HT

[barrysthlm]

Hi all,

I went to my first casting meet yesterday in northern Sweden, it was my first time indoors.

I’ve been rebuilding my cast since my shoulder starting feeling off, had some tips from Paul on various things, and was pleased with my progress. My carry is getting longer, faster, and higher.

I started casting indoors and felt a bit frustrated at the distances I was getting. I felt some weird friction but figured it was because the line was dry being indoors.

One of the instructors had a HT #6 and I asked to try it - the difference was 20 feet!! I then spoke to an experienced rod builder who saw that my guides were completely destroyed, and this might explain why I’ve got such short distances compared to carry.

Anyway - long story short - I’m going to need a HT. I was massively impressed that it launched like a bullet but still flexed enough to roll cast.

[Paul Arden]

Hi Barry,

Double edged sword. Line cracks and destroys the rings. Worn rings destroy the line. The tip is usually the first to go. Most phone cameras are good enough to inspect the rings now. In the past they could be checked by pulling tissue paper through them. Wire rings are always a problem if fishing/casting over mud or sand. Tip rings are easy to change. The rest are a complete rebuild.

A 20’ gain is excellent!!

I use this stuff to lubricate my lines.

EE79A605-7DDA-46B4-8004-A17836C3B063.jpeg (73.57 KiB) Viewed 1316 times

17 Euros.

Cheers, Paul

[George C]

Buying (building) a HT6 was the single best decision I ever made in regards to fly fishing.
The rod is so fun to cast it makes one want to practice......and the resultant payoff while fishing is huge.
It brings a smile to my face every time I pick it up.

[barrysthlm]

Yeah, I’ve been wading in the Baltic for the first time in the last few weeks so there’s loads of sand and grit gathering on the line.

What do the Danish seat trout guys on the board use? Is there a specific type of ring I should replace the old ones with?

[Paul Arden]

Most use Snakes especially if they are using Shooting Heads. H&H Snakes are often considered the best. Single leg rings appear to trap the shooting head to shooting line connection during casting. On heavier rods I would think that ceramic/Torzite rings to be an advantage. For us we offer this as an option on #7 and above (it’s an option on all rods but we don’t recommend it on #6 and below).

3-4 decades ago most UK stillwater rods were fitted with ceramics and Snakes were uncommon. For me they really only started to appear when US rods made headway into the UK market. The ceramic inserts occasionally fall out of the frame but I can’t ever remember seeing one worn. However wire Snakes I’ve worn out many times, especially the tip ring. A stripping basket is obviously going to help prevent dirt and grit attaching itself to the line.

Cheers, Paul

[Paul Arden]

Steve Parton on the subject

https://www.sexyloops.com/sparton/rodrings.shtml

[Lasse Karlsson]

Yeah, I’ve been wading in the Baltic for the first time in the last few weeks so there’s loads of sand and grit gathering on the line.

What do the Danish seat trout guys on the board use? Is there a specific type of ring I should replace the old ones with?

Fishing the baltic coasts the last 30 years, haven't worn a snake ring down during fishing

Casting on grass and mud, thats another story, and can wear snakes down in an evening.

And whippings drunk flyfishers, darkness and the lure of a lumi line... notice that the line must have been wrapped around the blank

Agree with Paul's points

Cheers
Lasse

[Bendix]

Hi

I agree that a stripping basket of some sort, is a really, really good idea for coastal fly fishing on the Baltic coast!

I have been really happy with the basket made by Orvis for many years, but have to admit, that for the last 2-3 years, I have been using the Ahrex Flexi Stripper almost exclusively…

/Bendix

[Paul Arden]

Agree with Paul's points

I’ve just had to pick myself up off the floor

[Lasse Karlsson]

That's what happens when you start to make sense