Hello and Question

[daringduffer]

Hello, Jay. Looks like we fish the same streams. In my experience the SR is not particularly outstanding soft hackle water. I've never had any great success there. Bucktails and winged wets have always worked better for me. The Neshannock, on the other hand, is a wonderful soft hackle creek. On the subject of rods, I'll try to send you in a whole other direction. I fished graphites for a while, and they were fine, but after I got my hands on a long, soft Divine bamboo, I sold all my graphite rods. Later, I got really lucky and found a couple old greenheart and lancewood rods. Wet fly heaven. The solid wood rods aren't really meant for modern style casting. It's a close -in game with a long rod and a short line -- not for everyone, but great fun. I know those rods don't turn up everyday, but they are out there, and, in the longer lengths, they won't cost you an arm and a leg. Just something to think about. Maybe I'll see you out there. I'm the old guy with the chest pack, floppy hat and greenheart rod.

Greenheart,

What type of lines do you use on those rods? I am intrigued by Mike Connors writing on this fishing with the long rod.

http://www.flyfishingmaryland.com/index.php?topic=472.0

dd

[jcrumbacher]

Thanks for the info on the greenheart rods. I'll have to look into that. I'll probably bump into you this spring. Look for a guy with a Richardson chest box.

Thanks,
Jay

[greenheart]

Daringduffer,

Mostly, I fish double tapers or Wulff TT lines. The Wulff lines are very nice roll casters. I fish DT's in silk and Cortland Peach. The silk is nice because it floats higher than a plastic line and lessens the need for "bobbers" when you're fishing upstream.

[daringduffer]

Daringduffer,

Mostly, I fish double tapers or Wulff TT lines. The Wulff lines are very nice roll casters. I fish DT's in silk and Cortland Peach. The silk is nice because it floats higher than a plastic line and lessens the need for "bobbers" when you're fishing upstream.

Greenheart,

Your reply is in accordance with what Mike suggests; silk lines float higher - more on the film than in the film - making it easier to control ones flies when fishing upstream. I have not yet fished a silk line but will experiment with a short braided polypropylene line on a long rod (secondhand ABU Garcia 12' Ultra Light Match Action optimum casting weight 10g for 0,12mm line, puh). This line is supposed to float on the film, with no curling memory; hence excellent bite detection. We'll see about that...

dd

[CM_Stewart]

It's a close -in game with a long rod and a short line -- not for everyone, but great fun.

I wholeheartedly agree with you that a long rod and short line are great fun, and well suited to upstream wets. Rather than greenheart, though, I went another route and fish with a tenkara rod. Tenkara is the traditional Japanese fly fishing method. Conceptually, it is very similar to fishing with the British loop rods of David Webster and Isaak Walton, in that the line is tied to the rod tip and no reel us used. Unlike the loop rod, though, it has not faded into obscurity. Modern tenkara rods are graphite, and without the weight of the reel, flyline and backing, reel seat, guides, etc are very, very light. The line was originally horsehair but is now either A) essentially a very long furled leader or B) about 15# test fluorocarbon and in either case is basically just a very long leader. The line is about the length of the rod, and tippet is then added. My tenkara rod is 11'4" although I think most tenkara rods are slightly longer. For me, the most attractive aspects are the extreme simplicity of the gear, and the ability to keep all or nearly all the line off the water, which makes both strike detection and drag-free drifts relatively simple. The main disadvantage is you cannot let a fish run, so you cannot catch large fish (my best is only a little over 17"). Another disadvantage is that it is a bit tricky to fish small streams with an 11' rod. Like greenheart said, "not for everyone, but great fun."

[Vlad]

Does anyone have any rod suggestions on this criteria. I know Dorber makes 10' blanks from 1-4 wt (I've heard these are really soft). I thought of buying one and having someone build it for me, but I'm not sure who builds rods in the Western Pennsylvania area.

Apart form Dorber, I have seen 10' multi-piece #3 and #4 line blanks on the well known auction site. I have no experience with them, but based on their specifications, they can't be that bad.

[Ron Eagle Elk]

Dorber also sells finished rods in the 10 foot 1-4 wgts. They just haven't put them on the web site. I'm going to call them Monday for a price on the finished rod, will let you know when I find out. A 10 foot 2 pice rod has a really long rod tube, glad I drive a small SUV.