Recent comments

Submitted by Jim on

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Picric acid is safe in alcohol. If the dyed skin is washed in cold water to remove trace acid it is safe to come in contact with metal.

Dik,

The badger feather in the B/W fly can be replaced with any white, black or grizzly feather without disturbing the impression much. It will be a slightly different fly, but not drastically. You can also consider changing the color altogether as mentioned in the article. Most colors will do fine. Start out picking a hackle color that you have and like, and choose a body color to suit.

Martin

Ken,

Once you step into the realm of Teeny (or Rio) sinking lines, you are in a different world. The heads on these lines are typically much heavier than their "normal" counterparts and 3-400 grains or even 700 grains is way beyond what you would use for a floating or even intermediate line on any rod.

If you have used a T-line, you have probably noticed that the casting style you need to use is much different from the casting style you employ when casting your average line. The T-lines are simply much heavier for the simple reason that they are built to sink like rocks (almost),

When making fast sinking heads I have always used some type of very dense line - like the Scientific Angler Deep Water Express or Lead Core. You could of course also cut a Teeny or Rio line, but it would hurt my heart to trim off the shooting part of these lines. The ones I have used have been full lines with sinking heads and have worked fine as such. But if you want a system, where you can exchange the head, you need to cut and add loops of course.

For the floating head you just follow the recipe in the article and either weigh or try your way to a 30' head in the right weight. This will cast line any line or shooting head, while the sinking head still will cast more like a yo-yo or a bunch of keys tied to a normal fly line. this doesn't matter much since the idea is to get down, not to present the fly nicely.

Hope this helps you.

Martin

Submitted by dik on

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Do you have any opinion on what would be a good substitute for the badger? I love the fly!

Submitted by Ken on

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Mr. Joergensen,
I have read your excellent article concerning shooting heads, but I am still somewhat confused, (not very difficult for me).
I would like to make both a sinking and floating head system. My current saltwater rod is a St. Croix Legend Ultra, 10 wt., 9 feet long. I will most likely use the sinking head system off my 18 foot center console here on Long Island Sound(Connecticut/Rhode Island), but will also use it wading.
I was considering using Rio T-14 line for the sinking head. Here's where I am confused. From what I have read, my understanding is that I could use a 350-400 grain line for this rod. That would be anywhere from 25 feet to 28 feet of T-14. Yet, the AFTMA rating for a 10 wt. is 280 grains, +/- 10 grains.
Now if I were to build a floating head, the ideal length would be up to 30 feet for ease of casting. My confusion/question is, Do I go to 280 grains, or the 350-400 grains? How can 350-400 be ok if the rod is properly loaded at 280 grains? If I try to go to the 350-400 for the floater, the head would be very long, even overlining by two to three line weights.
I did learn in your article that practice casting is really the only way to accurately measure the length of the head. But I am still confused on how that rod can cast 350-400 grains for a sinking head when 280 grains loads the rod properly.

Sorry for being long winded here. I hope I have accurately expressed my confusion.
Thanks in advance for your response.

Submitted by Ron 1737246382 on

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My buddy tied his first fly after consuming multiple beers in Alaska. A fugly orange wooly bugger bead chain eyed knot of fur and tinsel. He casted the fly one time and landed a 5 lb char. The fly now is inside the frame of a large fishing print with a brass plate inscribed: "One cast, one catch!" Spoken like a true Marine who used to go ugly early.

Cornelis,

Yup.... we know about the background. Ken and I already discussed it. Use the large images, they are easier to see, but you are right. We want some ambiance in the pictures, but not that much! We will clean it up a bit the next time.

Martin

Submitted by Cornelis van L… on

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nice fly ! ( hope the pictures of the tying are better next time , the background is a bit to much...)

Cornelis
The Netherlands

Submitted by SDRGFVERVGWE on

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GREAT ARTICLE, UNFORTUNATELY HERE IN PENNSYLVANIA, YOU MIGHT WANT TO HAVE AN 11' TO 12' ROD TO APPROACH WITH THIS METHOD. HOWEVER, AFTER A RAIN STORM I MIGHT GIVE THIS A TRY.

Submitted by 1737246382 on

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I AM LOOKING FOR A FLY TO MATCH A RED DEVIL SPOON FOR ATLANTIC SALMON

Submitted by Robin Fagerström on

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Niiiice, been waiting for this article. I haven't caught anything on this fly but I'm sure it's a good imitation of pretty much everything:). No pink Demon? Come on, every Dane has a pink version no? Hehe, :)

Have you guys tried this fly on Österlen Skåne? I'm going there tomorrow with a box of gammarus looking things and mysis.

Submitted by davis on

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wow you are a genius i would have never thought of that. i have played guitar for 10 years now and tied flies for 4 yrs and i never would have thought about using the ends of the guitar strings. Thanks for the great idea !
i give you an A plus.

Dear bamboo enthusiasts.

It seems that a good deal of questions in the comments to Harry Boyd's articles on bamboo rods have to do with getting hold of materials and tools.

We can't do much to help you there. Building split cane rods is a rare and exotic craft, and the materials and tools cannot be bought in any hardware store. In fact, many rod builders make their own tools or have inherited them from other builders.

I will spend a few minutes doing what you could have done yourself: search the web for resources. Here goes:

When it comes to cane, there are precious few suppliers world wide. Andy Royer's Bamboo Broker is one of them. Andy was featured in the DVD Trout Grass, which can be recommended to any potential split cane rod builder. Some rod builders also sell cane - some as whole bamboo pieces, som as split and prepared parts - kits so to say.

Regarding methods, tools etc. start by visiting Harry Boyd's own site. He offers classes and some tools as well as tips on getting on.
Then try Bamboo Rod Making Tips, which has tonnes of information, lots of articles, tutorials, images of tools and links galore.
You can also simply search the web and find great sites such as Thomas Penrose's site on building a bamboo rod, which has instructions for building your own tools and much more or simply look at all the articles on split cane and bamboo that we have here on the Global FlyFisher.

The book "Fundamentals of Building a Bamboo Rod" by George E. Maurer & Bernard P. Elser can also be recommended. It has a list of suppliers amongst other things. We have it reviewed along with other rod building books in our book section.

Of course classics like "A Master's Guide to Building a Bamboo Fly Rod" by Hoagy B. Carmichael, "Handcrafting Bamboo Fly Rods" by Wayne Cattanach and Ray Gould's "Tips & Tapers" as well as his "Constructing Cane Rods: Secrets of the Bamboo Fly Rod" are also available used in many online bookstores. Do a search for title and author, and you will most likely find them available many places.

In other words: we are far from the final resource when it comes to split cane. There are many books and web sites out there as well as workshops and classes where you can learn splitting bamboo and making it into fly rods.

Martin

Submitted by steve streun on

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I am very interested in making custom bamboo rods for trout fishing. This is my passion. I need to know were to get the equipment that i need to make the rods. I pla on making them for myself and if they are good enough madey sell them. I have been reired sence 1990 and i am very good with my hands. Please help me with my problem.
thank you

Submitted by 1737246382 on

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Looks like a great pattern. Very impressionistic which I like in a fly. This one might catch more fish than fishermen.

Willi

Submitted by Marc Deer on

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I echo the thanks on this page. I have fished for bass for 24 years and just recently ventured off to buy a fly rod. Pretty intimidating, but this article helped me a lot!! I can't wait to practice at a local pond tomorrow before I head to the river next weekend. Thanks for the time you spent setting up this instructional site! Best I've found.

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