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Monday May 10th 2010 (81 days ago)
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Sea Trout Secrets

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Published: Monday May 10th 2010 (81 days ago)
Updated: Tuesday May 18th 2010, 7:33AM
More about: Denmark | Sea trout | Coastal fishing | by Martin Joergensen

A set of very good Danish DVD's have been translated into English.

A set of very good Danish DVD's on sea trout fishing have been on the market for quite a while now. I covered the first two DVD's back in 2007, but since then a couple more have been published.

I have been corresponding a bit with Niels Vestergaard, the maker of the DVD's, and just today he mailed me to inform that the DVD's have been translated into English and that a set was finding its way to GFF's review jury (in this case yours truly), and from there into a review in our review section.

I know many foreign fly anglers who have already seen the DVD's and endured the danish narration, just to be able to enjoy the great footage – not least the really fascinating underwater video of sea trout swimming right by the camera, which has been set up under the water in front of the angler who feels nothing in spite of heavy traffic.

Apart from the underwater shots, the videos contain a lot of very useful advice on coastal fishing for sea trout. You will find both fly fishing and spin fishing, but separated into each their volumes. But I see no reason for fly anglers not to see the spin DVD's and vice versa. There is lots of mutually useful information for both fishing methods.

I will add the DVD's to our review queue as soon as they arrive.

You can read much more and buy the DVD's on Niels' site Wide Open Outdoors Film

You can also see a large selection of trailers in several languages on YouTube.




My new toy

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Published: Tuesday April 6th 2010 (115 days ago)
Updated: Tuesday April 6th 2010, 4:20PM
by Martin Joergensen

Sailing, we are saaailing....! I just bought a cool pontoon boat.

I just unpacked a large package that arrived today. My new toy: a pontoon boat in a one man size. As some of you know I have had trouble wading lately due to health problems, and it's my plan that this will make my fishing life easier.

Just add water and row...
Martin Joergensen

I ordered it by Ivar, an old fishing acquaintance, who runs the small operation Pontonland.dk (yes, literally Pontoon Land), and has some models, which have been designed for our sea trout fishing and proven very good.
These are not cheap, but on the other hand the least expensive way to get afloat next to a float tube. The tube is out of the question in my case, since it's my legs that tend to fail me, and I need oars. So I decided a pontoon boat would be it.

As I said: it was delivered this morning, and I of course shed all work and other chores and immediately started unpacking it. Not much to it: the frame in several parts, the seat, two pontoons, oars and a few extras. Pumps, both manual and battery driven to hook up to the car battery.
It doesn't take up much room uninflated, and I expect to be able to keep it in a large ice hockey gear bag that I bought when in Canada many years ago. That bag should be big enough.

It took me a while to get all the dots connected, but once inflated and put together it's a mighty vessel indeed! Much larger and much more confident looking than any float tube I have seen. It looks large enough to be pretty stable and sea worthy, even though I don't expect to go far beyond wading depth in it. I consider it as a kind of wheel chair on water. I have seen people use small outboards on these boats and pack them with all kinds of gizmos and gadgets, but I will start out much more moderate than that. I have a small anchor from my kayak era, and I will bring that so that I can avoid drifting in the wind, but apart from the anchor I will save myself the trouble of too much gear.

The first set up took a little while. You have to do things in the right sequence, and there's a smart and many not so smart ways to do this. And there are a lot of little things to attend to – like closing the valves before you pump up a pontoon. These are large valves and air leaves the chamber very fast if it isn't closed!

But now it rests on my living room floor. The oars have been adjusted, the foot rests are in place and all looks dandy. I will deflate it later and see how compact it packs. It will no doubt fit in the boot of a car, but the question is whether my Canadian hockey bag is large enough.

More to come...

Unboxing
Martin Joergensen



Assembling
Martin Joergensen




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User comments
From: Ted Maree · macfly·at·kpnmail.nl
Submitted July 9th 2010

Hi Martin, another tip to make the frame last longer is to treat it with clear Tectyl, especially apply it on the inside of the frame tubes! Note: I have a new emailadress.
Lots of fun,
Ted


GFF staff comment
From: Martin Joergensen · martin·at·globalflyfisher.com
Submitted May 10th 2010

Richard,

No it has no apron, and yes the line tangled a lot the first time I used it!

But my plan is to mount a line tray on the side rather than an apron. Since I sit quite high, there is really nowhere to attach and apron, but a shallow tray will easily attach to the large pad of Velcro sewn on the pontoons. It will be right under my stripping arm.
I will also add some storage (it comes with some large pockets also attachable to the Velcro) and I will add rod holders - not to mention a place for my dog! He was going completely berserk on the bank while I was sailing and wanted soooo much to come with me.

Martin


From: Richard · richierich·at·online.nl
Submitted May 9th 2010

Congrets with your pontoon boat, it is a logic decision considering the situation.
Does it also comes with a stripping apron? It's not in the pictures.
Believe me, you really want to have one on a pontoon boat, youre line will get tangled up constantly otherwise.

Richard


From: Juan J. Serra · serrajuanjose·at·yahoo.com
Submitted April 18th 2010

Martin, pontoons are a flyfisher dream. Congrats!
I purchased my Arrow Backpacker a couple of years ago and everything changed. To float endless rivers during days without encounters with other people in Patagonia, is incredible. The tent, small cooler and run!
Juan


New age epoxy

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Published: Monday March 29th 2010 (123 days ago)
Updated: Monday March 29th 2010, 3:02PM
More about: Epoxy | by Martin Joergensen

Epoxy isn't what it used to be.

Like many fly tyers I shun flies that call for epoxy. I love the flies, but I would prefer not to go through the process of mixing the two components, applying and waiting for it to cure.
No matter how you do it or which type of epoxy you use, there's a lot of waste, trouble controlling the shape of the fly and the demand for an epoxy rotor if you use the slow curing kind. And there is the potential health hazard, mainly allergic reactions to the hardener.
I personally only tie epoxy flies when I really have to. I haven't found any substitutes until now although I have tried a lot of different substances.

But the last couple of years have seen some new materials, which seem very convincing. They are all based on the principle of hardening with light – some with invisible UV-light, and some with visible blue-specter light.
The idea is that you have a single substance, which you apply to the fly like you would the epoxy. But you don't have to wait for it to cure. By exposing it to a special light for a few seconds, the resin sets and becomes clear and stiff or flexible, depending on the type you have chosen.

The process seems easy and very controllable, and the result quite convincing. I am definitely going to try to get my hands on some of these materials and try them.

I have my eyes on a couple of brands, and will try to get a hold of them.

Clear Cure Goo is an interesting product, which seems very reasonably priced and comes in several different types. You can buy a kit with the necessary lamp and a couple of syringes of goo for 50 USD. Each syringe with glue enough for at least 30 large saltwater flies such as 2/0 Surf Candies is only 11-12 USD.



Tuffleye was one of the first brands of this type of material available and has a very good reputation. Marketed by Wet A Hook, a company founded in San Antonio, Texas by a dentist and an attorney. The dentist angle is interesting because the light curing technology has been used in dental work for many years.
Tuffleye's materials are also about 10 USD per 10cc syringe, and you can get a starters kit for 80 USD, which includes an AC powered curing light.
GFF contributor Pete Gray is an avid Tuffleye fan, and he has endorsed the product several times, both in our forums and on Tuffleye's web site.




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User comments
From: John Horsfall · jthorsfall·at·hotmail.co.uk
Submitted June 4th 2010

There's now another one called "Bug-Bond" I haven't tried it yet but from various reports it seems very good.


From: Jan Johansen · jany·at·blueyonder.co.uk
Submitted May 28th 2010

You can use a product called floo glue instead of epoxy for all your flies ie heads and bodies of buzzers, dries really fast and hard, also a superb finnish, try two coats or more, fantastic. All my flies are finnished with floo glue much better i think than varnish


GFF staff comment
From: Martin Joergensen · martin·at·globalflyfisher.com
Submitted April 9th 2010

David,

Excellent tip! I was looking at supplies for the dental clinics, which use the same technology for fillings and tooth repairs. But they were nowhere near being cheap! On the opposite. Not surprising when you consider the demands on health care materials.
The nail business is a lot less demanding!

Martin


From: David Ball · ballthebuilder·at·sky.com
Submitted April 9th 2010

Having liked the look that Tuffleye gives to flies, I set about trying to find a cheaper product that gave me the same effect, as being unemployed for the first time in my life I couldn't warrant the outlay for the more well known products. I stumbled upon the UV Gel used in the nail art industry. I bought the UV light, the base coat and top finish coat for a fraction of what you would pay for Tuffleye etc. It gives just as good a finish and cures in seconds.
Cheers Dave




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