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3. More questions, Page 2

Yarn rods are a GREAT tool and great fun. When I taught FF I had my apprentices take a yarn rod home to practice and play. I made them, at first from a goldenrod (Solidago) switch, and then from tip sections salvaged from broken fly rods that Cortland Line Co let me have. I'd lop off the handle right at the cork, wrap the butt of the tip section with masked tape and shove it into the handle. The yarn, about twice the rod length, was knotted to the tip-top. Worked Very well. (I also built rods from all the broken pieces given to me by Cortland, to outfit low income youngsters. Cortland Line was very supportive and they've won me over to this day.)

The important part is the "line" -get heavy yarn, with some mass. Such thick yarn is often called "pony tail yarn". Glo-Bug yarn would be great if you could get a piece long enough. Before I could find fat yarn I used regular acrylic yarns and dampened them with a little water to add mass. Don't soak them, Carl, or you'll end up way over-lined -again :). To adjust (add) line speed I found I could tie knots in the yarn every 6-8 inches or so,

I don't know the commercial brands out now. Back then, the only one available was offered by Joan Wulff. Turns out Lee invented it. What didn't that guy introduce??

You can do just about anything with a yarn rod -all your favorite casts and ones you would like to try. What is cool about yarn is that it slows everything down so you can see and adjust easily. It can help "groove your swing". When you get back out with your real rod you'll see what it's tougher to learn with, bc of the higher speed, less "air time", and overall visibility of the line in the air.

Then ... play! Can you cast under that chair? How for under can you get? Can you get it under the chair, and leave just the right amount of slack? Can lay down aerial mends accurately? Can you reach right, as well as left? Etc ...

Carl...We will never get those late 60's early 70's back...Some of that stuff may have been, not the smartest thing, but it gave me self confidence and taught me a lot.

I've told the story here before, but when I was 13, I stayed up north with an uncle and aunt and worked with my uncle. He and I got an old station wagon out of a junk yard and trimmed it out so he could drive it in the demo-derby at the Cadillac Fair...He told me to drive it from my grandma's farm the 17 miles of back road to the fair grounds.

3-on-the-tree...He said for me to slow down when I went near McBain, and if anyone pulled me over, "You don't know who I am!" :) There was a vehicle, kicking up dust, no plate, a few windows missing, being driven by a grinning ear-to-ear 13 year old sans drivers license! Yahoo!!!

Then there was the time that John Law did catch up to me driving my stepfathers souped up VW Beetle...That's another story for another time. :)

I have one of those Wulff models. It's fun! And I can land a 10lb cat pretty quickly. That rod has some backbone. ;)

I was going to comment on the living room cat fishing too. :) But I was afriad of where that might lead Carl's thread off to....

Which reminds me of another digression: dog fishing! Yes, once upon a time I did some dog fishing. I tied a rag to a saltwater-sized spin-cast rig and cast onto the lawn and reeled like mad. We had a corgi that fought like a bullhead, and a borzoi (curly greyhound) that fought like a sailfish! I never could "land" the borzoi.

Which reminds me of another digression: Hawk fishing with medium spin-cast rig and a weighted fur "mouse". We had a pair of redtails nesting in a nearby woodlot. I hid in a sumac bush wearing camo, cast out into the mowed meadow, and waited. Eventually the male flew over and I started reeling. The bird turned and started to drop, then, it saw me. After that, there was no hiding me. Same is true with some ducks and deer I've known. Once they know you, they know you.

Which reminds of another digression: Fishing for spotted owls in the Blue Mountains of Oregon. And we caught some too! But I'll spare Carl's thread further digression.

Now, where were we??

Paul,

Those are wonderful stories, especially the two about trying to catch the hawk and owl...Taking it to its fun extreme. :)

Last year I participated in an organized bird count. We were sitting at lunch adding up out lists and one of the group leaders told the following story:

He said that he was on a bird count the year before and someone pulled out an owl recording and started playing it...Two curious little Screech Owls showed up. All of a sudden a larger owl flew in and nabbed one of the little ones for lunch...Can you imagine how that guy felt back in the nature center with all those bird lovers and had to include this on his report...Ouch! :)

I have a couple Cooper's here that keep my feeder birds wild and alert. After I spotted one of them munching on one of my finches I asked the Audubon group what I should do...Their response was, "Everyone's got to eat, Spence!" Ok...

I'm still laughing at your story Paul!

Spence

Spence, they're true.

I'm sorry Carl, I think I hijacked your other thread too. I'll try and restrain myself in the future.

Not a problem,I dont see these things as "hijack",its conversation,digression is not a bad thing.

PaulRoberts wrote:
Oldredbarn wrote:

The ultimate double hijack!!
Try and beat that one, Paul

Tony,

Like I've said before, these things seem to get hijacked just about the time they have run their course...But I shouldn't be the arbiter of when that occurs...Sorry!

Paul and I just about boxed this one's ears. :)

Spence

Tony, Lee Wulff invented Clarence Roberts! Bet you didn't know that one did you, Spence.

Just for the record: Carl was the one who went OT on his own thread, when he got knocked off his bike.

I was looking into those practice rods and I read about the Wulff model that "casting 6ft of the yarn line" with the practice rod is the same as casting 30ft of real fly line.Sounds far fetched to me,can anybody comment on that?Do these little practice rods really feel like a real rod to such an extent.Do they really load up like a real rig,with such a short piece of yarn?

Stokes...Casting is a physics question and the mechanics are what matters...These things mimic the mechanics...Besides. What else are you doing since you screwed up your other arm...Quit whining and get busy! :)

When I was a little guy in the 60's I used to fall asleep listening to a radio station here called "Super Soul Radio, WCHB"...There was a DJ I liked named Butterball Junior and he used to say, "I'm going to put some cut in your strut, and some pride in your stride!" Just keep that in mind as you perfect that cast! :)

He also said, "Remember. It's not the sea that gets you sick. Its just the motion of the ocean." Whatever that meant?!

Spence

As Spence said the mechanics are the same, only slowed down and more visible. My yarn rods used about 5 or 6ft of line too. Don't worry how far, think mechanics and control. If you are reading about casting, your yarn rod will come in handy.

Can't talk about the Wulff model. There are other ones out there too.

Not thinking about how far,Paul,just the opposite,how close.I want to be able to sit on my couch and use it.I'm going for surgery on my hand monday,telling me 6-10 wks recoup.Some time next week I get the mri on my shoulder and then they will deal with that.So its gonna be a long time on my ass.Dont want something I need to throw 20ft of line to be effective.I had read that the Wulff model,which you cant get right now,"takes the same stroke,energy or power of a 30 ft cast to throw 6ft of yarn" so I was wondering about the validity of that comparison.
Spence,I got plenty to keep me busy,I do guitar and amp repairs and got a half dozen guys that need repairs I been promising all summer that I would get to in the fall.Most of them I been doing work for more than ten yrs,so they are cool with waiting but the 2 new guys I gotta get to,one armed or not.