Trophy Fishing TN Forum - Caney Fork Trout Fly Fishing - Caney Fork Trout Guide
Cold Water Fishing Reports => Fly Fishing General Discussion => Topic started by: MikeA on August 31, 2016, 09:29:59 PM
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Here's a place holder for all those cool little knots or tips you learn but forget when you take a break for a few months ;D. I'll start off with one that I'll never forget the castwell knot. This knot is simply amazing. Saved me many times when welded loops fail or my fly lne broke because I went to 30 pound leader.
http://www.flyanglersonline.com/begin/knots/castwell.php
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Here's another one all the big fly chunkers should use. This one little cheap swivel will save welded loops, prevent line twist, prevent line tangles by preventing twist, won't have any negative effect on anything. Loop one on I promise you'll be impressed.
(https://www.hanapaafishing.com/sites/default/files/product/photos/Izuo_BarrelSwivel_02.png)
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Our friend Dave turned me onto this. I'd tried it with other running lines but never really liked it.
Then I tried Suffix. It took some time but I've pretty much gotten to where I prefer suffix over integrated lines. Here's why.
It's cheap. Buy Some rio t14 or T whatever, some braided loops and your set.
Casts for miles with little effort. Save the shoulders!
One spool of it will fill many reels and refills
The mono casts easier and further.
I'm just as accurate. Maybe more.
Generally less tangles.
When all is lost simply cut the knotted section out and you're back on the water with brand new running line.
Cut the heads off your old destroyed integrated lines, put a loop on them and they work great with the suffix.
It's not for everyone and I wasn't a fan for awhile but it's really grown on me over the years and now I use it on all weights from 6 up.
(http://www.fishusa.com/assets/product_images/51183001/Variations/500-2.jpg)
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This shit works great sprayed on any fly or mono line, reels that are sticky, icy guides, etc etc.
(https://i5.walmartimages.com/asr/e15274a4-8248-4a09-883c-ce268b46cc5f_1.224abdc0ae6d793f50ee61e61f0e1d53.jpeg?odnHeight=450&odnWidth=450&odnBg=FFFFFF)
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Similar, I think Tectan is repackaged as Frog Hair.
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For us night fisherman these are a must. They will save your sight, prevent some serious pain, and they will keep those midges outa your eyes on your run back to the ramp at midnight. Because in the supreme, midges are all you have to worry about when running wide open at night ;)
(http://www.willapparel.com.au/product_images/a/966/dnc-safety-glasses-tsunami__09291_zoom.jpg)
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Best knot ever. Davy knot.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-NTVZAZ0xQA
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Good stuff Mike ;)
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This is another great product to have around. Can be used like gink but it's a little thick. Works in a pinch though. Also great for applying to sinking tip fly lines and leaders. Can also be mixed with white gas to thin down and use as a dry pre treatment.
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41UQfENt7UL.jpg)
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Got a white fiberglass boat? This is the best cleaner ever made. I can't tell you how it works except magic. It gets out stains that you couldn't buff out. All that's required is a simple wipe on wipe off.
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51DB1uHMezL.jpg)
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Excellent tips and tricks. The Castwell knot is the bomb and bombproof for sure.
Swivels are awesome and a must for chunking. Seaguar is my go to for a less expensive version of Frog Hair.
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Yoda's tip o' the day.... Go fishing, It really improves your game!! ;) ;) ;)
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Out of maybe 15 trips this summer I've pulled about +- 20 fish over the rails of the supreme from 15 to 30 pounds. Most of them were in the 20 to 25 pound range. My games doing ok. My right arm, not so much.
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Out of maybe 15 trips this summer I've pulled about +- 20 fish over the rails of the supreme from 15 to 30 pounds. Most of them were in the 20 to 25 pound range. My games doing ok. My right arm, not so much.
:o ;)
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Our friend Dave turned me onto this. I'd tried it with other running lines but never really liked it.
Then I tried Suffix. It took some time but I've pretty much gotten to where I prefer suffix over integrated lines. Here's why.
It's cheap. Buy Some rio t14 or T whatever, some braided loops and your set.
Casts for miles with little effort. Save the shoulders!
One spool of it will fill many reels and refills
The mono casts easier and further.
I'm just as accurate. Maybe more.
Generally less tangles.
When all is lost simply cut the knotted section out and you're back on the water with brand new running line.
Cut the heads off your old destroyed integrated lines, put a loop on them and they work great with the suffix.
It's not for everyone and I wasn't a fan for awhile but it's really grown on me over the years and now I use it on all weights from 6 up.
(http://www.fishusa.com/assets/product_images/51183001/Variations/500-2.jpg)
This looks really cool. I need to cast one of your rigs, Mike. Let's set something up -- you need to sling this Clutch React 350
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This is another great product to have around. Can be used like gink but it's a little thick. Works in a pinch though. Also great for applying to sinking tip fly lines and leaders. Can also be mixed with white gas to thin down and use as a dry pre treatment.
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41UQfENt7UL.jpg)
I read something awhile back where they used lighter fluid to dilute it, heard that is what they called Flyagra, can't swear by that though.
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Lighter fluid would work too. Have you ever heard of anyone using liquid paraffin?
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I haven't, how would you dilute it?
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I read that they would use gasoline to dilute paraffin in the past.......
Turpentine will dilute bees wax.
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grump ---i think lighter fluid is the original recipe fly agra diluter, but some say you might as well buy a regular industry fly floatant as to pay for what lighter fluid and abalone combined costs off the shelf for the individual products in the recipe.
the swivel in leader is a great idea, especially helpful for line twist in some spey casting applications
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Yea Abalone and white gas was too unstable for me. It would swell the containers after sitting for awhile. It's nice to have around though. I keep some in the boat for various stuff. Works great to condition a sinking fly line tip.
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Here's an easy way to tie a surgeons knot
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDxGy3Nld2g
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Here's an easy way to tie a surgeons knot
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDxGy3Nld2g
Great knot tip.
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For us old timers. Put these in your costas and you can see to tie on a size 20 again!
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61rj2Nm2SAL._SX425_.jpg)
https://www.amazon.com/OPTX-20-Stick-Bifocals-2-00/dp/B000W7HQCQ/ref=sr_1_4_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1478290568&sr=8-4&keywords=stick+on+readers
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For us old timers. Put these in your costas and you can see to tie on a size 20 again!
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61rj2Nm2SAL._SX425_.jpg)
https://www.amazon.com/OPTX-20-Stick-Bifocals-2-00/dp/B000W7HQCQ/ref=sr_1_4_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1478290568&sr=8-4&keywords=stick+on+readers
Dang, thanks for sharing this. Especially since I turned 50 this year. :o :D
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I tried them and they work ok. Not the greatest. They are a little bit too big. Costa sells some with the readers built in. I'll have to bite the bullet and get a pair. I've used them and they are pretty damn amazing.
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Very cool DIY spool tenders.
http://www.orvis.com/news/fly-fishing/video-how-to-make-your-own-tippet-spool-tenders/
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If you don't have any you should.
(https://pilotshq.com/images/thumbs/500_500/P351.jpg)
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Love this stuff so far!
RIO Level "T" Welding Tubing
(https://cdn3.volusion.com/dajky.aoemy/v/vspfiles/photos/rio-level-t-weld-tubing-mp-2.jpg?1432288547)
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How does it work? Are you joining fly line to but section of a leader? If so, what kind of adhesive?
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Pliobond has kept many of my lines lasting for awhile for sure.
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If you don't have any you should.
(https://pilotshq.com/images/thumbs/500_500/P351.jpg)
Best stuff ever.
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Love this stuff so far!
RIO Level "T" Welding Tubing
(https://cdn3.volusion.com/dajky.aoemy/v/vspfiles/photos/rio-level-t-weld-tubing-mp-2.jpg?1432288547)
Looks like heat shrink tubing. I can see how this would be a good thing.
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How does it work? Are you joining fly line to but section of a leader? If so, what kind of adhesive?
heat. no glue needed. way better than normal heat shrink tubing. the new T-material melts much more evenly than the old stuff, I about pulled my hair out trying to put loops in the old stuff and had zero confidence in the resulting loops.
I still have a fair bit of bulk Cortland braided mono for loops, too. If you don't mind the added bulk, they're about as close to 100% breaking strength as you're going to get on a loop to loop connection.
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Dave's right. I've welded loops into just about every kind of line I own. The worst is the clear intermediate lines. It took four tries for the 8wt version to get that one to hold. Kept melting the line. In the warmer months I prefer to use 40 pound Big Game running line connected to heads with welded loops. One of the great things about this is when you break a running line on an integrated line, you just cut the head off and weld a loop in it. Bam you've got a shooting head that even casts better (IMO) with the mono running line.
As an aside, many of us who love the mono running lines also hate snake guides. Pulling any kind of knot through a snake guide can be a PITA. It's hardly noticeable with a ring guide. Another reason why manufactures need to build rods for those of us who prefer shooting heads.
Last night in my attempt to weld a loop in the leader end of an 8wt I line I finally gave up and ended up just making a extra long braided mono loop connector. Connected that and insured it with pliobond and an 8# blood knot at the end of the braid. A Lefty Video turned me on to Pliobond and I've been a fan since.