I have a mission to find an answer for a friend who spends more time struggling with tying on flies than fishing. His hands are arthritic and in windy situations it's even more difficult. Ideas will be appreciated.
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I have a mission to find an answer for a friend who spends more time struggling with tying on flies than fishing. His hands are arthritic and in windy situations it's even more difficult. Ideas will be appreciated.
Have him use a threader, they can be found in the sewing section at most stores. They have a metal tab and a fine wire loop that easily goes through the eye of the fly, put the wire through the eye, put the leader in the big loop of the tool then pull the tool back through the eye. the fly will now be on the tippet. tie an easy knot like a triple surgeon slip knot & your all set.
Could also get a C&F DESIGN fly box with threaders. You load the threaders with flies then when needed. Slip the thread through the threader and pull the fly off. Line now through the eye of the fly.
This isn't the cheapest option and I have not used them but seems to me to be a wonderful design for those of us that can no longer see a fine tippet and 20 size or smaller eyes all that well without magnification.
Easiest knot That I know of is Davy's Knot. link below
http://www.fieldandstream.com/fields...666_10,00.html
Lefty Kreh's new book "Fishing Knots" (the one that comes with a DVD) shows a method of connecting tippet to leader, and of connecting tippet to fly, using hemostats (forceps) to help assist with the know.
You can see both online, including video here:
www.flyfisherman.com/videos/hemostatknots/
The video on the DVD that comes with the book is better than the one on the Flyfisherman site, but you still get the idea.
He might also consider a knot tool for tying like the one at this link http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/te...tool&noImage=0 that will make tying on flies MUCH easier.
Jim Smith
Ray,
I'm familiar with the surgeon knot. But the way I tie it it doesn't slip down toward the fly. Instead it tightens to form a loop.
slough, it's fast and so easy to tie I can tie it easily in the dark. Put the fly on the tippet and slide it a few inches down the line, tie a double overhand loop on the tag end, now put the fly into the loop forming a triple loop now just pull it tight to the fly.
Great knot. It's so easy I would like to use it. Any down-side to using it instead of the improved clinch knot?
While this might not seem at first to be important, have your friend to tie with a strong pair of reading glasses. Some times seeing the target better can guide the hands better and may solve his problem. Another suggestion is to clamp the fly to be tied on, in your forceps instead of holding the fly with your fingers.
Tom
This is just my .02 worth, but as one who somedays takes 20 minutes to tie on a fly due to how well my hand's DON"T work due to "unkle Arty" all I can really offer is try the "Hemostat" knots, and all the others and use the one that is easiest(Try them at home while watching the idiot box) and use that method. Then when on the Stream do what I do just enjoy the surrondings where you are and don't worry about how long it take's for as Betty says"Trout don't live in ulgy places".
Thanks everyone for the ideas. I sent him Lefty's video of the hemostat knot, explained the surgeon's slip knot and sent him a diagram of Davy's knot. So far he has tried the surgeon's and it appears to work.
Last year he said he had one time when he spent 3 hours on the bank trying to tie on a fly. Fortunately he had a great view and ended up with a good number of cutties.
slough, the knot is so versatile I use a long tag for droppers
This is just a thought, but what if the fly were tied onto a short length of tippet material with a looped end that can be attached to a looped end leader/tippet? Something like a looped flyline connection to a loop leader/tippet. If your friend pre-rigs at home at his leasure then all he would have to do is make the loop connection on the water and start casting.
Tyronefly's suggestion is one that I was considering as I read the prior responses. I tried it and didn't particularly like it because of tangles in the tippet tied to the hook. But certainly it would be easier make a loop to loop connection streamside than to try to tie on a small fly.
Also, I ran across a tool among my stuff that I have never used which might simplify the process for your friend. ( Go to Google and search Ty-Rite - the first site that comes up shows a Ty-Rite Jr at Bass Pro - click on that and you will see what the tool is and how it is described. )
If you think it would help your friend, pm his name and address and I'll drop it in the mail to him.
I also have trouble with my hands and fingers -- especially when it is cold. I would high recommend and suggest a little device called a Ty-Rite, made in Boulder Colorado. They come in two sizes - one for smaller flies and the other for larger flies. It is like a ball point pen -- you push down on the plunger end, and a little hook shaped wire comes out the end that will grasp the fly at the bend in the hook. Then, you friend will have something larger to hold onto than just the tiny fly hook. Makes threading the leader through the eye of the hook much easier- then if he ties an improved clinch Knot, it is a simple matter of spinning the ty-rite and holding the line i n t he other hand and finish the knot.
I attach my ty-rite to one of those little spring deals like you keep the nippers and hemostats o n. Then, once I have the fly in the ty-rite, I can drop it and not lose the fly.
There may be a direct web site, I bought mine from a fly shop in Sacramento, CA.
Some of us know that as the knot out of the Midge Magic book... I use it regularly.Quote:
Originally Posted by jjtroutbum
Ed
They also have those tiny clips that you can tie on to the line and then clip onto the fly. It isn't pretty but it is alot easier than anything else I can think of.
jed
I've found that clipping the fly in the hemostats helps a lot, it gives a much larger "handle" by which to hold the fly when threading the tippet through the eye and also while tying the fly. It serves the same purpose as the ty rite jr mentioned earlier without the need to carry another piece of equipment.
Jeff
I have sausage fingers and am very near sighted. I used to spend about as much time tying on flies as fishing until I learned the "Eugene knot" . Its a simple knot tyed with the forceps and it made a world of difference for me.
Bill
FatBill,
I looked up how do tie the Eugene knot and have to ask you what is probably a dumb question. I don't see how you can hold the fly and tag end in one hand then be able to rotate the forceps around the line using your other hand without it wrapping around your arm that's holding the forceps?
Just ask some one for a little help it only takes a minute to tye a fly on. We are all fly fisherman. I have done it and made a few new fly fishing buddies....
standstall
couldnt you pre-tie flies onto a length on leader (say at home). at the end of your leader tie a perfection loop, and on the end of the tippet you tied to the fly tie a perfection loop. Now you have an easy fast switch and a set of pre tied flies.
It maybe a lot of set up knots, and an army of tippet to get under control but it may work. Although if the loop on the leader fails you are in the dark (unless you have extra leaders tied up in your pocket.
Phil