Best Fly Fishing Hack

TimRobinsin

TimRobinsin

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Joined
Oct 11, 2009
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So everywhere I looked this year there was an article on life-hack this and life-hack that. Everytime I read the article it was just tips on how to get everyday tasks done on the cheap or faster or both. Back in my day we called it being broke and determined.

So what is your favorite or best fly fishing hack?

One of mine is seasonally appropriate: use lip balm on your guides before heading out on subfreezing days to help keep ice off the guides.

Another is motorcycle tire studs to stud your boots

What do you got?
 
Empty tippet spools for storing leaders. Mine always got tangled in the leader wallets.
 
If you are out of Hendrickson dries, try a Quill Gordon. Out of Sulfurs? Maybe a Cahill will work.
 
Ski pole wading staff.
 
Glo-Bug Dispenser Tool: They sell many different sizes of drinking straws at the grocery store for waaaay less than $9.95 ;-)
 
I always use a stick for a wading staff and altoid tins with dollar store foam knockers glued in the bottom. I don't own a single real fly box.
 
Shakey gave me my favorite hack (broke as all get out survival tip). Albolene make-up remover for dry fly floatant. Works better than anything I've bought from a fly shop (except for Jack's, but that's getting hard to find), and for $7 you get enough to last you many many seasons.
 
net magnet for finding dropped flies on the ground.

Have a small waterproof fly box you're not using. Tear out the foam and use it to store your keys, phone, etc.

I put a business card magnet on the base of my fly tying vise to hold hooks and beads.

 
Ferrules sticking? Cut out two small patches of that foam shelf liner stuff.
 
I have done the magnet thing to pick up flies, and the holder for my bottle of floatant is the cap from the end of a tube of tig welding rods, had a loop in it and all. works like a charm and was free.


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Caveman - from a former welder in training...that is sweet!

keep em' coming. this is great.

I guess I have another. I like to use sterilite containers to store my gear. I have a box for my wading gear and a box for my various tackle. Basically it keeps everything together nicely. not so much a hack but something that has worked really well to keep all my gear together.
 
Place a return address sticker on the inside and outside of your fly boxes. If lost, the finder can contact the owner. Not a bad idea to place one on your net or any other gear.
 
I can't think of any personally, but Delta Dog can create one for any situation
 
A 12-18inch strip of Para-cord, doubled over makes for a pretty good tippet spool.

Credit to Cliff Outdoors for the inspiration.
Even a mechanical moron like me can achieve a modest task.
http://www.cliffoutdoors.com/index.php?page=the-spooler
 
Not really a hack, but this can save you a lot of money.

I always lean my rod against the driver’s side mirror on my vehicle after I finish my fishing for the day and get my stuff put away. That way, no matter how hard I try, I can’t drive away with the rod left behind.
 
Why not? I think putting the rod away before anything else is the only foolproof method. I lost a rod by not following this simple advice once... or twice.
 
I used the stretch kind of cord from an old pack and one of the sliding clips that are on it to make my tippet spool. Section about 10 inches long, put the cord thru the clip tie a knot in the two loose ends, tippets spools on top of the clip and the loop attached to a retractor. Works really good
 
Francis Coppola’s wine - bottle wire for your nymphs, streamers, terrestrials and more sophisticated patterns.
:-D :-D :-D
The bottle wire perfectly suits your new nymphs and attractors - fine and subtle ribbing patterns. The gold wire from carefully chosen bottles - Diamond Collection.
(You have to empty your bottle first…)
:pint:
 

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a zip loc bag for used flies - keeps damp out of your fly boxes and at the end of your fishing day you have a list of the flies you used.

a plastic tub to store, carry and pack all fishing kit.

print your fishing licenses out on blaze orange paper - it doubles as anti-hunter wear...

this is not mine - a square of carpet to stand on while you get in and out of your waders.

join payflyfish.com ;-)

 
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