Caddis Fly Shop: Oregon Fly Fishing Blog

There are some aspects of fly rod position that many anglers do not consider when they are playing big fish. I am going to cover just a few of these here, recognizing that there are whole books that can be written on the topic. Hummm. Might be a pretty dull book unless it has a lot of cool photos.

There are two common errors I commonly see when I watch friends playing big fish. The first is keeping their fly rod at a high angle where just the upper 1/3 of the rod is flexed. This creates a situation where only a few ounces of pressure is being exerted on the fish. The tip is the most flexible part of the rod, and a tip bend alone will prolong the process and leave more time for the hook to fall out as a consequence of being under inadequate tension.

Another error that is especially common is for the angler to grab the rod in the middle of the first section above the rod handle. This is a no no as illustrated above. Placing one’s hand above the cork creates a hinge point (my terminology) and can cause the rod to deform and break right there. Placing the hand between cork and first guide is a very natural action, but this can cause many a break.

Fly rods, and Echo Fly Rods specifically, can take a lot of pressure if one keeps hands on the cork. The photos above show our Shop mate Lou doing his best to break an Echo 8 wt, with hands on the handle. He did break it finally, but he was sweating, and even these sturdy rods would be more vulnerable if grabbed between cork and fist guide. So please don’t do it.

What to do? This photo shows the practice of keeping a low rod angle, distributing a lot of pressure applied through the reel drag and the entire rod, with emphasis on the butt section (the most powerful part of the rod). This is the course of action when you want to put the most pressure on a fish, if you hold the reel tight. Ironically, it is also a rod position that comes into play if your fish makes a sudden bolt to the deep and you want to release pressure — in this case, you allow the drag to ease up, and lower the rod to reduce line friction through the guides. Never point your rod straight at Mr. Big, though, because that eliminates any shock absorbing qualities of the rod.

So, now it is time for counterpoint commentary, and it is genuinely welcome. meanwhile, have fun out there.

JN

I love gear. I am a gear head. Once, before my heart surgery, I would actually maintain my fly fishing gear in a neat, clean, organized manner. Not nearly so these days. I routinely ignore fly reels that would have been washed each night, fail to wipe down my rods, almost never un-spool and re-spool fly lines, rinse salty flies in freshwater and dry them with a hair dryer, wipe my waders clean, re-organize my fly boxes, and so on. Nope, not these days.

I still love my gear though, and have found a few items particularly useful. Here, in the spirit of blatant commercialism, are a few of my favorites. Is this an advertisement? A product endorsement? Do I receive compensation from these manufacturers? Common, folks, this is America. We are in an economic downturn. The only way the future will be bright is if we spend our dwindling retirement funds on fishing tackle. Seriously. These dollars provide each of us with cool fishing tackle and in turn are spent on fly shop employees, owners, children and pets of afore mentioned persons, internet consultants, wages for UPS drivers, monthly cell phone fees and service charges (read the fine print), free coffee and pastries for walk in customers, annual parties, charitable contributions to Trout Unlimited, roof repairs, electricity, water, paper towels in the restroom, garbage service, a new Koffler boat for Chris, lunch for employees, and vacuum bags. And that’s the short list.

Here are a few of the gearish items that I really really love and have come to depend on when I go fishing at Diamond lake.

Simms Bootfoot Waders. That’s right. Much of the fishing I do is from a boat rather than on the treacherous waters of the North Umpqua, where studs or cleats or felts + studs or some such thing are really nice to have on the bottom of one’s wading boots. When fishing like a gentle-person from a boat, say on a lake or at the coast fishing for shiner perch or starry flounder or what not, it is nice to be able to slide in and out of a great wader, enter and exit the boat, and pose for photos in the mud —- all without the problem of tracking crud back in the boat from felts or cutting up fly lines by stepping on them with cleats. Simms boot foot waders are a custom order, well worth the price and the Muck Boots are a comfort to wear all day long, day after day.

Simms Headwater Reel Briefcase. We got our fly reels, we gotta have a good way to lug them around. Here it is.

Patagonia Great Divider This Patagonia bag is the little cousin to the Patagonia Great Divider. I choose the big bro’ or the little one based on the number of hours i plan to be out in the boat and the distance from the boat ramp. These bags really do keep the water out and the spare gear handy. I love mine, all of ’em.

Cliff’s bugger Beasts, Crab Shaks, Bugger Barns, and such. Must have flies. Must organize flies. These fly boxes come in many sizes and do the job nicely.

Yeti Roadie cooler. This is for my road trip burritos, ginger ale, and left-overs. This cooler is a fantastic to carry and cool my snacks for days, and real food sure beats energy bars.

Simms G3 Guide Jacket. Pockets, hood, wrist closures, slim and deep pockets, great fit, really does keep the water out, and i even sleep in mine if it is dry and I am cold. I have slept in my Simms Fleece Pants too. For a week. Two pair of underwear, as JH would counsel me, the Lucky pair and the Unlucky pair. All week long.

Battery Jump Starter. For the truck, the boat, or my heart, whichever needs it most on a given day. Auto Zone has these in stock – get the 99 buck model if you want to get your heart started.

Sleeping pad, as thick and cushy as possible. This comes in handy when sleeping in the Fred Meyer Parking Lot in Tillamook.

Ok, enough for now. Go buy some fly fishing gear, please. You know you need it. Your significant other will understand and support this decision. More gear posts will follow, unbiased and objective as always. Now, may I have a cup of that free coffee?

JN