[anselmo]

Revisiting an old post of mine The last 10 years - what has revolutionised your fishing? got me thinking about what has changed in what I do now (fundamentally anyway i.e. braid v mono, SP v crankbaits etc)

I was recently watching a movie about the origin of mountain bikes ("Klunkerz" for those of you who are interested) and how they borrowed technologies from motocross and road bikes and applied them to their fledgling downhill bikes and went from fat tired Schwinn's to something resembling a rigid frame MTB in the space of 5-6 years, including a full evolution of gears, brakes and frame shapes etc.

It made me think about what I've borrowed from other types of fishing and applied to the style of fishing I do most i.e. highly mobile, light tackle spin with the ability to change lures and tactics as conditions dictate:

1) Fly clips - I've spoken about them before - change a lure in under 10 secs and strong with no effect on action

2) Tippet rings - these are a newer "find" that I've appropriated from fly fishing - I've recently been using them to connect braid to leader - better confidence around the knot (2 x knots to a solid ring "seems" better than a line to line knot - personal opinion only) - I've been using Japanese 2mm titanium rings - no rust and they pass through guides as easily as a leader knot

3) Tippet spool - another fly fishing cross pollination - I have 4 spools of line on it - 4lb fluoro, 6, 8 and 10lb Rio Alloy - formerly used Mason hard mono, but the Rio stuff is better and easier to find

4) Lanyard - (shameless plug) - my lanyard hangs from my wader straps. Instead of a pack with weight on my back, and having to search for things its right there where I need it. On it, from left to right

• a. Tippet spool - see above
  b. Ceramic nippers - cut line from 1lb to 200lb with ease and don't rust
  c. Hook sharpener
  d. Pliers - currently using Dr slick mitten clamps secured via an integrated bungy coil and clamped onto a loop
  e. Swivel with a 3 SS clips holding 5 of each of the following (I figure if I lose more than 5 of these I'm either having the worst day and should give up, or I'm having the best day and reaching he point where I'm down 5 of any of these means I need to ask whether I should stop while I'm ahead):
  • i. Fly clips
    ii. Invisa-swivels (under review)
    iii. Tippet rings
  f. Korda bait needle - use for leader to line knot when spinning (under review due to tippet rings - when fly fishing it's hold small rings of silicon tubing to attaching nymph indicators

5) As its cold here, I wear waders even in the summer - I've been using Simms G3 for the last 3 years - very impressed and still look new despite some rock bashing

Anyone else borrowing ideas from other areas of fishing (or even other sports) and applying them with success?

 

[Scott]

Thanks for this, i love fly clips and i am now going to track down some tippet rings.

 

[Barrabundy]

Are you an agent for tippets rings or something? I've never heard of them but I think I need to try them right now!

I'm probably not that innovative so the only thing that comes to mind for me is the use of a light spin rod and sp to catch tarpon to use as crab bait. Originally I used to buy bait but will now carry a rod around the farm and use my luring skills to catch tarpon in farm drains when I know I'm going to want go crabbing in a few days time.

 

[Scott]

I just purchased some from here http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290702893385. The listing is for 2, 2.5 and 3mm but he will supply all one size of you ask. Under $10.00 delivered for 30.

 

[anselmo]

That's where I got mine Scott

He also does oval shaped ones which I suspect may be stronger, albeit larger

 

[flyonline]

If I was into stuff that needed a heavy shock/bite tippet, I'd be trying some reverse furled leaders i.e. with the 'butt' end becoming the bite tippet. Simple to tie on the go too!

I've gone the other way and use snaps for all my cod fly fishing, saves having to re-tie a knot each time in the yak and cod aren't put off by the snap.

Gotta wonder what those rings are doing to the guides though, not quite a soft as a knot!

 

[anselmo]

Gotta wonder what those rings are doing to the guides though, not quite a soft as a knot!

I was wondering this also.... They might be small Nick, but do they really do no damage to the guides? I the whole deal the same on a fly rod, or is the idea to keep the leader short so it doesn't hit the guides on each cast since youre not stripping it out manually?

good question - not sure, but my guides are all SiC so they should be harder than titanium (I think)

In fly fishing your tippet shouldn't be inside the guides when casting. leader yes - tippet no

 

[anselmo]

If I was into stuff that needed a heavy shock/bite tippet, I'd be trying some reverse furled leaders i.e. with the 'butt' end becoming the bite tippet. Simple to tie on the go too!

Problem is that if one strand of a furled leader breaks it all comes apart - especially if under load (don't ask how I know ...)

 

[anselmo]

Exposes just how little I know about fly fishing.... And rod guides. Some research to do.

titanium - 6 on mohs scale
SIC 10 - on mohs scale

Can't find anything about impact values of a 6 on a 10

 

[anselmo]

Exposes just how little I know about fly fishing.... And rod guides. Some research to do.

titanium - 6 on mohs scale
SIC 9.5-10 - on mohs scale (EDIT - Depending on which website you find)

Can't find anything about impact values of a 6 on a 10

SiC guides can be used with wire line (hardened steel - hardness 8-8.5) for trolling though, so given that closeness in value should be ok - noting that a line pulling across a guide is a different stressor to a ring hitting it mid-cast

 

[flyonline]

Problem is that if one strand of a furled leader breaks it all comes apart - especially if under load (don't ask how I know ...)

Ok, was thinking more of the flats styled hand twisted mono/flouro leaders. Just tie a TSK in the thinner 'butt' if you get breakages to stop it untwisting ;-)