Recycling Worn Flylines into Shooting Heads

Knowing how to recycle old worn or broken fly lines not only means a saving to your hard earned cash but also allows you to create lines designed for specific purposes. The first thing you need to know before you can cut or customize a line is the AFTMA standard grain weight to suit your rod.

All weights in the chart are in grains and are based on the first 30 feet of the line exclusive of any level tip. For line weights heavier than #12 add 50 grains to the weights in the table.

Rods are designed to cast a specific weight of line. First find your rods rated line weight in the chart and determine the grain weight range that matches your rod.

Keep in mind that if you are designing a shooting head, it can be as much as two line weights heavier than the weight specified for your rod.

Weigh the front section of the line and cut it so that it is slightly longer (that is heavier) than what you require. If it is too heavy when you try it, you can cut more off, it’s hard to put more on once it has been cut. Chemists and gunsmiths have scales that weigh grains.

Nail knot a piece of mono on the front end of the head and put a temporary loop on the back end. Probably the quickest way to try out the line is to use 60 to 90 feet of 30 to 40 pound mono as running line. This way you can nail knot it directly to the back of the head and not have to put on a loop.

Test cast your new creation and progressively shorten it from the back and test casting it until you feel that your rod is casting it “sweetly”. Once you are happy with the way it is casting, apply your permanent loops.

By using this process, you can tailor make shooting heads to suit different weight rods.

Calculating Tippett Size

Have you ever wondered how the thickness of the tippett material relates to the “x” rating?

Following is an explanation of the “rule of elevens”?

0.011 inches = 0X - If you have line that is 0.007ins in diameter then it is 4X (0.011 - 0.007 = 4X)

To calculate the approximate breaking strain in  pounds, provided you already know it’s X number, use the following formula:

9 minus "X" rating = approx pound test (9 minus 4X = 5lb)

Gear Maintenance

Spending a few minutes to clean your gear immediately following an excursion will not only prolong its life but also ensure that it won’t let you down at a crucial time. Once corrosion breaks through the protective coating on your hardware it is too late - prevention is better that cure.

After your fishing session dismantle the rod and place the reel to one side. Wash the rod thoroughly with warm soapy water paying particular attention to the base of the runner feet and the winch fitting. Rinse the soap off, dry and place in its tube. Never put the rod in the bag without washing it because the salt will transfer to the bag and washing the rod will be a waste of time.

Strip the line off the reel into the bucket of soapy water. Tighten the drag on the reel (this will stop water penetrating between the drag washers) and remove the spool. Wash all parts with a cloth saturated with soapy water. Rinse off with clean water. Wind the flyline back onto the reel rinsing it off with clean water as you go.
Place out of direct sunlight and allow to dry. When dry apply a suitable line dressing to protect and restore the “slickness” of the coating. Remember to loosen the drag to prevent permanent flattening of the drag washers.
Apply some anti corrosion substance to the entire surface of the reel paying particular attention to the screws securing the reel seat and the handle. Place a couple of drops around the base of the reel seat and allow it to soak under. Apply the recommended lubrication on the moving parts such as spindle, clicker and handle.

Every 6 months, remove all the backing (use an old large spool Alvey) and wash the base of the spool and apply a light coat of a corrosion preventative such as Inox or Lanoguard. When replacing the backing (especially if it is braid) make sure that it is wound on as tight as possible. This will prevent the top layer, when under pressure, cutting down into lower layers and locking up.

It is also recommended that if you do a lot of fishing for fast running pelagic species that the drag be fully serviced by dismantling, cleaning and replacing any worn drag washers once every twelve months.

Assembling Multi-piece Carbon-fibre Rods

To assemble a multi-piece rod, fit the two sections lightly together so that they are offset by 90 degrees. Place your hands on either side of and close to the ferrule. Push the sections firmly together and at the same time twist so that the guides line up. To dismantle, place hands in the same position and twist as you pull the sections apart.

When fishing remember to check the tightness of the sections because the action of casting quite often causes the tip sections to come loose. It is important to keep them tight to avoid “casting them off” and to avoid cracking the “female section” when pressure is applied while fighting a fish.

If it is a continual problem on worn ferrules, rub a little candle wax onto the spigot before assembling the sections.

Stuck Ferrules

Frequently, if you haven’t dismantled the rod after fishing for a few days the ferrules may be very difficult to pull apart. This is common particularly when the rod has been immersed in salt water. The water penetrates into the joint and when the water evaporates it leaves the salt that causes the jamming.

Try holding the stuck section under running cold water for a few minutes and try again. Enlist the help of a companion and each hold a section close to the ferrule and twist in opposite directions.

DO NOT use pliers as these will crush the hollow rod blank. Don't laugh, I have seen a pair of vice grips used.

Cleaning Ferrules

Sand and salt not only damages the finish on the ferrules but also causes them to stick. Use a pipe cleaner to remove any stubborn foreign matter and flush out the female section of the join with clean water.

Fixing Sticky Drag Systems

One of the most neglected parts of a reel is the drag system. Often, after prolonged use over a period of time the drag system on your reel looses efficiency and tends to grab or stick as line is pulled off. It becomes virtually impossible to adjust the drag accurately particularly if you are using light tippets for fast running pelagic species. This is caused by either a build up of gunk or damage to the drag washers by sand and salt or distortion from pressure.

All systems should be serviced at least once every twelve months. This can be achieved by returning the reel to the point of purchase for manufacturer warranty service. If you have had the reel for a few years and the warranty has expired, don't despair, with the majority of drag systems, it is fairly simple to carry out routine maintenance yourself.
The most common drag system utilizes a system of cork composite or teflon washers sandwiched between metal washers.

Spread out a sheet of newspaper and dismantle the reel and the drag system placing the parts in a logical order.
Clean all the cork or composite drag washers in white spirits to remove the built up grease and foreign material. Inspect all parts carefully. It a lot of cases, if the drag has been left tight over a long period, cork washers will be permanently flattened causing them to be less efficient. Now is the time to replace any worn or flattened washers.

Slightly distorted metal washers can be rectified by placing a piece of moistened 1800 grade wet and dry sandpaper on a mirror and lightly grinding until they are perfectly flat. If the washer is distorted, the high and low points can be quite clearly identified.

If your reel is an older model and parts are unavailable, an alternative is to use an original washer as a guide and cut new washers out of “split chrome” leather and soak them in a viscous oil (sewing machine oil is ideal). These give a smooth drag without sticking and will last for many years.

Lightly oil all metal parts with a good quality reel lube and re-assemble in the reverse order.

Removing Runner Foot Rust

Any brand of phosphoric acid mixed with water will do the job and it won’t harm the rod or its’ finish in any way. Hardware or paint stores usually stock the product. Some brands may need to be diluted. . The way it works is to change iron oxide to iron phosphate and water. The iron phosphate is clear and soluble in water.

After rinsing well and wiping dry, use 3M Marine Paste Wax #09030, (available at most Marine Stores) applied and then buffed, gives the longest protection of anything used in salt water conditions.

Use the same procedure on the boat to clean off those unsightly brown rust stains taht appear around stainless rails, mounts and screws.

Lubricating Knots

Many fishermen ignore the importance of lubricating monofilament and fluorocarbon before tightening knots. Many a joint has failed at the critical time while playing a fish because of this practice. Tightening a knot without lubrication causes heat which tends to weaken the line at the knot.

On the water, the common practice is a quick lick of saliva. Something found to be very effective is silicone in an aerosol. A common brand found at any hardware store is CRC Dry Glide. It is non-staining, odorless, and quick drying. Give the knots a quick spray before pulling them tight. It is also useful on any tackle bag or gear that has a zipper to help prevent sticking due to corrosion.

A lubricated knot will pull down tighter than one that is dry.

Considerations When Buying a Rod                

All rods are not the same - they vary greatly between models as well as manufactures.

The two main aspects of a rods characteristics to consider when making a purchase are its casting qualities and its fish fighting qualities.

Most fly rods built these days, in the hands of an experienced caster, cast well.  However, differences in flex or action can have a big impact on how they are cast. Understanding the effects of different actions and how you need to adjust your casting stroke will allow you to cast well with any rod.

Very soft slow action rods can be difficult to cast particularly for beginners. There is a tendency to throw tailing loops because it is easy to overload the rod tip and cause it to dip during the casting stroke. This gives a concave tip path that results in the tailing loop. To correct this fault it is necessary to use a long smooth casting stroke.

At the other end of the equation are stiff fast action rods. These are very tailing loop resistant however there are downsides for beginners and inexperienced casters. These rods don’t load or bend much when casting shorter distances so the feel of direct contact with the line is lost. This makes it more difficult to determine the timing of the cast. Since there is little load at these distances it is often necessary to cast harder which frequently results in wider less efficient loops.

Fast action rods are ideal for casting longer distances because they are made to carry long lengths of line in the air to load them sufficiently. If the angler only wants to fish shorter distances they can be very frustrating to use. Fortunately there is a easy solution. Using a line that is one or even two line weights above that recommended for the rod, will supply sufficient weight to load the rod at shorter distances.

As you would have probably guessed a rod that is somewhere between soft and fast is suitable for most anglers. Fortunately most of the popular rods manufactured now fall in this medium action description. They are stiff enough so that a caster with average skills can cast non-tailing loops yet are soft enough to load at shorter distances without loosing the feel of the line. While they may not be perfect for casting in very tight situations or shooting a line over the horizon, a medium action rod will suit the majority of fishing situations without having to drastically change the casting stroke.

In considering the fighting qualities of a rod, it should be remembered that, although a stiff heavy rod may be ideal for fighting the fish, it may be pointless if you can't use it to get the fly out to the fish. As Joan Wulff says, "If you can't cast, you are not even in the game."

Lastly, it’s well known by big game anglers, both fly and conventional tackle, that a short rod is best to fight a fish more efficiently. A stiff 9 foot 12 or 13 wt. rod may not be as good to use as a 10 wt. 9 foot rod designed with a lower modulus tip and mid section combined with a powerful stiff butt. When loaded, this design can leave you with a better fighting tool because the tip and some of the mid section straighten out, leaving you fighting the fish with the powerful butt section close to your body. This allows you to put maximum leverage on the fish and it's less tiring on the angler. In other words, the further away from the body the "load point' is, the more tiring the fight is for the angler.

Selecting a rod that not only suits your style and ability but is also suitable for the type of fishing you intend do is probably the most confusing aspect of fly fishing. Do not purchase a particular rod on the advise from another party or a retailer. What works well for their style and technique may not work as well for you.

We all have different body shapes so our styles will be slightly different and the type of fishing that you will be doing will also have an effect on your selection. If trout fishing using small flies in small confined streams is going to be the main type, then a fairly slow action rod that allows delicate presentations of small flies would be the best choice. If, however you want the rod to double up as a light estuary rod then a medium action would be a better choice to handle both situations. For most open saltwater applications, a fast action rod coupled with a line either one or two weights above that rated for the rod would be the considered choice. These rods will have the power to enable casts in windy conditions using big flies. This setup will allow the caster to deliver a reasonable amount of line even if they have some basic casting flaws. Unfortunately, it does encourage some casters to use “strength” to muscle the cast rather than good casting technique.

There is no doubt that, if you had a room full of flyfishers, they would all have different opinions and could provide logical reasons why the rod they use is best. The only way to select a rod is to cast a number of brands within your budget range and see how they perform. A lot of retailers are less than happy to let you take a rod out of the shop to test cast. The solution is to find a retailer who will allow you (would you buy a car without a test drive?) If you’re spending a wad of your hard earned cash, why shouldn’t you test cast the rod?

Rods are made to suit lines not the other way around so take the lines you intend to use and test cast to get a clear picture. Irrelevant of your skill levels, trust your own feelings. Remember, you fish for enjoyment, so it is important that you feel comfortable with the rod you choose.