Fly Fishing Hacks

[ryguyfi]

Add some of your own tricks of the trade to make life a bit easier when fly fishing. Here's a few.


Is it a headache trying to thread the end of your tippet through the eyes of rod? Pull out enough line to get 10-15ft of fly line, double over the fly line and thread it through that way.

Don't know how much backing to put on a new reel? Put on the fly line first, then the backing to see how much room is left. Then take it off and put it on the correct way.

No loop on your fly line? Nail knot a short piece of heavy mono to the fly line and put a perfection loop on the other end.

Drop a fly in the grass? Use your net magnet to find it.

Got flies stuck in a tree? Put on your polarized sunglasses for eye protection so you don't end up looking like Bruno's old avitar.

 

[mario66pens]

ryguyfi wrote: Is it a headache trying to thread the end of your tippet through the eyes of rod? Pull out enough line to get 10-15ft of fly line, double over the fly line and thread it through that way.

and a false cast or two once you get it through the guides will shoot the line into where you need it to go.

Also, to keep Clouser minnows at the correct profile, try diving the hairs on each side of hook point periodically while fishing.

 

[alatt]

Great stuff both of you. I would like to see others add to these obvious, but sometimes overlooked tidbits.

 

[Bruno]

Start a well timed argument with your wife so she tells you to "GO FISHING "

Best one ever

 

[streamerguy]

Is it a headache trying to thread the end of your tippet through the eyes of rod? Pull out enough line to get 10-15ft of fly line, double over the fly line and thread it through that way.

It's so frustrating when I have the line almost all the way to the tip and then I let go of the line and it goes right back through the guides! Doubling over the fly line and then threading it through makes it so much easier.

 

[rrt]

On the other hand, to maintain marital harmony, tell your wife you'll be home a couple hours later than you plan. Then, if you get home when you plan, you're a thoughtful hero. If you need the extra time, you're still not in trouble.

To cast ten feet farther: clean your fly line each time you use it. I like the convenient Cortland pads.

I tried the mono-perfection loop idea. Perhaps because I'm such a bad caster, I had many tangles at the mono loop. Just me, probably.

 

[jwb123]

Tie on small flies using forceps to hold the fly. I often find myself trying to use my fingers unsuccessfully only to get it on the first try using forceps.

 

[troutbert]

ryguyfi wrote:

Is it a headache trying to thread the end of your tippet through the eyes of rod? Pull out enough line to get 10-15ft of fly line, double over the fly line and thread it through that way.

Anyone doing newbie clinics or teaching someone flyfishing, show them that one, it's a good one.

 

[troutbert]

If you don't already have one, get a rod case that encloses both the rod and the reel. So you don't have take the reel on and off all the time.

Get a big plastic tub to load your stuff (waders, wading shoes, vest etc.) It makes it easy to take out to the car and keeps it organized in the vehicle.

 

[tulenkot]

If you forget or run out of dry fly floatant, a little nose grease will work in a pinch. Just rub the sides of your nose vigourously and then rub it into your fly.

 

[JMP]

Fly Tying,
Always pinch the barb before you begin tying the fly. If you pinch the barb after the fly is tied and the hook breaks, you have wasted your time.

 

[blueheron]

Put that down before you poke somebodies eye out.
It's all fun and games until somebody gets hurt.

 

[Biggie]

When you hook your fly to the keeper on your rod, pull some extra line and hook it over your reel handle. This keeps any splitshot from tappping your rod as you walk. Might just prevent one of those snaps while fighting a large fish. I have two rubbermaid tubs in the car, one for dry stuff (vest, fly boxes, ect.) the other for waders and boots (dry or wet) When caught on an out of reach tree branch, turn your rod around and hook the reel over the branch and pull it down. I have retrieve many flies and alot that weren't mine with this trick. If you don't have any splitshot on, when in the trees, just reel all the line in pointing your rod directly at the stuck fly, most times it comes loose.

 

[mikesl]

when tying on fly that you are holding with forceps, tying a clinch knot becomes super easy if you let the fly dangle with the forceps still attached, and give the forceps a little spin... 8 twists in no time.

When tying on a dropper from the hook bend, make a loop in dropper, slip over bend, then make the twists by spinning the top fly by rolling its line between your fingers.... then just pinch the top fly to keep it from unwinding, and complete the clinch knot.

 

[KeithS]

Use white spray paint to apply match up dots for your rod sections. Shake the can, spray onto a paper plate and apply the dots with a toothpick. After they're dry, cover with Sally Hansen, head cement, thread preserver, or anything else clear that you have around.

 

[osprey]

FOLKS......to me this is one of the coolest posts and conversation i've ever seen on here. Alot of those things i already do but those are sometimes the best to read cause it reenforces your idea that you were doin it right , i also learned some things which happens everry day on here and i've been doin this for over 50 years......YOU FOLKS R GREAT........My addition is this , in the early season , you know how a wooly bugger will sometimes float or ride high for a few casts till it gets wet? try laying it in a little patch of mud and lightly put your foot on it and press it in a little those first three or so casts have mud trailing from the fly and sometimes it's POW!!!!

 

[Railking]

At times, my loop to loop connection between my leader and fly line hangs up in my top guide. I was always afraid of snapping my tip getting it out. 9ft rod with a 9ft leader puts it right under the top guide. I now run my leader back around my reel and the hook into my hook keeper. Eliminates the problem and keeps the connection outside the guides at all times.

 

[troutbert]

Biggie wrote:

When caught on an out of reach tree branch, turn your rod around and hook the reel over the branch and pull it down.

I do that also. Here's a related technique for retrieving flies.

Look around for a long branch with side branches. You can break off the side branches, but leaving enough of a side branch on the one end of the long branch to act as a hook.

 

[osprey]

Another way to retrieve a fly from a tree above you is to pull in all the slack till the tip is tight to the bend of the fly and quickly/snappy give a lil push. Be carefull , rods break and thats not good but this will work in certain situations. This also works on small streamws under water but be carefull.

 

[bikerfish]

one I try to follow, when arriving at fishing spot, I get dressed first, and assy the rod and reel last, once assy, lean somewhere safe, NOT near open car door or t-gate.
after fishing, the rod and reel are put away FIRST.
don't know how many times I've read about rods being broken in car doors, trunks, t-gates, or driving off and forgetting them!!!!