Looking for some new gear to use for the 2018 year. Vedavoo is offering 20% off their products until April 17th. That's a helluva deal for some high quality American made products. While you're on their website filling up your shopping cart, don't forget to read up and donate to the Reel Service Project to donate to an extremely worthy cause...oh and your donation gets you a raffle ticket to win a one of a kind custom messenger bag.
Winter has definitely arrived, and fast. The weather I've been experiencing up here in Minnesota is usually what I expect toward the end of December and January. My vise is out and fly tying is in full swing here at CARF Headquarters.
With winters arrival comes ice, and up here in Minnesota a whole new season of fishing begins. Hard Ice season aka Ice Fishing but my homie Jay "Lord Boogie" Johnson calls it "Man Fishing." I have a sonar, but nothing else. I'm in the market for a rod, auger, jigs, and some homies that want to get out and hit the hard water here in Minnesota. A whole new world of gear for me. I'm kind of a sucker for gear, too. I've been eyeballing the 13 Fishing Descent and Free Fall Ghost Reels. I've never used them. They visually make me happy, and I know that's not a good way to shop for gear. Suggestions for rods, reels, and line welcome!!
A few months ago I was in need of a way to change the line on my 9/10 reel. I could have bought an already made product, but I just couldn't bring myself to purchase something for this task that I knew I could probably put together myself.
To Home Depot I went!
With a spool of line, to make sure the hardware I choose fits the spool, I built my line changer in the store, and walked up to the register with it...and roughly $5.50 later, I walked out.
Other than the nuts, washers, and bolt, I used 2 metal pieces that I found in the building materials and roofing area. Completely forgot the name or designed use for them, but I can tell you that they worked perfectly for this application. I was even able to bend the top one easily with my two hands, so, that I can rest that part on the rod.
A few extra nuts, just in case I lose some. They were cheap, so, why not!
I have a double bimini twist knot in my backing, so, it allows me to change my line with a loop to loop connection (the end of the fly line must have a loop knot of sorts, too.) and this eliminates my need for spare spools for my reel. When removing line from reel, I simply use my fingers on the spool to turn it. Takes a few minutes longer than an actual line changer, but it gets the job done.
Here are some videos I used on Youtube for the knots.
