trex Posted February 26, 2008 Posted February 26, 2008 With the curtains drawn and only in the company of consenting adults. Actually on another thread a guy said he "blew" his rod by holding it above the cork. A bunch of people posted comments about not doing this when fighting and landing a fish. Well I tend to do it from time to time. Especially when I am hooked on to a stubborn-bulldogging brown. How bad a habit is it? Does it always overstress the rod? Thanks. Quote
Guest bigbadbrent Posted February 26, 2008 Posted February 26, 2008 Chances are the rod you're using it on was not made for it.. Side pressure will beat a fish, before using your other hand as extra leverage..and side pressure will not blow up your rod, before the extra hand will. There is a certain youtube 'series' that keeps showing guys fishing cutties and such with 2 hands on a single hand rod, encouraging something that will not help you in the end and will 'blow your rod' far more often then any other way Side pressure will always land a fish faster and safer for the rod, then any other way Quote
maxwell Posted February 26, 2008 Posted February 26, 2008 what brent said...your hands are suppose too be on your cork...applying pressure (holding teh blank) stresses the blank in a funny spot when your hand is up above the cork...ive seen a few rods break and saw alot of video and heard of more than a few stories about the same thing.......try choaking up on the cork and burry teh but in your forarm...fighting buts are key for a little extra leverage....... Quote
Guest bigbadbrent Posted February 26, 2008 Posted February 26, 2008 http://www.flyanglersonline.com/alcampbell/ac050602.php 'creepy crawler hands' Quote
ogilvie Posted February 27, 2008 Posted February 27, 2008 Chances are the rod you're using it on was not made for it.. Side pressure will beat a fish, before using your other hand as extra leverage..and side pressure will not blow up your rod, before the extra hand will. There is a certain youtube 'series' that keeps showing guys fishing cutties and such with 2 hands on a single hand rod, encouraging something that will not help you in the end and will 'blow your rod' far more often then any other way Side pressure will always land a fish faster and safer for the rod, then any other way What the old Brits used to do is have a fighting butt hanging off their waist or inside their waders just for playing fish. The butt end of the rod has a slot in which to slide your fighting butt! Thus , a Switch rod...it seems very natural to fight a fish with two hands!! Quote
trailhead Posted February 27, 2008 Posted February 27, 2008 Yes I have also seen some of the hosts and guests on The New Flyfisher put one hand about a quarter of the way up the rod while fighting a fish. I was always taught that the handle was where you kept your hands. Quote
lonefisher Posted February 27, 2008 Posted February 27, 2008 I have never seen a rod broken doing this but the physics do make sense. I have done it on occasion with smaller fish but I have always been somewhat consious of this possibilty with bigger fish so when handing them I usually won't even try it. Quote
ÜberFly Posted February 27, 2008 Posted February 27, 2008 Trust me, you don't want to do it! Keep your hand on the cork!! Peter Quote
ogilvie Posted February 27, 2008 Posted February 27, 2008 Are there young "Brits"? I've never met any!! Quote
ogilvie Posted February 27, 2008 Posted February 27, 2008 Unfortunately,we or perhaps I should say I at tumes ry to create a ratio between playing the fish and the amount of strain we can apply witht eh rod. I have broken several rods doing this and had a client do ths to a 10 weight Spey Rod. Of course the fish was over 30 lbs and on a Gravel bar. Many of the larger fish will spend little energy until the can give it a last shot...and we can't respond fast enough.. Single handed rods are nowadays computer tested for their flat spots,weak points and power points...The older fibreglass rods could almost be made to bend in half! New Graphite fly rods are much lighter and I say better designed for the efficient caster and not necesarily for the average fly fisher. With this in mind,thinner walled faster action fly rods are less able to accept off-torqueing! Blue Water rods used for large game fish have typically a high grip of Cork that is designed in. C Quote
Brownstone Posted February 28, 2008 Posted February 28, 2008 I find my hands up there sometimes, it's a bad habit for sure. I think it all depends on why you have your hand up there, are you quickly hauling in a little guy so he doesn't stir up the run? or are you trying to put the brakes on Mr 25? .. bad habit don't do it .. but in the right situation it can be useful Quote
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