Fly Fishing & Fly Tying

Any info on a WJ Longman cane rod?

2011-10-29T13:52:42Z

DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY INFO ON A CANE ROD BY WJ LONGMAN, ON THE LABEL, ON THE ROD, IT SAYS, WJ LONGMAN, IRONMONGER, 256 BARRACK RD, CHRISTCHURCH,AND THE TELEPHONE NUMBER 518. HAS ANYONE EVER HEARD OF THIS MAKER, I HAVN’T BEEN ABLE TO FIND ANYTHING OUT ABOUT IT.

Top tackle brands

2010-05-17T14:04:16Z

We’d like to know more about the tackle Fly Fishing & Fly Tying reader’s use.

Which rods, reels or fly-lines do you own?
Would you recommend them or not and why?

Skagit running lines

2011-09-20T12:26:47Z

Hi
I’m thinking about returning to double handed rods and spey style casting after a long break. The line trends seems to have really changed while I’ve been splashing the oceans with short single handers, gone are the big long tapered spey lines and it’s all shooting heads and skagit heads (which I think I have got a handle on)
the only thing I’m not sure about is the ideal running line, ideally for use with a selection of heads to save carrying loads of spools. What are the favourites?

loop bust?

2011-09-20T12:14:44Z

I just read on an australian site that loop have gone bust, does anyone know if this is true? I hope not, I’d be sorry to see them go

light weight loch rods

2011-08-08T20:15:41Z

i no longer have wrists or shoulders to manage 11’ rods in 6 or 7 weight varieties. However, I’m still a fan of a 4 fly leader and firmly believe in the benefits of working the bob fly on the retrieve. i can’t afford the hardy 11’ 5wt Drifter, but am wondering if anybody can point me towards any longer 5 wt rods for brown trout nirvana.

many thanks

Silence from Hardys

2011-07-14T09:04:55Z

What is your experience about getting a response from Hardys ? I have e-mailed them twice now about there being no stops for the sections of a brand new �550 rod and apart from automated responses to say that my mails had been received, not another peep after 2 weeks. Checking with friends I find that the same thing has happened three out of three times. All say that they had no reply to very minor queries, and in the end had to make several phone calls to Hardys to get any response at all. Hardly the best after-sales service one could hope for !!

UPDATE - after another two weeks I have e-mailed Hardys twice more asking for a reply - but still nothing.

C Farlow Fly vice

2011-07-09T16:18:52Z

I brought a Hallows vice, from a car boot sale for �5

I have tryed to trace the manufacture and the year it was made, with no success.

Even with C. Farlows printed on vice, they said they did not make it.

Anyone else come across a vice like this.

Thanks for looking.

Review of Greys new xg2 streamflex range?

2011-05-04T09:16:28Z

Has anyone seen or done a review of the new streanflex range? I’m buying the 8’ 4# and have been told they have a nice soft tip, but are still med/tip.

How many people enter the fly tying league?

2011-04-07T20:30:12Z

Hi, just wondered how many people enter the fly tying league?

Poor modern reels

2010-11-01T14:29:54Z

Definitely opening a can of worms here but….

I’ve been hunting a long time for a decent trout reel.
Can’t find one. Ok I found two but they were damned expensive.
Here’s the rub, literally.

In under a minute, I passed a finger along every one of the reels displayed in the Glasgow angling centre. (other angling shops have been tried)
Almost every reel, bar one had a razor, sharp or right angled edge to the rim.
Now, I reckon a reel has a primary function. To hold line and hold it lovingly.

An angling friend had always complained of cracked lines but I’ve never had a problem. I always maintained it was his crappy reels. Mine had a lovely little cage on the rim with rounded chrome guides. Had it since I was a lad and it must have been cheap.
He says otherwise, blaming it on trampling lines.
However I Mexican hat dance on my lines frequently so I don’t agree.
I was forced recently to buy a new reel and finally bit the bullet on an open cage reel from a famous name. I wasn’t happy with the rim edge, but it was the best of an affordable lot.

Result - four new lines purchased within the season - all badly cracked.
Now I know this is a result of stripping line across the edge of the rim.
It was suggested I should stop doing this and change my technique.
Eh… naw!

So other than a Hardy Bougle (Agate ring)and a Vosseler I found which was OK…
Can anyone explain why alleged pinnacles of reel engineering, have such a crappy build to the rim….. to sell more lines eh?
Can anyone recommend a reel with a rounded cage or lovely rolled edge to the rim - I’ve never found one.

Cheers