinner to the outflow of the pool, but would not hit it. A second and a third attempt for the same trout would often result in less interest with each subsequent cast. After a series of casts the trout would be sufficiently spooked and "headed for Dixie".
We quickly realized what was happening and decided that perhaps a team approach would be more productive. Now, when we approach a pool and do not observe any trout we both work that pool. First, the in-line spinner fisherman will cast his lure into the headwaters at the front of the pool. Quite often there would be a rainbow trout lying there enjoying the highly oxygenated waters, and waiting for the current to bring it a morsel of food such as a minnow. If the spinner appears to satisfy that desire we would have a trout on the line. However, if that cast was not sucessful the trout would follow the spinner and he might hit it before it could be reeled in completely. Now, more importantly, if the trout follows the spinner but does not hit the trout will leisurely head back up the pool, conserving energy and not wanting to risk any more energy in chasing that particular morsel. But, since the trout is now somewhat frusterated he can be coerced into getting a smaller meal with much less energy expended
Since the trout was moving our eyes have become focused on the trout and the trout can be seen easily. A trout that can be seen is, indeed, a vulnerable trout and can be caught with a dry fly. At this point the fly fisherman is ready to launch his dry fly to an area just ahead of and above the bewildered trout and this is a high percentage cast! In the event that there was not a trout in the head waters that was interested, as the in-line spinner continues down the pool, it will cause more commotion in the water and it will attract trout, from a farther distance to seek it out. Trout lying along the banks will often catch up with the spinner and hit it. If they do not hit the spinner, at least the trout has been lured out into the open and now can be easy prey for the dry fly. Since we have adopted the double team approach to fishing the smaller pools found in the Southeast we have improved our catch rate and we have continued to enjoy the fellowship of each other.
This course describes the various types of equipment most commonly used for trout fishing. Fly reels, spincast reels and spinner reels will be discussed in detail. Also, the unique use of cane poles will be included in the discussion.
Course Content:
Cane Poles: This is a simple pole made from bamboo canes, and fished without a reel. Typically, they are about 12’-14’ feet long, and they come in 2 or 3 sections. Usually, you would use approximately 6’-10’ of light (2-4lb test) line with a dry fly attached to the end. Cane Poles were used by the early pioneers when Tennessee was the West. This tackle is best suited for small streams with large boulders/steep descent which allows you to hide from the fish and still closely approach them. The lure of choice for this pole is a dry fly to imitate terrestrials or adult mayflies. When fishing with a cane pole, approach the stream with stealth, moving upstream. You may, or not, see a trout feeding in the current. Then dangle the fly about 1 or 2 inches above the surface, moving the fly in a figure eight loop. The trout will find this approach irresistible and will jump out of the water trying to catch the fly. Often times, the trout will circle the fly in ever faster circles prior to jumping for the tasty morsel. However, if the trout misses on the first try, keep the figure eight movement. I f you can see the trout, place it directly above the head and slightly ahead of the trout. This is a most interesting and often rewarding method of fishing, since you see the trout jumping.
Spincast Reel:– This is the type of reel most people learn to fish with as a child. Most of these reels currently being made are not durable, and will not last long. However, they are generally the easiest to use. To cast, press and hold down the button. Release the button when you want the line to begin going out which is usually at the top of the stroke. Typically, you would use 4-8lb test line on the spool and use this type of reel for live bait, in-line spinners, and lures, such as those imitating minnows. Additionally, the drag must be set properly to be sure line will come off the reel without breaking, if a large fish bites. Approach the stream working upstream, and cast as far into the pool as possible trying to land the lure in the foam at the head of the pool. Then, crank in the lure experimenting with different speeds of retrieve. Also, the lure can be bumped along the bottom which will attract fish as well.
Spinning Reel: – The Spinning Reel, also known as the Open Faced Reel, is probably the most common type of reel used for trout fishing, other than perhaps a fly reel. A spinning reel represents the best compromise between ease of use, durability, and ability to cast small lures on light line. On this type of reel, there is a bail that revolves around a stationary, central spool, to wrap the line on the spool as the handle is turned. This bail must be rotated out of the way during casting, to allow the line to go out. This reel would typically be used in similar situations as the spincast reel. Often in trout fishing, a small spinning reel is coupled with an ultralight spinning rod for casting light lures and line, while providing good action even when catching small fish. Typically, the handle on this type of reel can be reversed to accommodate either right or left-handed fishers. (This should be confirmed, however, prior to purchasing a reel.) Additionally, the drag must be set properly to be sure line will come off the reel without breaking, if a large fish bites. The technique for using this reel is the same technique used with the Spincast Reel. More
Fly Rod: – Fly fishing is unique in that it typically relies on the weight of the fly line to pull the fly through the air. (Other types of tackle rely on the weight of the lure pulling out the line.) Flies are light weight; often hand tied, and are intended to mimic the insects most often found in trout streams. These flies are the lures being propelled by the line. Fly rods are typically 7’-9’ long, though there are some smaller ones being used (typically on small, overgrown streams). We recommend a relatively long rod (8’-9’ long) for the following reasons:
1 It keeps more of the fly line out of the water while fishing, reducing drag on the fly.
2. It allows longer casts on larger streams.
3. It makes fly retrieval a little easier when the fly is caught in the stream or in the brush.
4. It allows greater range with the caning and slingshot techniques. The action of the fly rod and weight of the fly line should be matched to provide the best action, depending on the sizes of the fish and stream you are fishing.
The fly reel:- The reel, used with the fly rod, is relatively simple, in that it simply holds the line while not being used. (I.e. There is no casting feature required.) The line is pulled out by hand as it is needed for longer casts. Typically, these reels can be reversed to accommodate either left or right handed fishers. Additionally, the drag must be set properly to be sure line will come off the reel without breaking, if a large fish bites.
The fly line:- It can either be floating (this is the most common, and can often be used for all types of flies in shallow streams), or sinking (this would be used primarily for nymphs and streamers in deep streams). Additionally, the taper of the fly line determines how far/gently it casts. The beginner will likely want to use a double tapered line, which allows good casting distance, with a gentler landing as the line hits the water. Because of the size/visibility of the fly line, a monofilament leader is typically used on the end of the fly line. This leader is tapered (either as a continuous taper, or as individual pieces of monofilament, decreasing is size, tied end to end.) to prevent it from becoming knotted while casting. As the end of the leader becomes shorter (either by breakage or by repeatedly cutting off and tying on flies), a small piece of monofilament (called tippet material) is tied on, to preserve the overall length of the leader. We recommend using an overall length of leader roughly equal to the length of the rod. When using fly line in a stream, try to keep as much of the line out of the water as possible, to avoid the effects of drag on the line. For example, if your fly lands in still water, and your fly line lands in fast water, the line will be moving faster than the fly to the extent that it will eventually pull the fly through the still water. Finally, don’t overlook small “tidal pools”, pocket water (non-pooling water), downed trees, and crevices under rocks as hiding places for trout (especially brown trout).
This morning I was feeling so cold, as I just got back from getting my morning fix of capachinno, when the email from Tyler Bros came in. I noticed a big sale on Carhartt clothing, very timely and handy for a wintertime fishing trip, but alas, I can't go today. So, I will rummage thru my old photos as I did notice their Photo contest. I have known about Tyler Bros for some time as they are one of the best Carhartt dealers in South Carolina.
