See Monkey Do

March 24, 2010

Bamboo Fly Fishing Rods

Filed under: Fishing Gear — admin @ 8:22 am

Beyond a doubt the best fly fishing rod material is good bamboo properly selected, cured, split, glued, and correctly proportioned. It possesses strength combined with lightness, resiliency, pliancy, power and balance in greater degree than either steel or solid woods.

Formerly anglers and rod makers could draw fine distinctions between male and female Calcutta and Tonkin ” canes,” but under present conditions good Calcutta is very rare and the word ” Calcutta ” is becoming merely a trade term. Good bamboo of all kinds is more difficult to obtain and a good piece of Tonkin is better than an indifferent one of Calcutta. Male Calcutta, however, is supposed to be superior to either the female or Tonkin. The cheapest split cane is known as steel vine or African cane. It is light colored and makes up into good, inexpensive bamboo fly fishing rods.

Six Strip and 8 Strip Bamboo Fly Fishing Rods

We assume that you know that bamboo is split and then glued together in order to utilize the hard outer enamel and reduce the diameter of the pieces. Some rods are made of bamboo split into six sections (hexagonal) and some in eight (octagonal) but the six strip construction is more often used. Some makers claim that the eight strip, being more nearly a true cylinder, possesses better action but this seems to be more theoretical than practical, while the tiny tips of an eight strip rod are likely to be ” soft” due to the comparative amount of glue necessary to hold the pieces together. Eight strip rods cost more than the six strip and if the angler wants a round bamboo fly fishing rod they are preferable to the six strip planed down as planing certainly must injure a rod. As a general rule a well-made six strip rod leaves little to be desired.

Special Feature Bamboo Fly Fishing Rods

A novelty in bamboo fly fishing rod making is what is known as the ” double built ” rods which are made of two layers of split and glued bamboo, one within the other. They are heavier and strong, and it is claimed, hold their shape better, than ordinary rods and are popular for sea and salmon fishing but unnecessary, I believe, in single hand fly rods. An English innovation is the steel center rod which consists of a fine piece of well-tempered steel running as a core through sections of regular split bamboo. The makers claim this construction gives a rod of superior casting power with only of an ounce added weight. Friends who possess rods of this kind are enthusiastic admirers of this construction for heavy fishing.

An American maker supplies a rod of ” twisted bamboo ” which he claims equalizes the strain and produces better action. I have never tried a rod of this type so am unable to pass on its merits, but Perry Frazer, in his ” Amateur Rodmaking,” speaks well of it.

To get more fishing tips then make sure you visit http://www.fishingcenterguides.com

Will M has been fishing for over 10 years and picked up a lot of good tips for catching many types of fish

Discover How To Choose A Good Fly Fishing Rod By Reading Our Article On How To Pick A Fly Fishing Rod

December 31, 2009

Tying Fly Fishing Flies - The Frankenstein Fly

Filed under: Fishing Gear — admin @ 5:59 am

You can buy flies for fly fishing, but you’ll want to tie your own at some point. Undoubtedly, your first fly will be the Frankenstein Fly.

Of Flies…

There is a particular fly for every fish, location and situation. There are basic flies like the Woolly Bugger and millions of exotic ones. You can buy thousands of them, but it will set you back a pretty penny. So, it’s time to tie your own.

The first step in the fly process is getting some educated advice at the bookstore. You’ll need to browse the fishing section for the hundreds of books on the subject. You’ll see books like “Flies for Idiots”, “Be One With The Fly”, “I Fly, You Fly, We All Fly” and other mythical titles. Pick the one that seems tailored to your needs, buy your tools and supplies and head home.

One of the first flies most people try to tie is the Woolly Bugger. It can be used for most situations and seems fairly simple to tie. Since this is your first time, you’ll actually be tying the Frankenstein Fly whether you realize it or not. This is true regardless of the specific fly you try to tie.

With the Woolly Bugger, you’ll use a jam knot, a fluffy piece of marabou, lead wire and so on. You’ll follow the directions in detail. You’ll wind. You’ll strip fuzz. You’ll wrap like you’ve never wrapped before. In the end, you will have followed every step in agonizing detail. As you finish the last step, whip finishing your fly, you’ll step back to admire the best Woolly Bugger.

At this point, you’ll look at the book and your masterpiece. Then you’ll jump on the Internet and pull up pictures of Woolly Bugger flies. Then the neighborhood will shake with a piercing scream. Yes, you’ve created something that faintly looks like a Woolly Bugger, but strikingly like Frankenstein.

Congratulations, you’ve tied a Frankenstein Fly. Welcome to the league of mad tie scientists.

Have Faith

Tying flies is definitely an art. You will almost never get it right the first time. Don’t be discouraged. Keep at it. Who knows, maybe the fish will find your Frankenstein Fly to be a tasty treat.

Rick Chapo is with www.nomadjournals.com - makers of writing journals. fly fishing journals are great gifts. Visit www.nomadjournals.com/flyfishing.cfm to see journals for fly fishing trips and fly fishing vacations.

June 21, 2009

Tight Lines and Baited Hooks

Filed under: Fishing Gear — admin @ 2:29 am

Fishing is the most popular past-time in Britain, and this article introduces the diverse methods and styles of fishing in the UK. It’s a fantastic way to be outdoors, and there’s an expanding fishing society in the United Kingdom with many clubs and contests patronized by a large number of fishing enthusiasts.

How can I take up this type of hobby? Well you require a rod, a reel, some fishing bait, and plenty of patience! Depending on where you love in the UK will influence the type of angling you’ll be getting up to. There’s coarse fishing which can occur in rivers, lakes and in the sea, and there’s game fishing which demands catching much larger fish, often as a competition. It’s best to get involved with the type of angling that doesn’t involve you journeying large distances - best to have a lake or river close by that you can nip to at a in just minutes - as the beauty of fishing is that it’s a place you can go to unwind.

Coarse fishing is a term used for angling types of fresh water fish that aren’t game fish. It’s very popular in the United Kingdom and mainland Europe. The kinds of fish you can find on your hook when coarse fishing can be bream, dace, pike, tench and roach among many other species of fish. For coarse fishing, you will need a typical fishing rod, a fishing reel, maybe an angling tripod (to rest the fishing rod), some groundbait, some keepnets and landing nets.

Big-game fishing is a form of recreational angling, pinpointing big fish noted for their difficulty in landing, like marlin. Despite the daring images that evokes, game fishing can also include salmon and trout.

To land a fish, you’ll need some fishing tackle! Fishing tackle is put on to tempt fish to the sealed hook. Normally, nightcrawlers, insects, and smaller fish are used for this purpose. Fishermen have also begun plastic tackle and even electronic lures, to draw in fish. Reports show that natural baits like maggots are more recognized by the fish and hence more effective.

Fishing is particularly popular in the spring and summer months when the temperature is warmer and the days longer, and night fishing isn’t so perishingly cold. Angling can be as inexpensive as you want it to be. Just get a a rod, a reel, some tackle, a fishing license, and away you go!