Alternate, Cheap Fly Fishing Gear

[JanK]

This thread is to complement the "Alternate, Cheap Tying Materials" started by Mike Newby in the "Fly Tying Materials and Tools" section.

Many of these tips came via the old "Fishy Pete's" email list some years ago, and if memory serves, from Mike himself no less...but I have added a few that I have collected over the years.

Let's hear your tips folks!

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1. Fly Line:
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Any cheap fly line is okay for the bump-&-grind of nymphing.
For delicate small stream presentations, it really helps to have a good line.

And we've all heard this one: if you buy a double taper line, you can turn it around when one side is worn and get twice the life!


2. Leaders:
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Obviously, making up your own leaders saves you a heck of a lot, and they work just as well as tapered made leaders. In fact, even better because you can make up various lengths as the situation calls for it.
There are so many variants and opinions on this; the easiest one is 1m of 10kg Maxima Ultragreen, 50cm 7kg M.U., 50cm 5.5kg M.U., 50cm 1X tippet, and then 40cm 3X tippet.
Then on to this you attach your first (or only) fly, and/or vary the tippet down to 4x or 5x as needed.


3. Fly Box:
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Buy the cheap plastic near-transparent little tool boxes and some self-adhesive magnet tape (like that used behind the cheap fridge magnets - usually found at a craft store).
Cut up the magnet to fit in each compartment of your fly (ex-tool) box.
Flies will stay in the box when up-ended and on windy days!


4. Universal Floatant:
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- 200ml of Benzine (household type, found in any hardware (not BENZENE...which is deadly)
- 1 good heaped tablespoon of Jacket Wax (like Hardy Wax Proofing or Drizabone jacket wax - You can find the Hardy one at Mias Angling and Scuba in Woodmead)
- 1 empty clean glass jar

Put the Benzine in the glass jar.
Place the jar in a pot and half-fill the pot with warm water.
Put the pot on the stove on medium heat.
Put the wax in the benzine, and keep stirring until the wax is completely dissolved. (Benzine is very flammable...be careful!! ).
Remove the mixture from the heat, and let it cool down.
The mixture will become cloudy...this is normal.

This stuff works just as well as Loon's Hydrostop.

Some people use petroluem jelly - use only the high-end stuff, not Vaseline as your flies will get clogged and sticky.


5. Strike indicators:
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Buy egg-yarn in different colours (orange, green and white)

To keep them floating:
- place a 50cm piece of this yarn into freshly made floatant (see above) and soak for 1/2 hour.
- Remove the yarn from the jar, squeezing the fluid out.
- Place on a newspaper and let dry overnight.
or
- a large spray can of Scotch guard and spray into a packet of egg yarn.

Tip - remove the egg yarn from the packet but don't hang it up, rather lay it on newspaper or cut it to the required lengths. Hanging allows the floatant to run down to the ends leaving the rest short of floatant.


6. Strike indicator holders:
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Take empty 35mm plastic film canisters and make a small hole in the lid.
Then burn the hole with a lighter carefully (this increases the hole a little, and makes the edges of the hole nice and rounded.
Place freshly made strike indicator (see above) in this container, and pull the one endthrough the hole.
Voila! A neat, cheap indicator dispensor!


7. Line nippers:
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Use small nail clippers for cutting line/tippet material - much stronger action due to the lever.
Carry them on a lanyard around your neck - cheaper than one of those retractor spring gadgets.


8. Wading boots: (originally from Armand Flies)
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When you can't afford "real" wading boots - these come in handy when you walk in to the fishing site for long distances.
Buy canvas boots (brown "prison warden" or Army-style boots...available at Army Surplus Stores or "Protect-o-Wear" / factory-wear type shops).
The tongues on these boots are great, letting no gravel in.

Cut away / grind down the tread on the bottom to get a flat sole.
Then buy a section of heavy duty carpet (available from carpet manufacturers) and cut them to the size of the soles.
Glue it to the soles with GenKem glue. (Don't inhale too much at this stage, you might get high and glue yourself to the shoe ).
You can then also staple the carpet to the soles as well, with heavy-duty staples and a staple gun. This gives extra grip on mossy rocks. (After each trip, just inspect the soles, and replace any broken staples).

Or you can order a proper replacement felt sole with studs and glue them to the bottom of the boots.

Just make sure to buy the right size, one bigger than normal, and wear neoprene socks (see below).
If you like, remove the laces and replace with velcro for quick release.
But the laces are just as easy to do and undo.


9. Wading boot socks:
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Material or wool socks tend to bunch up, and hurt your feet when wet - so use neoprene socks.
You can buy 3mm neoprene socks (soft sole) at any scuba shop, or Mias, or Sportsman's Warehouse - cheaper than "proper" wading socks, and a pleasure to use with wading boots.

"REEF" (wetsuit manufacturer) makes a nice wetsuit shampoo, that keeps the elasticity, kills the bacteria and germs, and just makes 'em smell nice! Get it in the scuba section of Sportsman's Warehouse.
After an outing, soak your neoprene socks it, wring out excess and let it dry.
SABS approved too.


10. Wading Staff:
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Take a broom stick, cut in to required length (1.4 metres is good).
Then drill a hole through the stick 15cm below the rounded end.
Put a piece of thick material-elastic through (found at materials shops) and attach a quick-snap hook on.
This hook can be attached to your back-pack or vest pack.

While this idea sounds really stupid and TOO simple, but it works. I see many guys with fancy bought wading-staff's, and it just does not make economical sense.
One small problem with this staff, is that it floats, and your floating line often wraps around it (if you aren't suing a stripping basket). Solution - put some thick wire around the base of the staff to make the end sink, putting it out of harms way.

For the skiers and hikers, use an old ski or hiking pole.


11. Hook-remover:
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I've seen some real fancy hook removers and medical hemostats sold at tackle shops for real fancy prices, that's plain ludicrous.
Just buy a set of very long nose pliers.
You can use it to flatten barbs and put splithot on tippets too.
Make sure it's dried and oiled after each trip to prevent rust.


12. Hat:
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"Rogue" make good looking leather hats, available from all Cape Union Marts.
Alternatively, wear a baseball cap (everybody has a few lying about), or any other wide-brim hat to cover your eyes and face from direct sunlight.

Use the spare Scotch Guard from your strike indicators for water proofing the hat!


13. Quick-Drying Pants:
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You used to be able to buy lightweight, durable pants from Mr. Price, under their "RED" brand.
They are sort of "parachute" material, but not quite the same.
Light, very comfy and dries quick - and you can get it in Olive or Khaki.
Replace the elastic belt with a heavy-duty shoe-string, or add a belt, because the elastic will wear thin and eventually sag out.


14. Polaroid Sunglasses:
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DON'T buy the black Snowbee's...they are crap. The lenses go murky after continued cleaning.
Rapala make an excellent set with Amber lenses (better than black lenses) - plastic, comfortable, and durable.


15. Stripping basket:
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We all know this one - get a shopping hand carry basket.
Remove the handles, and if you want a lighter, shallower basket, also cut away the thick top lip.
Fasten a belt to it, preferably a vinyl belt with quick-release buckle, through the slits in the basket.
Put cable ties in the bottom, with the ends sticking up into the basket - cut the ends so that they are about 5cm long (this prevents tangles, just make sure the ends are smooth, so as not to damage the line).


16. Rod-Tube:
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Sportsman's Warehouse used to (may still?) (Game/Makro?) carry rod tubes in the angling department.
Very nice, nylon-material covered tubes, in different colours and lengths, with a "zip-open" top.
Looks very professional!


17. Travelling Reel Protector:
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As you drive from one fishing spot to another, laying your fly rod down with reel attached in a truck bed or other hard surface can damage the rod and especially the reel as they slide around.
To solve this problem. place your fly reel into a shoe (with or without rod attached). Fold the tongue of the shoe so the reel is cradled into it, and bring up the shoe laces and tie them securely over the rod.
The weight of the shoe will also keep the rod and reel upright so only the sole of the shoe is in contact with the vehicle bed (your driving dependent! )


And one last tip: attach a safety pin to the front of your shirt / fly vest. It will come in handy for a variety of situations. It's uses are endless but here are just a few: the pointed end can be used to open the eye on a hook, pick out a thorn or stick that may have embedded in the skin, pick out dubbing on a fly to make it more "buggy", and perhaps even poke/clear holes in items for emergency repairs.

[frikb]

Jan,

Very good thread. I must say that you've given some good info here.

[Rendier]

Thanks Jan

[FlyFanatic]

go to your nearest checkers hyper, they sell some camping stuff. look for some cup holders/coolers, they are made of neoprene, Bushbaby is the brandname, sew some presstuds onto the top, and voila! a waterproof neoprene reel pouch!!

The total beaut of this? it costs a full R9-99!!

[JanK]

go to your nearest checkers hyper, they sell some camping stuff. look for some cup holders/coolers, they are made of neoprene, Bushbaby is the brandname, sew some presstuds onto the top, and voila! a waterproof neoprene reel pouch!!

The total beaut of this? it costs a full R9-99!!

Hey, nice one.

They won't be waterproof though, at least not where the press studs are.

Glueing on some Velcro might be a better option though.

[Woolybugger]

I love the floatant and fly box idea! thanks a lot Jan! I need to get some Benzine hahaha ( i wish flytalk had a crazy smiley with a lighter ; )

Cheers