Fly Fishing Accessories
I’m
absolutely amazed at how many Fly Fishermen don’t carry a stomach
pump. It’s definitely the most important tool in my vest.
I also carry a net and it’s great
for determining what flies are on the water, but if you want
to find out precisely what the fish are eating, the stomach
pump is indispensable.
It’s like turning on a light bulb---catch
just one fish, tap his tummy and you know immediately what’s
on the menu. Of course, catching that one fish can sometimes
be difficult. In that situation, I normally slap on a Georgie
Boy or an All-Black Streamer and solve the problem. Actually,
this tool is totally mis-named. It should be called a Throat
Pump as you really don’t dig down into the stomach.
I’m
also amazed at how many Fly Fishermen still use split shot.
They can be difficult to attach, yet will fly off your leader
during the cast, especially if you throw a tight loop.
You can crimp them down with your
teeth or pliers but then you destroy the monofilament and create
a weak link in your system.
About twenty years ago, I’d “had
it” with split shot, so I developed Lead Sleeves which are tiny
diameter tubes that slide onto your leader. We make them about
three sixteenths of an inch long which is good for most situations,
however, if you need to go deeper, use more sleeves. You can
cut them down with a razor blade for lighter applications. They’re
re-usable and can also be crimped in place.
