I learned 2 things today.

[phiendWMD]

First and probably most important, don't trust any gear you didn't set up yourself. I had some line out, apparently more than ever before, when I noticed the fly line was tied in a knot around the arbor. After looking at the backing a little closer, I realized it was mono (and like I said before, not attached to the line anyway).

2nd, I was moving to a different spot, and let the line go behind me in the current for a second. I got where I was going, went to cast, and launched a small rock bass past my head. I didn't feel it on the line at all. So I guess I need to keep an eye on my fly, or just make sure there are no fish already on there before I cast.

 

[JackM]

phiendWMD wrote:
First and probably most important, don't trust any gear you didn't set up yourself.

A lot of skydivers feel this way too.

 

[djs12354]

JackM wrote:

phiendWMD wrote:
First and probably most important, don't trust any gear you didn't set up yourself.

A lot of skydivers feel this way too.

And some of them only once! :lol:

 

[JackM]

Why didn't I pack my own Chuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuttttt.......

 

[phiendWMD]

When I got the rod and reel, the end of the fly line had a needle like thing in the line, with a little eye at the end and the leader tied to the eye. The guy at my local shop said to cut it off and tie a perfection loop instead. Anyway, the mono end had the same thing only reversed, the eye was tied to the mono. It must of pulled out the line and he just tied it up.

 

[Volksnurse]

JackM wrote:
Why didn't I pack my own Chuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuttttt.......

Just snorted my iced tea....thanks! I needed that.

 

[djs12354]

Volksnurse wrote:

JackM wrote:
Why didn't I pack my own Chuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuttttt.......

Just snorted my iced tea....thanks! I needed that.

JT - It ain't the fall that gets you............

 

[barbless]

phiend, the metal thing at the end of the fly line was a type of line-leader connecter- a small barbed shaft with a ring eyelet like a hook eye. They're usually sold in a small packet, like $.99 for three.

As you have probably figured out, the shaft is pushed into the end of a fly line through its core, and the barbs catch the outer line to hold the ring in place.

The only advantage of those things is that they make leader attachment easy without leaving a lumpy knot. In every other way, they're pretty awful- they're bendable, and breakable; they rust out; the barbs cut and wear the fly line and weaken the connection; the eyelet is typically too small for most leader butt diameters.

Almost any knot is preferable as a line-leader connection, even a big old lumpy double surgeon's knot (not recommended- I use the nail knot, and coat it with Pliobond. You want something that slides through the guides without hanging up.)

In your case, those metal eyelets were put in at both ends of the fly line, and one of them was used to connect the backing. That's better off knotted, too.

 

[WildTigerTrout]

djs12354 wrote:

Volksnurse wrote:

JackM wrote:
Why didn't I pack my own Chuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuttttt.......

Just snorted my iced tea....thanks! I needed that.

JT - It ain't the fall that gets you............

When I was in Army I had a friend who was a Parachute Rigger. The Riggers packed ALL the chutes. The NCOIC ( the Sergeant in charge) every once in a while would go down the shelves packed with chutes and pull one at random and hand it to a Rigger and he would have to jump with it. Needless to say ALL the Riggers did their very best to pack the chutes correctly because they may have to jump out of a perfectly good airplane with one that their co-worker packed! :-o

 

[lv2nymph]

Not to mention the rest of us at Bragg.

 

[Chaz]

You can catch a lot of fish by dragging your line in the water when walking.

 

[phiendWMD]

I believe my thread was just hijacked by a mod.

If anyone would like me to keep them company, scare away all the fish, and maybe show me something on Sunday, I should be along the Lehigh somewhere.

 

[PennypackFlyer]

You can catch more by dragging yur parachute, just don't get caught. Only those from Bragg get away with it. HA HA!

Even setting up your own gear needs to be checked often. Lines rubbing on rocks, knots getting loose around the fly, are both succesful at helping someone lose fish.

Also gear degrades over time. I had a bass top water popper that the same bass nailed 3 times and each time I went to set the hook it never connected.....that was because there was no hook on it only a shaft.