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In an effort to rescue our sanity during this time of winter fishing withdrawals, and before I launch myself fully into the pursuit of steelhead, I thought I might offer a little tip that some of you flyfishing tubers might use.
As you probably know, fly fishing for trout and bass can be greatly enhanced by using different full lines made for fishing various depths. I often use a full floater, an intermediate, and full sinking lines in type 2 - 4. Carrying enough fly rods to hold these lines aboard a tube can promote tangles with your zipping fly line. (Spin fishermen and baitcasters don't have this problem so they can carry numerous rods in an upright position without too much hassle.) I have used shooting heads at times to make changing lines easier. These are simple to change when configured using a loop to loop system. I haven't ever liked using shooting heads as much as full lines, however, because they don't cast as smoothly.
You can change full lines while aboard your tube without sending your whole outfit sinking to the bottom of the lake. By doing so, you limit the number of rods you need to carry. Here's what works for me. You'll need multiple spools for your reel with leaders and your chosen lines pre-installed.
1. Reel in and remove the fly you are using. Reel the line and leader onto the spool. Remove the spool and tuck it safely away into your tube pocket. Snap on another spool that contains your chosen line and leader.
2. Pull enough fly line off the now reassembled reel to reach completely through all of the guides with a couple of feet to spare. Lay this line on the stripping apron.
3. Don't break down your rod yet. You don't want to drop the tip into the water and lose it. Grasp the flyline 6-10 inches above the leader and fold it back onto itself. (This folding will keep the line from slipping back through the guides if you should let go of it while you are stringing the rod.) Run this folded flyline through the stripping guide and the next several guides, going up as far as you can reach (the farther, the better) without hanging the butt of your rod over the edge of the tube.
4. With the line strung through the guides on the butt and part way up the tip of the rod, break the rod down in the middle, holding tightly to both halves.
5. With the tip now easily reached, finish pushing the folded over flyline through the guides and the tip top. Pull the line several feet beyond the tip top guide then grasp the trailing leader and pull it through.
6. Mount the rod tip back into the butt section, pull the line tight through the guides, and tie your fly onto the leader tippet.
Though this description sounds complicated, it really is quite simple. I recommend practicing it a couple of times before you try it aboard your tube in deep water. It should take about as long as fishing completely through a couple of casts and will eliminate the need to carry multiple rods. For convenience I still carry two rods strung with the lines I will most likely use for the day. This is most often a floater and a clear camo intermediate. When I need that third line I just do the switcheroo.
zonker
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[cool][#0000ff]Great post, Zonker my man. Anyone who has ever tried to adapt to the changing conditions of a day's fly flingin' from a float tube can appreciate being able to change lines as easily as possible. There are a whole new set of challenges when one is confined to a tube or 'toon and you need to switch from floating to sinking...or from one density sinker to another. Some guys give up in frustration and just try to make do with a single line. As you point out, if you are properly prepared, and take care during the changeover process, you can safely switch out those lines without loss or damage to you or your gear.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]You are right about the difference in spinning and fly fishing. I can carry five rods and multiple spools to accomodate almost any fishing conditions I encounter, if I am using only spinning and baitcast. Once I add a flyrod into the equation, however, I have a whole new set of considerations. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]It's a booger to try to cast a fly line, dodging the upright spinning rods on the other side, even if there is no interference from wind. Add in the klutz factor and some Murphy's Law stuff and it can get "interesting".[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Thanks again for the great post.[/#0000ff]
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Zonker,
What kind of clear intermediate do you use? I like the efficiency of my Mastery Stillwater Line but I do not enjoy using it in cold weather. It seems to have a definite "memory" problem. Is there a clear fly line that does not suffer from memory? There was a review in a British Flyfishing and flytying magazine a few years ago that stated that none of the more than 8 or 9 lines tested suffered from coiling and memory problems. (Based on personal experience, I find this hard to believe!) I have only used the Stillwater but a friend of mine tested another clear line from a Canadian manufacturer and we have found both lines difficult to handle in cold weather. Anyone else have any insight on this?
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The best line I've found has been the Cortland Clear Camo. Less memory than SA, Orvis, and I even tried TT. (I've had all and gone back to Cortland.) I think you'll like it the Clear Camo. I haven't tried Rio or Air Flo. If your SA is curling, grab a couple feet and pull, stretch that sucker out. Keep doing it till all your line is stretched. You'll thank me later.[  ]
The Evil One
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Smallmouth89,
I use a Cortland 444SL Precision Series Stillwater Clear Camo in a 6 weight (on a 9 foot, 5 wt. Scott Rod.) You can find it here:
[url "http://www.cortlandline.com/catalog/444slp.html"] http://www.cortlandline.com/catalog/444slp.html[/url]
I have had this line for several years and it has served me well. It does get a little stiffer in cold weather, but not sufficient to cause an inconvenience to me. Their ad says, "Remains supple in the coldest of conditions while still able to withstand blazing heat." I have found this to be generally true down to temps just above freezing. I seldom fish for trout when it is much colder than that so I can't comment reliably on lower temps. Ice in the guides is a rare occurence for me. When it does get that cold I'm usually steelhead fishing with other methods.[cool]
I do stretch the working section of the line with my hands as I pull it off the reel for the first cast or two. Then once it has been wet for a little while (I think it must soak up some water) it stays pretty straight. I used to just dunk my reel in the water but due to other potential problems I have ceased that practice. Now sometimes before I tie on a fly I pull the line from the reel, stretching it as I go. Then I cast it out and let it sit submerged for a little (presumably soaking up water). This greatly increases the sinkability and the suppleness. If I don't do it this way, I usually have to fish out a half dozen or so casts to bring it into its own.
Hope this helps.
z~
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EA,
Looks like great minds think alike. You posted your response to Smallmouth89 while I was writing mine. Otherwise I would have just echoed your words.
z~
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Great advice, thanks guys. Will keep that in mind. Now I just have to wait a few months before i can give it a go. [unsure]
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Adicted, I caught a 22" fat pig large mouth while down in St. George on a 4 lb spinning outfit - RUSH! but, try it on a fly rod. I hooked into a 19" smallie at Jordenell, the fish ran right underneath my tube. A boat full of anglers saw my rod bent, cruised over to me and asked If I was snagged or a fish. I said snag to get rid of them when just then the fish ran. Needless to say I had to find a new place to fish!
In response to the Cortland 444 clear camo, I use the Orvis clear intermediate (7wt on a 6WT rod). Ash hates it but, I seriously can't tell the difference - besides who catches more fish LOL[url "http://www.pbase.com/albot/image/48908131"] ![[Image: 48908131.HenrysLakeCutt.jpg]](http://mikeli.image.pbase.com/v3/21/82821/4/48908131.HenrysLakeCutt.jpg) [/url]
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[cool][#0000ff]Howdy. Good to see ya playin on our board too. Appreciate your chippin' in.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]If you really wanna have some enjoys, take those size 32s off your line and throw some poppers and hair bugs for both largies and smallies. Then, if you have a strong heart, throw some shad patterns into the striper boils down on Powell. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I have brought in stripers over 40 pounds on a flyrod when I lived in Sacramento. Tied up some six inch rainbow trout patterns to throw down below the Nimbus hatchery when they were dumping steelhead smolts into the American River and the stripers were lined up for the buffet.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]And, if you ain't afraid of the environment, toss some big nasty buggers or poppers around the reeds at Utah Lake. Largies of five or six pounds are not uncommon. At night they come into water less than a foot deep sometimes and the strikes are heart stopping.[/#0000ff]
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Flygoddess, Nice to know that someone else sees the wisdom and practicality of overlining their fly rod (7 wt on 6 wt rod). Most people think I'm crazy when I tell 'em I do it. Do you really catch more fish than Ash?
z~ [reply]
In response to the Cortland 444 clear camo, I use the Orvis clear intermediate (7wt on a 6WT rod). Ash hates it but, I seriously can't tell the difference - besides who catches more fish LOL
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I only overload on sinking lines. Floating I go with the weight of the rod. What you can tell you friends that think you are nuts, sinking line is smaller diameter that floating for odvious reason, boyancy. Then fact that sinking is a smaller diameter, overloading helps load it up better.
As far as those forty pounders, haven't been there yet, just do Idaho and northern utah, but look out when I get down to Lake Powell. When in St. George we were only there for a couple of days so didn't get much fishing in.
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On the clear intermediates:
I will often stretch my whole line prior to hitting the water. I will hook the fly into a tree trunk and back off and stretch the line. The irony of my experience is that the line becomes most pleasurable to use after a fish has given it some good yanks and stretched it naturally so perhaps there is something to the idea that getting it wet helps get rid of the memory problems. If I find some extra funds I'll probably give the Cortland line a try.
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Yup. That's the best way to stretch any line.[cool]
By the way - I stretch the clear intermediate lines. I am much more reluctant to stretch a regular colored fly line for fear that I will crack the coating on the outside. I have no scientific evidence that this can happen but it does seem likely that it could. If I do stretch a regular line I do it very gently, assuming that obviously something manufactured to pull in a heavy fish must have some elasticity built into it, but perhaps not enough for more energetic stretching.
z~
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The irony of my experience is that the line becomes most pleasurable to use after a fish has given it some good yanks and stretched it naturally... [/reply]
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I gotta ask you fly guys, I wonder how far do u do u get the fly line out while fishing? How long do u let it go back or forth before you start on the other way? I used to do them while back (been a while) and I never knew if mine was far enough... My dad used to tell me to let the line go as far back or front and wait until the line starts to pull you then you start pulling it front or back to get it out the other way... You guys are talking about weights of the lines and things about it, I would love to learn about those things. I have two of those rods and one is stiff and the other is pretty whippy...
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Sounds like your dad's advice was right on. On the back cast the line needs to be allowed to straighten out completely before starting the forward cast. (You'll feel it tug. It is referred to as "loading the rod.") If you don't do this it will snap off your fly - not to mention cause the line to pile up in front of you. A common fault of a novice fly caster is not allowing the line to straighten out front and back before beginning the opposing casting stroke.
I take it you are new to fly casting?
z~
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I agree with the coated lines, but keep in mind even ice on the guides can scratch, so try to keep guides free.
I stretch my line with the ball on my receiver for towing. I figure it is nice and smooth.
Bluegillman, as far as how far do we cast, as far as we need too or can (Check into Hulling and double hulling) You sound as though you are new to fly fishing (if not please forgive me)
Think like you are painting a ceiling with the tip of your rod, not a windshield wiper. Keeping a nice straight line will keep loops small and under control.
As far as faults casting, use this to feed more line out, to dry a fly, or to check out your next shot (PRACTISE!! it's the only way, even break your rod down and practise while watching TV)
And finally, as mentioned, you will feel a tug when your line is fully extended to the back cast. Try casting slightly side ways and watch your line.
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"Think like you are painting the ceiling with the tip of your rod, not a windshield wiper."
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That's great advice. I've heard it also expressed this way: "Pretend you are trying to throw an impailed potato off the end of a long stick. If you don't wait on front and back stroke, you'll lose the potato."
If you're just learning it is very helpful to have someone who knows what they are doing help you so you don't form bad habits but good ones right from the beginning.
z~
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From a tube pull off 20 to 30 feet of flyline and attached leader. Backcast until you feel a slight tug and begin forward cast. If you are 20 to 30 feet off shore and you are targeting fish tight to shore (or cover) retrieve a few feet then pull up for the backcast and repeat. One of the advantages of the flyrod is that you can deliver the same length of line a few feet further along the shoreline very quickly and efficiently. There is no need whatsover for a lot of "false casting". With a floating flyline you can fish shoreline cover very efficiently from a float tube.
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[size 1]""I take it you are new to fly casting?"" [/size]
[size 1]Almost! I have used it for bluegills with poppers. On a few casts I have popped the poppers off or didn't let the line straighten out before pulling and caught too many weeds behind me! Or had the line drop at my foot as you guys call it! I'm going to start using that rod next coming fishing season.[/size]
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On the last forward cast, do u release more line after you feel the pull to let the line land on the water as softly as you can let it? That's what my dad tells me to make it land as softly without making too many ripples. Let it sit a little then pop it. (This is bringing back memories of my dad) Who showed u the flyroding?
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