Size matters! Do you know yours??

[joseywales]

New to the sport, you will find that knots, tippets, leaders, etc. are very important to understand. No big secret here. But you'll also find that you'll need certain lenght leaders and tippets for certain conditions. I'm not going to get into what lengths of each to use in which circumstances. I'll leave that to our resident experts. But unless you have a tape measure running the length of your arm, these tips might help. Also, it's a good way to measure a fish, without lined landing nets, etc.

If you spread your hand out, from the tip of your pinky, to the tip of your thumb, on average, is 9". Mine is exaclty that. Many times you'll use 18" of tippet, so this can be handy.

From the base of my fingers (so "top" of palm) to the inside of my elbow is 10.5" - this is how I knew my Brown today was @ 10". It's quick and we can get that fish back ASAP. I might have a been slow today, since it was my first and I was enjoying him. But it will help moving forward. If you see me lay a fish on my arm and he's touching my inner elbow and the tip of my middle finger, he's a nice 14".

If I hold a line at the base of my middle finger in one hand, and stretch the line, as if I were drawing a bow, that's 29" (from chin, to tip of the thumb while holding the line). Then pull the line with my other arm, spreading the line fully across my chest, so that I'm standing like a scarecrow, arms out, that's 5' of line. So if I do it twice, that's 10'. Once at 10', I can grab the line at my shoulder (essentially taking off 29") and that's damn near a 7.5' leader (a common size to use).

If I want an even foot, I just drop my...well you get the idea.

Can you tell I'm bored?

Anyway, that's my tip for day.

 

[Maurice]

Mr Wales,

I can imagine the number of readers of this post stretching their fingers, admiring the span, measuring it...explaining it to their spouses. Then using it as a "ruler" along their forearm. I know I have.

And what I realized is from my bottom of fingers(top of palm) to the inside of my elbow is around 15", not ten. You must have arms like a T-rex.
:-D

Now from the base of my palm(wrist) to the inside of my elbow is around 10.

How tall are you Mr Wales?

Nevertheless, a good thread. Tis prudent to have basic measurements on hand when when measuring fish. But when measuring longer things like tippet I just wing it. Buh dum ba!

 

[joseywales]

Duh...I'll edit that.

8" from wrist to inside of elbow. That was the second fish..

So, 11.75" to the base of my fingers.

 

[Fishidiot]

This is a good thread but perhaps a better fit for the Tips and Tricks forum (will be moved later).
We generally prefer the Beginner's Forum be a place where threads are started with questions...... rather than a place to post tutorials/instruction. This is not a big deal. However, due to the influx of new users on this particular forum I'd like to take this moment to reiterate this guidance.
Thanks,
Dave W

 

[joseywales]

Makes sense. I debated with myself and ended up in the Beginners, figuring most experience anglers would know it. But, my next post, How to save money on fly fishing, will go in Tips & Tricks?

 

[gulfgreyhound]

If you fish enough you don't need "about" the distance of measurments. Not to brag, but I can tell a legal fish when it comes over the side of the boat from a throwback. Experience is worth a whole lot more than the distance from my wrist to my elbow. I frankly don't think the fish really care about your or my vital statistics. :lol: GG

 

[joseywales]

Agreed about the fish size. But knowing the measurements for cutting tippet or leaders streamside is nice.

 

[gulfgreyhound]

joseywales wrote:
Agreed about the fish size. But knowing the measurements for cutting tippet or leaders streamside is nice.

Why. Do you fell that its that importan? Gg

 

[afishinado]

joseywales wrote:
Agreed about the fish size. But knowing the measurements for cutting tippet or leaders streamside is nice.

I agree with GG. Near enough is near enough. But if you're a Pcray engineer type, just put marks on your rod for measuring fish as well getting accurate measurements for your leader or tippet sections.

 

[joseywales]

afishinado wrote:

joseywales wrote:
Agreed about the fish size. But knowing the measurements for cutting tippet or leaders streamside is nice.

I agree with GG. Near enough is near enough. But if you're a Pcray engineer type, just put marks on your rod for measuring fish as well getting accurate measurements for your leader or tippet sections.

Mark my rod!?!? You obviously don't know me well yet. I couldn't even bring myself to use the magnetic rod holder on my truck. I searched and eventually found a magnetic document clip, which works great, but has a lot less magnetisim to it, so I don't have to worry about the paint. I only use it when the truck is parked and it works great, plus it was free (just don't tell my wife where all of the document clip magnets from the fridge went).

BTW, I get that a guesstimate is good enough. But there was a reasong why I posted this in the Beginner section (mods moved it). When I attended the newbie fish n' chips, it was apparent to me that some folks have never been afield or stream. I've been hunting and fishing since grade school. So the little tricks that you and I might have picked up along the way, tricks that allow for good guesstimates, might escape others. They're not just new to fly fishing, they're new to the outdoors as well.

 

[Foxgap239]

joseywales wrote:

BTW, I get that a guesstimate is good enough. But there was a reasong why I posted this in the Beginner section (mods moved it). When I attended the newbie fish n' chips, it was apparent to me that some folks have never been afield or stream. I've been hunting and fishing since grade school. So the little tricks that you and I might have picked up along the way, tricks that allow for good guesstimates, might escape others. They're not just new to fly fishing, they're new to the outdoors as well.

Hey, was it that obvious? I thought I hid it rather well!

 

[gulfgreyhound]

Put a soft cloth between the magnet and the car or truck. Still works ,but doesn't scratch. Also carpet on the ground so no dirt or scratches on the rod butt and reel. GG