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I know, without a doubt that this creature
lives wherever I am. I think it is like the
little black cloud that hangs over the
unfortunate guy in the cartoons. The worst
of it is that the fly line gremlin hates me with a
passion. This only happens with fly line, not
the backing or with any leader material.
While I was at the Hawkeye fly Fishers Meeting
I found a reel on sale and it is going on the
3 wt that I just built. I did goof on this rod
and have the ring on the reel seat epoxied. I
did not get the end cap glued on securely
and the epoxy came out and I am working on
it now.
That happened because of my own stupidity. I
just did not check to make sure the epoxy was
not coming out. Also, I did not move the bottom
ring up the real seat. But the line trouble is
due to the Gremlin.
I have line on 10 rods now. This has happened
on every rod that I have put a reel on and tried
to get the line onto it. The backing goes on with no
problem. I then attach the fly line and the problems
start.
I try to make sure that the line will come off
smoothly. What happens is that I get about 10
feet of line on and then I have a knot. This is
still in the part of the line that I know was just
going to wind onto the reel. Then it is into
the thing of undoing the knot. The trouble is
that as fast as I undo one I know the Gremlin
is forming two or three more.
It becomes a contest, I get about 5 feet of
line clear of knots and put it on the reel. If
I did not then I would have another knot formed
in that part. Once on the reel it is safe. Then
it is time to work a few more feet of line free.
I do this several times and then think of a brilliant
solution.
I find the free end and start undoing the knot
from there. By this time it is one huge knot.
The Gremlin is waiting for me to do this. He needs
unknotted line to work on. I get much of this
done and get to where I can put some more line
on the reel. I put it on the reel and find that the
Gremlin has struck again. I have knots in the line.
So I go through the untangling sequence again.
I even try to lay the line out so it is not
close to any other part of it.
I get another 5 to 10 feet of line on the reel
and the knots are there again. The line is all
tangled up again. I finally get down to the last
few feet and manage to get it on the reel without
having any more tangles.
But I know that the Gremlin is still there,
plotting and waiting until another fly line
has to be put on. If any of you are going to
replace a line please let me know so I can
try to interest the Gremlin in moving to help
you. He might decide to live elsewhere. I can hope.
Hope you can get out on the water. ~ Rick ziegeria@grm.net
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