My brother built me a wonderful little 2-3 wt on a Loop blank that I love. However he did not add a hook keeper. If I were to put one on, would I have to break the finish where I wound the thread or could I just wind on top of the epoxy and then add another coat?
Clint
I feel closer to HIM when I’m fishing.
Blugill Bud;
Try a “Fly Dot” on the reel instead (sponsor). I use them instead of the hook keeper
I never use a hook keeper. I wind the leader around the reel and back up to a guide that I hook the fly to. That way I don’t have to pull any leader knots through the tiptop.
With a long leader I do as Greg does.
With a short leader I hook my fly under the top hood of the reel seat.
I never put a hook keeper on my rods at all.
When I was a kid, I remember my grandfather showing me how to hook my fly into the cork grip!
You should see those old cane rods of his!
To add a hook keeper you can just wrap one on and finish over the existing finish, provided its not built up too much.
I unlike the others hate a rod without one
Different strokes for different folks.
Good luck
Budd, sorry I didn’t answer you question. You want a hook keeper. Like Smernsky said, add it on without too much buildup.
Thank you all.
Clint
I feel closer to HIM when I’m fishing.
Sorry not to look this up to verify in advance but I gotta run. I THINK I saw a portable hook keeper in Cabelas. Not sure how it mounts…think with a rubber of some type. Point is you could try it and move it around and if you don’t need it just take it off.
I THINK I saw that in their catalog.
Gem
If you do consider adding a hookeeper to your new rod, it can be done easily as others have previously suggested. One important note though…in order for the new coat of epoxy to adhere to the already finished rod surface, you must first sand the area in question to roughen up the finish area where the hookeeper will be placed. This is usually done using a very fine 400 - 600 grit water sandpaper. I sand these areas using the sandpaper dry then wipe the dust off with a damp paper towel. Install your hookeeper with your thread wraps, epoxy finsh and you should have what you want. If done correctly, one would never know that the hookeeper was added after the rod was completed.
JC is on a blood thinner - a hook in a hook keeper is an invitation for a true bloodletting. We don’t use them even if the rod has them.
LadyFisher, Publisher of
FAOL
Smernsky, I’m with you on this one. Whether you wind the leader around the reel up to a guide, or not…having the hook keeper is a handy thing. Sometimes on the same rod I am using a short leader and the hook keeper is very handy at times. I have read many many people say they don’t put one on their rods. It is really not that big a deal, just a little piece of wire and I find it quite handy at times. I even have a book that tells you NOT to wind the line around the reel and hook into a guide as the hook can damage the guide. Personal choice I think, but I put them on my rods.
Gem