Line Management
Where do you put your line while stripping?
In a stripping basket? Loop it in your line
hand ? Or let it all go In water,boat,lawn,ETC. I am curious what the majority will be.I myself am a let it all go type guy.But recently got a lecture from an elder for doing otherwise.
Thank You in advance for your participation in this poll!
weedbed
I usually just let it fall at my feet. Being careful of course not to step on it. Sometimes I more careful, sometimes I'm not. When I'm fishing from my tube or yak that's not an issue because of the apron. I have tried using a stripping basket that I made. And, had good results. I just found it a pain to strip line while wearing it.
Did that elder just give you a lecture or did he provide some guidance as well?
" If a man is truly blessed, he returns home from fishing to the best catch of his life." Christopher Armour
If I am fishing from the shore I keep it in loops in my hand.
If I am in the canoe I am letting it lay on the water more and more.
Rick
Weedbed,
I'm glad you raised this question. I've tried everything and nothing in the form of stripping baskets or buckets is satisfactory to me. I've got a homemade stripping basket that attaches to my waiste. I've used a 5 gallon bucket on a boat with a wet towel in the bottom or water or both. I've used a taller plastic trash can in a boat. I really don't like any of these devises and usually end up stripping to the floor, water or ground unless it's just impossible to do so. My float tube has a stripping apron which I do like though. Maybe I just need to force myself to stay with the stripping basket or bucket long enough to get good, I don't know. I'm hoping someone will give me some advice I can use because with this Oklahoma wind, and the way it can blow your line around on the deck of a bass boat, I often wish I were better at using a stripping basket/bucket.
I consider a line management device essential for extending life of flylines (not stepping on them, grinding into grit, etc), better casting, and not losing fish due to line problems.
Whenever fishing from a boat I use a Pro-Trim Line Tamer. See [url=http://www.alumarine.com/product.asp?ID=52&nPage=3:8e6d2]http://www.alumarine.com/product.asp?ID=52&nPage=3[/url:8e6d2]
I consider a device like this indespensible and have traveled in the U.S., Canada, and Australia with one. When flying, it goes in a duffel bag and clothes and gear are packed inside. Since I started using one of these I have virtually eliminated problems related to standing on the line or the line catching on things in the boat.
The bucket is 24" tall and 12" wide and has a weighted base. Inside on the bottom are a number of spikes that prevent tangles inside the bucket. Most users of this and similar devices that I know put an inch or two of water in the bottom which helps keep line moist and reduces friction when shooting large amounts of line, as when using shooting heads. I use it for all of my freshwater and saltwater angling from a boat, and in some shore situations with shallow beaches on local bays.
Stan Pleskunas of Watsonville, CA makes and sells a similar device and can do some customization in dimensions. Some other similar devices will be coming on the market in the near future.
You can make your own from two 5 gallon paint buckets or from plastic waste buckets. Two keys to constructing your own is weighting the bottom so that the thing wont tip and finding a height that you can conveniently strip into. One fishing partner has one made from 15" diameter pvc pipe.
For land based fishing, though I use the Line Tamer for some situations, I generally use a stripping basketincluding some stream side fishing situations (some observers make fun of it until they realize I'm not catching loose line on streamside vegitation). I may wear to the front or side, depending on my stripping requirements. For the surfzone I prefer a basket that drains quickly. When wading lakes and bays, I prefer one without holes - I leave the belt loose around my body so that the basket floats on the water.
This is what I do in the following situations. Boat-I let it fall if I have an uncluttered casting deck. Tube-I use a casting apron. Stillwater-I let it fall naturally to the ground or in the water. Fast-moving water-I use a stripping basket. The key to using a stripping basket is to get into a habit of synchronizing your strip into the basket. For me this took plenty of practice for it to feel natural. I will also use a stripping basket in a boat with a cluttered deck. I have never gotten comfortable looping it in my hand. That probably takes a lot of practice as well. Good question.
Saw a tip once upon a time that might be helpful here, might have even been from Mr. Kreh.
He suggested having some netting to drape over the bow of a boat you will be casting from. This will keep line from getting wrapped around cleats, trolling motors, etc. They recommended adding some weighting to the perimeter to help keep it in place. It seems to me that this would be portable as well for anyone who gets to fish from the bow of multiple friends' bass boats.
I have a soft mesh basket that I wear low on the side of my thigh so that it doesn't get in the way while hauling and I can get full arm length strips into. I like it soft because it wraps around my thigh and doesn't hurt it I hit it while casting.
But if I am in my canoe with no wind I just 'let it all hang out', it is just easier.
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Who has time for stress when there are fish to catch.
Nick
Your hooks sharp????
Cliff,
The netting you described is what I use in my bass boat. I put the big pinch on weights that catfishermen use with the ears on them around the edges for weight. I drape it over the trolling motor (my biggest line grabber on the boat). I put duct tape over the cleats. You can still tie a rope to the cleat but the tape closes the line grabbing ends of the cleat. All boat flyfishers should have a roll of duct tape in the boat to tape over line grabbers of various types.
Robert
We like the Line Tamer type thing for in the boat. Saves stepping on the line and keeps the line under better control, as mentioned, and is really beneficial in the wind.
When we're night fishing from shore, and we remember, we like a side "basket". Otherwise we hold loops in our hand. Same for daylight.
We used to hold coils of line in our teeth for steelheading. Well now with the pollution and all.....oh yeah!....and NOW with false teeth!......we choose that option less and less.
.....lee s.
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