Securing Your Fly - A Tip

[sagefisher]

Steven,

I used to take my leader and wrap it around the outside of the reel casing or housing. At first I had no problems doing that but then I changed the style and brand of reel that I was using. That is when I found out that with some reels if you wrap the leader around the outside of the reel it can slip inside the reel between the reel casing and the reel spool, down into the mechanical portion of the reel. The way some reels are made does not allow you to encircle the outside portion of the reel that has no opening, but rather I had to encircle the reel on the handle or spool insert side. This allowed the leader to go inside the reel and it was quite a mess.

That is when I started wrapping it around the foot or leg of the reel. There is no chance of the leader slipping off or into the reel.

I was not being critical; I was just making a statement that I had had the same problem that DG has experienced.

Larry ---sagefisher---

[Steven]

LOL. I still have no idea what you're talking about! I still think we do it the same! Tip top - under the foot of the reel - back to a guide.

[Big Bad Wulff]

Thank you! Will give it a try on the Predator.

[jszymczyk]

"he called it the Argentina Tap" Ha ha ha ha ha!!!! yeah it originated in Argentina.

[LadyFisher]

The late JC absolutely hated hook keepers! He impaled himself more than once in handling someone elses rod, we would often handle other folks rigs when teaching casting or just checking if the outfit was balanced. Since he was on blood thinners he tended to really bleed..very messy. Might keep that in mind.

[thorarinna]

I do this if my rod doesn't have a hook keeper, so I dont mess up the cork butt.

Reg,
Thorarinn

[McManus]

Please explain: "Tap the rod".

[Steven]

If right handed, hold the rod by the cork handle in your right hand. Tap the rod blank, about half way up to fly, with your left hand until the fly becomes unsecured from the rod guide and lands on the water or ground.

If left handed, reverse.

[Mato Kuwapi]

I've used that method for years. TFO dropped the hook keeper probably on Lefty Kreh's suggestion. He doesn't like hook keepers. They get in the way and put the hook in a bad location when your moving around. He's the one I learned the hook/fly in the guide method but with one extra twist. He went on to show me that after you have hooked the guide and set the line (around the reel seat, use the fly line/leader and wrap it wound your rod a couple of turns (without removing the line from the hook or reel seat). It will hold your line in place without slipping and keep it close to the rod, so there are no gaps to get hung up while moving around in under brush. The whole idea was to have enough line out so your leader knot would not be outside of the guides. If the knot is into the guides this can take some time to get ready when you come to your next fishing stop. (basicly a time saver...as they say, your aren't fishin' if your fly isn't in/on the water.)