Photos of your favourite gear

[nicholasfmoore]

Hi all,

Thought it would be a fun thing to do in these Covid-19 times. Here is mine!

Vosseler DC2 7/8 orange
MED #6
Sexyloops HT instructor 9' #6
Abel nippers

What are yours?

All the best!

[Graeme H]

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Sounds like fun. Here are mine:

My first 8' single piece 'glass 10wt rod. This was my first attempt at designing a blank and having it rolled. It quickly became my favourite rod and still is. It's equally at home with an 8wt line or an 11wt line, but I usually use it as a 10 from the boat or kayak. If the fish are playing coy, I'll put an 8wt line on it and a smaller fly.

The Mako 9500 reel is an awesome piece of kit. They have a very well deserved reputation.

The DynaKing Barracuda Delux: Well, it's my vice. Gotta love it just because it allows me to invent stuff and get the exact flies I want to use.

The little yellow thing is a Daiwa Sokkou knot tying tool. As my arms get shorter, I need this thing more and more. Or maybe my eyes are getting worse - hard to say. I use it to tie my favourite knot - the Eugene Bend (AKA "quick Penny" knot) - without needing to put on my glasses. It's also useful for tying nail knots if required but I tend to use the tool on my nippers for that these days

Cheers,
Graeme

[nicholasfmoore]

Hi Graeme,

Very nice gear indeed! The fiber glass rod you designed sounds very interesting, i'd love to have a cast with it, i really like trying new rods The reel and vice look epic, is your vice a pedestal base or a table clamp model?

Very interesting that you have a maniform grip, if you don't mind me asking, do you have RSI or something similar? I have never cast a rod with this grip, but i have always wanted to.

I was just going to ask what that yellow thing was! Nail knot is funny, whenever i tie a needle knot i ALWAYS have to do it twice, the first one is so awful before tightening down. The second attempt always see's it being perfect which is weird, i think it's mental I use the little C&F tool with the needle and tube for this

The little yellow thing is a Daiwa Sokkou knot tying tool. As my arms get shorter, I need this thing more and more. Or maybe my eyes are getting worse - hard to say.

All the best!

[Graeme H]

G'day Nick,

The vice is a clamped one, but I also have a pedestal base for it if I'm mobile.

Most commercial rod grips give me carpal tunnel syndrome if I use them for an extended period. Before I started building my own rods, I was adding ergonomic inserts under tennis racket grip to prevent the problem. I've used Maniform grips on all the rods I've built for myself. No problems at all with injury since.

Cheers,
Graeme

[nicholasfmoore]

Sounds good, Graeme, sorry to hear about that. I am pleased that the grip has prevented injury! That's always good news

All the best

[Paul Arden]

I’m currently separated from my rods! But here is a fly box that got some attention this week. A few experiments in there and colour too!

[nicholasfmoore]

Very cool poppers, Paul!! I really like them all, my favourite one is probably the black, purple and (grizzle hackle?) One how many rods do you have?

All the best!

[Paul Arden]

The black one is an experiment. Maybe for night or dark days, or who knows? I did colour experiments 3-4 years ago. It’s time to do them again!

How many rods do I have?

Cheers, Paul

[Paul Arden]

Rods on the lake HT4, HT6, HT7, HT8, HT10, Instructor6, and a prototype 7’6 #10. At home prototypes HT5, a RAMPAGE (T27/38) and a bunch of parts. Have the 7634 no1 coming to me for testing. I also have some stock here. I think only a new HT4 left for sale here in Malaysia.

We have an HT12 which is in testing - it’s been around the world a few times now. It’s now on its way to Florida. Starting work on the HT9, will have another go at the HT5 this summer. I don’t know how much call there is for an 11WT. And then I want to start work on the 9’6 series and a French Nymphing rod. Shorter rods are easier than longer ones. It’s relatively easy to make excellent 8’ rods. Very hard to do this with 9’6”-10’. But I would like to develop some rods for the reservoirs. After all, that’s where I started!

There are always multiple rods in development. This is because a) they take so long and b) they are only released when absolutely ready. Also I think if you expand your range too quickly it’s difficult to maintain stock levels. The current rate of adding about 2 rods/year seems about right. Hopefully I’ll have a couple more finished before the year is out.

There are some on the roof in this photo...

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Cheers, Paul

[Paul Arden]

Christ I hope the boat is not that way up!