New Fishing Gear

[DanMarino]

Here is some of the new fishing gear my wife got me for Christmas.

1. A very small chest pack. My goal is to bring even less gear with me this year when I fish. Hopefully everything I need for my short outings will fit in this pack.





2. Some foam tenkara line winder things and tools.



3. A cool measure net.



4. What is this pointy thing?



5. Here are some tenkara bugs I tied up yesterday. They might catch something. They are size 6, which is small for me.





Hopefully they trick some dumb trout, fallfish, sunfish, or tiny bass.

[Mark]

Nice gifts, Tom.

I have a similar point on my line clippers. I use it to:

1. clear hook eyes of debris gathered while fishing -- like algae in ponds, especially when it dries.
2. pick out the remnants of old leader/tippet knots in hooks
3. crack through paint on hook eyes in new jig heads
.

[DanMarino]

Apparently that long pointed end of the tool is used for making nail knots. I'll have to watch some YouTube videos to see how it works.

[Mark]

Tom,

I thought you were talking about the point at the top of the tool.

I haven’t tied a nail knot in years. Most new fly lines have loops to connect to leaders. Much easier to change leaders now.

[DanMarino]

Gotcha Mark! I think I have a fly line that I need to tie a new loop on the end of it. So I might give this tool a try.
I'm disappointed that the retractable lanyard that came with it broke already. I barely pulled on it and the thing came un-sprung. I'll have to break it open and see if I can repair it. haha.

[bignose]

I used to like those looped ends that slipped over your fly line like the old "Chinese Finger Puzzles"
Slip it on, pull it tight, hit it with a drop of super glue, and the loop lasted forever.

Most newer fly lines have a built in loop, but it has been years since I bought a new fly line.

A size 6 fly small?
Wait until you tie your first size 20, and then you go back to a size 16 and wonder what you're gonna do with all that extra room!

Gawd, I couldn't even thread a leader on something that small anymore.

[Mark]

I used to like those looped ends that slipped over your fly line like the old "Chinese Finger Puzzles"
Slip it on, pull it tight, hit it with a drop of super glue, and the loop lasted forever...

I remember those loops Stu. Generally they worked well. I didn't superglue them. I relied on a plastic sleeve that came with the loop. It shrunk with heat at the connection of the loop and line. I would roll the line over a lit light bulb to seal the connection. I had be fast in that process to make sure I didn't melt the line itself.

However, I had one give way at the loop. It just broke with age. So I started tying my own loops directly into the fly line.

This is a 25 year old #6 floating line from Cortland -- still works fine by the way:

Loop (2).jpg

I tied a loop in the line by inserting it into my fly tying vise. I wrapped fly tying thread around it and tightened it with a normal finishing knot. I sealed it with head cement. It has lasted for a long time.

I've since the done the same for other old fly lines. Using a bright colored thread that is easily seen from a distance serves a dual purpose as a strike indicator.

No need for the special loop and no need for a nail knot to connect the leader.

[bignose]

You are right.
It has been such a long time since I used one, that I forgot about the shrink wrapped sleeve. They were necessary to keep the end from fraying.
One of many senior moments.