simbirsw@xxxxxxx & Group :-
David....
Very good answers. Best I've gotten....so I'll share yours with the Group along with some comments by me IN RED CAPS.
-----Original Message-----
From: David [mailto:dlambert@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Wednesday, October 25, 2006 7:34 AM
To: Gordon Hill
Subject: Lambert answers
Gordy:
Lambert answers:
1.) Your student is looking over some fly lines at a local fly shop. He
picks up one labeled, as follows: WF 9 S, DENSITY COMPENSATED. He
wants to know what that means. What do you tell him ? --- The line is
weighted and tapered in the forward 35 +/- section contains more, hence
weight forward. It is specified as a 9 weight line, which can be used
for 9 weight and other weight rods. It is a sinking line where the tip
and belly generally descend at the same rate/speed.
AGREE.
2.) He, now, asks you what is meant by the additional label, "CLASS
VI". How do you inform him ? --- How many feet per second the line
sinks. This sinks at approx 6-8 fps, depending on the maker.
AGREE.
3.) He looks at another brand with the label: WF9S, DENSITY
COMPENSATED,"TYPE 6". --- What is the difference between this one and
the one in 2.) ? One in Arabic numerals and the other is Roman
numerals. In fly lines, the higher number sinks faster.
AGREE. SAME LINE WITH DIFFERENT WORDING AND NUMERICAL SYSTEM.
4.) Finally, he picks up one labeled: SWTB 9 I . What in the world is
this line ? (Hint: It's manufactured by Scientific Anglers and marketed
by Royal Wulff Products.) --- Full acronym, Salt Water Tropic Blue 9
weight Intermediate. Many manufacturers use acronyms to name lines for
ease of identification.
YES. IT IS ALSO CALLED THE, "BERMUDA TRIANGLE TAPER". IT IS A CLEAR BLUISH TINT LINE WITH A MONOFILAMENT NYLON CORE.
5.) Name one advantage and one disadvantage of fly lines with a core
made of gel-spun fibers called, SPECTRA. -- Advantage, small diameter
to strength ration. Disadvantage: No stretch
TRUE. SOME MIGHT CONSIDER THE, "NO STRETCH" FEATURE TO BE AN ADVANTAGE FOR HOOK SETS...BUT, AS YOU POINT OUT, THIS IS A TWO EDGED SWORD SINCE THE CORE HAS VIRTUALLY NO STRETCHABILITY WHICH MEANS THAT ANY KINKS WHICH DEVELOP CANNOT BE TAKEN OUT BY STRETCHING THE LINE (OR BY ANY OTHER MEANS THAT I KNOW OF !) ANOTHER DISADVANTAGE IS THAT THE BOND BETWEEN THE COATING AND THE SPECTRA CORE TENDS TO COME LOOSE IN SPOTS CREATING AN UNDESIRABLE, "INCH WORMING" EFFECT.
6.) You are about to try a new experimental fly line with a very
"stretchy", elastic core. It is a wt. forward long belly line. You dig
back into information on similar lines from an article in the Loop a few
years ago.
Do you think this will be a good line for distance casting? --- No,
too soft, too much friction on guides. Good responses from Richards and
Rajeff, by the way.
AGREE. THE SUPER-ELASTICITY MAKES IT A POOR LINE FOR DISTANCE CASTING....MORE THAN THE SOFTNESS OF THE COATING. I'M IMPRESSED THAT YOU NOTED RESPONSES TO THE QUESTION IN THE LOOP ABOUT THE CASTABILITY OF THOSE LINES BY BRUCE RICHARDS AND TIM RAJEFF. THE QUESTION WAS ASKED BY MEL KRIEGER IN THE FALL ISSUE OF 2002 AND THE RESPONSES IN THE WINTER ISSUE OF THE SAME YEAR. THESE ARE WELL WRITTEN ARTICLES WHICH SHOULD BE READ BY ALL. (THESE BACK ISSUES HAVE BEEN E-ARCHIVED BY THE FFF OFFICE AND ARE AVAILABLE FOR ALL INSTRUCTORS.)
7) Your student says she's read that it is not a good idea to use a nail
knot to attach the butt section of her leader to her new clear tip fly
line.
a. Do you agree? I think it's an arguable point. I don't agree +
I'M WITH YOU ON THAT ANSWER. MY MAIN REASON FOR AVOIDING THE NAIL KNOT IS THAT THESE LINES ALL HAVE A MONOFILAMENT NYLON CORE. THE NAIL KNOT CONNECTION FAILS UNDER STRAIN AS THE LEADER KNOT LITERALLY PULLS THE COATING OF THE FLY LINE OFF THE CORE WHILE BATTLING A LARGE FISH.
b. If so, can you offer her an alternative connection ? Alternate
, use a needle vise and super glue, but this is also arguable.
NO. THAT WON'T WORK WITH THESE LINES. BETTER ALTERNATIVES INCLUDE THE USE OF 1.)THE ALBRIGHT SPECIAL KNOT, 2.) THE, "LEFTY KREH" WHIPPED LOOP AND 3.) THE SO-CALLED, "RON HYDE LOOP" CONNECTION MADE BY FORMING A LOOP IN THE END OF THE FLY LINE USING TWO NAIL KNOTS OF 8# TO 12# MONO TIPPET MATERIAL ABOUT 1/4" APART. THESE LOOPS ARE JOINED TO THE BUTT SECTION OF THE LEADER BY STANDARD, "LOOP-TO-LOOP" CONNECTIONS PULLED DOWN IN, "HANDSHAKE" FASHION RATHER THAN BY A, "LARK'S HEAD" METHOD.
8.) Can you name two different plastics used for fly line coatings ?
PVC & Proprietary polymers used in AST and Superslick surfaces
CORRECT RE PVC (POLYVINYL CHLORIDE). THE, "AST" AND OTHER, "SUPERSLICK" SURFACES ARE TREATMENTS TO THE PVC, ITSELF. THIS DESCRIBES MOST FLY LINE COATINGS TO THE UNDERLYING CORE AVAILABLE, TODAY. ONE OTHER MATERIAL FOR THE COATING IS POLYURETHANE. (CHECK OUT INFO. ON AIRFLO LINES. ALSO, "MODERN FLY LINES" BY BRUCE RICHARDS, P. 25.)
MY QUESTION SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE CLEAR ON THE USE OF THE WORD, "COATINGS" SINCE I LEFT SOME AMBIGUITY BY NOT DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN BASIC AND ADDITIVE MATERIALS. MY ERROR, NOT YOURS !
9.) Your student wants to know of a connection to be used between the
leader and the fly line which will yield the least bulk and minimum
disturbance on the water for a super delicate presentation. What do you
teach him ? 1) Needle knot and super glue, 2) Braided loop
AGREE WITH #1. SOME BRAIDED LOOPS ARE BULKY AND REQUIRE, IN ANY EVENT, A LOOP-TO-LOOP CONNECTION WHICH CANNOT BE AS SMALL AND LIGHT A CONNECTION AS THE NEEDLE CONNECTION. (ONE DISADVANTAGE WITH THE BRAIDED LOOPS IS THAT BARRACUDA WILL OCCASIONALLY STRIKE THEM AND CUT OF THE ENTIRE LEADER WITH IT! HAVING HAD THIS HAPPEN, I MADE A FLY BY ATTACHING A BRIGHT YELLOW ONE TO A HOOK. CUDAS LOVED IT ! )
10) What choices of connection might you consider between your fly line
and the butt section of your leader to fish for large tarpon with a 12
wt. outfit and a 20 lb. class tippet ? Loop to loop . I use a long
braided loop for sails and tarpon made of 80 - 100 lb cortland dacron
GOOD CHOICE. MY OWN PREFERENCE IS THE, "RON HYDE" LOOP. THE LEFTY KREH WHIPPED LOOP WORKS GREAT, TOO AND GOES THROUGH THE GUIDES MORE SMOOTHLY. (THAT IS A REAL CONSIDERATION WHEN TOURNAMENT FLY FISHING FOR THESE CRITTERS WITH THE "CATCH" DETERMINED BY GETTING YOUR LEADER INTO THE GUIDES.)
David Lambert