-
When you buy a new line, save the box
for storage. Should you replace the line (and
it’s still functional), store it in the old box,
keeping it neat and allowing easy identification. -
When adding a finger loop to the end of the
fly line, cut the end of the line at an angle with
a razor blade. This will make it easier to slide
the line into the loop end. -
At the end of the season, store your line
on a line winder. This will reduce the line memory
and will result in fewer tangles at the beginning
of the season. If you don’t have a line winder,
wind the line around a coffee can. -
When you remove a line from your reel spool
(either for the season or for good), keep an inch
of backing on the reel end of the line. It will
then be easy to spot the reel end from the leader end. -
If you use a loop-to-loop connection for
line to leader, check loops carefully at the beginning
of each season. The finger loops don’t last much more
than one year, and you don’t want to lose a good fish
because of a worn loop. -
Make an elastic band for your leader material
spool. Buy the elastic material from a fabric store,
measure and cut the length you need, overlap the ends
and secure them together with a touch of crazy glue.
Cut a hole in the middle of the band and pass the tag
end of the leader material through. This will keep
the leader material from unraveling and also give
you easy access to the tag end. -
Keep a loop tied on the tag end of your leader
material spool. If, while fishing, you need a new
leader, you can just strip off the amount you need
from the spool, cut it, and attach it to the fly
line. If you use the elastic band suggested above,
you can pass the loop through the hole in the band
so that it is ready to unwind when needed. -
For Northeast striper and blue fishing,
you don’t need a graduated leader. Fish a straight
six to nine foot piece of flurocarbon in 15 or 20 lb.
test. Use a bimini twist to attach the leader to the
fly line loop. This significantly lessens the knots
between the fly line and the fly, reducing the chance
of knot failure. ~ Dave
About Dave:
Dave Micus lives in Ipswich, Massachusetts. He is an
avid striped bass fly fisherman, writer and instructor.
He writes a fly fishing column for the Port City Planet
newspaper of Newburyport, MA (home of Plum Island and Joppa Flats)
and teaches a fly fishing course at Boston University.
Originally published March 1, 2004 on Fly Anglers Online by Dave.