Maybe I’m missing something but doesn’t fly fishing require two “hold” points? One for the rod and one for the line. I’m not trying to minimize the problems of amputees but if they can hold a rod and manage the line they should be able to tie hemostat knots or if they use some form of a rod holder couldn’t a vice be attached to the side of it to hold the flys?
I don’t have an amputee that I know locally that I can ask so maybe someone here can help me understand and I would feel awkward walking up to someone with this type of injury.
By the way… I’m a medically retired vet and am not trying to make light of the difficulties by those worst off than me just trying to understand the problem so I can try to find a solution.
Actually, I think that device could be adapted or a version on it would work very well. Can you insert the hook into the holder with one hand? If so, it would be mounted on a small hinge and fold out for use. Are they still available for sale?
I had a gentleman from Canada sent to me by another fly shop to get his reel repaired, it had been dropped an was in need of extensive body work. While I disassembled the reel we had a conversation about fly fishing and how long he had been throwing a fly rod and what he enjoyed catching. He listed off some of the usual trout and other freshwater species plus flies and such you know the normal small talk fishermen like to engage in. So when the hammering stopped and tools laid down it was time to test the reel and I ask if he had his rod with him and he did. He told me he wasn’t very good with a fly rod but really enjoyed the challenge of it. I ask him how long he had been fly fishing, thirty years give or take was his guess so I ask if he had ever worked with an instructor to improve his technique, he had not. So I ask if he had ever shot a fly line, as in a saltwater area it really helps your chances and he indicated he had not. Further he offered “I don’t know that I could if I wanted to”. And a deal was struck right then, if he would share with me some of his insights and knowledge I would help him learn to shot a fly line for the first time in his thirty year fly fishing career. In fairness I’ll admit he had a few good laughs at my expense but true to his word he taught me things I value to this day. As for my part of the bargain, well I certainly came away feeling honored to have made the deal. You see I got to see a man who was born with only one arm shot a fly line twenty feet further than he had ever done before. True story. My advise if you don’t know how to offer help to a fishermen ask them for help in understanding what it is your uncomfortable with. After all they know a whole lot about being them and most are very willing to share that knowledge with you. If you’ll start the conversation the rest will take care of itself.
I think it could be epoxied in place and give a lower profile. I’ve used the version of this that is temporary and if does a great job of hook holding.
I think as a group we are coming up with some great ideas here.
That’s one of the reasons I love this site so much! The combined experience and great ideas can solve almost any fly fishing/fly tying challenge. That hook holder would indeed work better and offer a very nice low profile. Thanks for sharing.
my problem was I was trying to think of a way to hold the leader while cutting off the old fly and tying on the new one. looks like jim has that solved. I’m sort of envisioning this whole thing somehow folding up in a box. maybe some heavy duty velcro on the back and then a piece on a vest to attach it to.
As Mr. T used to say “I love it when a plan come together”
Jim you interested in writing this up for journal of Occupational therapy? we could give credit to everyone who helped also.
I guess my problem is all fly fishermen are the same to me, each on their own personal path to accomplishment. I don’t believe Ive ever met a handicapped fly fishermen, just those with different insights they can share.
To answer your question about writing an article, I think the device should be built and tried out in the real world by the people who intend to use it first. If it works out as a feasible solution then I would be happy to write an article, but it would reflect the members of FAOL as the people who came up with a solution. Let me get a prototype built and send it to CoachBob for testing and hopefully we can lend a hand to group of people we own a great debt to. I?ll keep the FAOL team posted on the progress.
Jim are you planing on using a loop to loop connection between the tippet and the leader? If not the tippet and leader are going to wrap around the retainer axle and make it rather cumbersome and involved to free the tag end and draw the line in order to tighten the knot.
It still needs work but I was able to remove a fly from the leader, remove a fly from a fly box and tie it on the leader with an improved clinch knot with one hand this morning using a modified version of the forcep holder. A waist level rod holder and a clipper need to be included in the system. I used a electrical test clip to twist the line, not sure that is necessary. I suspect most amputees can learn to tie a Davy Knot one handed without any assistance from tools other than something to hold the fly.
I ordered one of the snelling rigs the other day to see if it could be adapted to do the trick. It looks like it can be. I will test it out when it arrives and keep everyone posted. It may just be the answer with minor modifications and attached to a fly box. Great recommendation!
I assume you are familiar with safety wire pliers. If a twister device similar to what makes safety pliers work could be added to the butt end of an electrical test clip to twist the leader when the end is pulled. I may have to stop by Northern Tools for a needle file but I may have figure it out. I apologize for the photo, the battery in my better camera was dead. The base block has a forcep holder slot, a spring added to hold the line and a foam pad to hold the fly being replaced. Tbe fly box will hinge open and hold flies and an electrical clip I used to twist the line. Step by step was place old fly on pad and secure line, clip line; open fly box use forceps to remove fly; place forceps in slot; thread line through eye; take test clip and secure tag and standing leader; twist leader; run tag through space above eye and back through loop at end of knot; remove clip and snug knot; clip leader.
I did not have a clipper handly and a rod holder is needed, this is really a system not a device. This is a rudimentary system but it can work. An articulated clip to hold the fly being tied on would be good to give a better view.
Uncle Jesse, I chuckled when I read your comment on safety wire pliers since that is one of the first things I considered when thinking of an easy way for a person to twist line with one hand. Then, when I considered the costs and complexity of using them, I decided that simplicity is the answer. Grrfish1 made a good point about my initial idea when he stated that twisting the line while holding the hook stationary will result in the leader/tippet becoming twisted around the device. This will complicate the process and make it cumbersome to use at best. Therefor, holding the line and tag secure and twisting the hook is the answer, similar to the way that the hook sneller works. I’m hoping that a simple change to the hook sneller will make it work for this purpose. Then perhaps the designer of the hook sneller will make some adjustments to his product and have a new market to offer a simple device to solve this problem at a very reasonable price.
Jim, I figured with your years with Delta you had run across at least one pair of safety wire pliers. Working on small acft on the weekends and AT in the Natl Guard I never had a lot of reason to use them but alway thought they were a great invention. Kind of like the original cordless drill, the Yankee Drill, I have one of my tool board.
