Long Rod

[hankaye]

Mick C., Howdy;

I've just done some quick noseing around. Spotted some baleing twine (used to truss up hay bales and such), it's a very loose twist
but, if one were industrious, one could un ravel a length then plate it to one's desired thickness in any length one desires.....
wheels turning, gaining a small amount of purchase, odious smell of burning rubber becoming overwhelming........back to the idea bench.

hank

[Mike Connor]

That might work OK, although most baling twine here is actually courlene and is basically a blend of polyethylene with polyisobutene. It does not have the properties of polypropylene, although I don't know precisely what your baling twine may be made of.

After a lot of experimenting I have discovered that trying to weave or braid various things myself of any useful length is extremely difficult and time consuming, so I no longer bother even trying. With the exception of some "furled" leaders up to fifteen feet long and this length is also difficult.

There are instructions on the web for making these if you can find the appropriate thread.

http://globalflyfisher.com/fishbetter/henk/

http://flyfishingreporter.com/video-how ... led-leader



You have to download this image to see the animation;

http://fish.diverseworx.com/images/tip/Fjig_ani.gif

TL
MC

[Mike Connor]

I have just discovered that a lot of modern baling twine is indeed polypropylene but a special type which is biodegradable and hydrophilic, so it wont be any use as fly line.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baling_twine

some other info;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polypropyl ... properties

TL
MC

[William Anderson]

Otter and Mike, thanks for the explaination. This is fascinating. It would be great to see it in action at some point. I don't expect I'll get to try this any time soon, but it does highlight the goals associated with the use of long rods. Nice post.

w

[hankaye]

Mike C., Howdy;

Thanks for the follow-up information.
Always appericated.

hank

[letumgo]

Mike - I would think that being biodegradable and hydrophilic would be ideal characteristics for this use. Why do you conclude that it would be of little use? Just curious.

[Mike Connor]

Mike - I would think that being biodegradable and hydrophilic would be ideal characteristics for this use. Why do you conclude that it would be of little use? Just curious.

The twines consist of very fine fibres, as soon as they begin to degrade the lines "pink" just like horsehair, ( this means that little broken fibres stick out from the hair surface), this makes them very difficult to cast, and they wont go through rod rings at all. Hydrophilic materials sink immediately as they are immediately covered by water so they can not float on the film.

"Standard" polypropylene is hydrophobic. It can not get wet, and so it floats "on" the surface film. Even if the surface film is destroyed ( by soap etc) the line will still float because it is lighter than water, but no longer "on" the film.

TL
MC

[Otter]

I could have done with a longer rod to-day.

On one excellent stretch the wind was straight downstream, not possible to get overly close to the fish as at this time of year quite often the trout pack themselves into "softer" water.
The result of the wind was that mending was entirely impossible, indicators , even a dry, caused the flies to move faster than you would like. I almost knew when i was likely to get a trout as the drift was correct and more often than not the trout obliged. A thirteen foot rod I believe would have really allowed better control .... not that i am complaining after a very enjoyable day.

These seem like little things but once you get a handle on why you are not catching it then becomes possible to exponentially improve - today I fully understood and had to accept the weaknesses in my setup for the prevailing conditions and understanding that, is in itself enjoyable - after all half of the pleasure of angling comes from what takes place between your two ears

Incidentally one of the other anglers out, caught a 6lb Atlantic Salmon on a spider - he had fun on 3lb tippet and a 3# rod. Lucky for the Salmon the river is closed to Salmon fishing so she can hopefully make her way to the spawning grounds for next nov/dec.

[letumgo]

Norman - Can you please elaborate on what you mean by "softer" water? I do not understand what this means. Sorry to be daft (but I am).

[Otter]

Norman - Can you please elaborate on what you mean by "softer" water? I do not understand what this means. Sorry to be daft (but I am).

No dafter than anyone else here, a non fishing visitor would probably have us all put in straight jackets.

By Softer water, I mean those areas with even, medium flow, at least 3 foot deep - here they will hold up until the hatches start in earnest and they they migrate to the riffles etc...

A 40 yard stretch of such water on my local river may this time of the year hold upwards of 50+ trout.