Power Gum

[Wildfisher]

Anyone tried incorporating this into their leader set up.

Might be useful as a shock absorber when pulling flies on copolymer / double strength or just fishing very fine tippets.

[haresear]

I've never tried it. Would it not mean you might just prick some of those fish that you may otherwise have hooked?
Swings and roundabouts spring to mind.

Alex

[Wildfisher]

Would it not mean you might just prick some of those fish that you may otherwise have hooked?

Dunno, that's why I'm asking.    

When using basic  rough and ready tactics like pulling  flies I can't see that being a problem, especially if the rod is held low with  next to no catenary curve to take up, but as I say I dunnno........

I was watching an old Oliie Edwards vid last night and he was using it with very fine tippets. Fine  tippets usually mean small hooks, barbless in our case, so I would think they would set  quite easily anyway with the forces   applied having to  be  below the breaking strain  of the fine tippet even without gum.

[Clan Ford]

I use Powergum on occasions.  I used to use it all the time when fishing the WoL (during the 80's) with very light tippets and before the invention of double stregth nylons and copolymors.  I think it works a treat at protecting light tippets, especially on the strike :roll:

I went back to using it again this season on my dry fly set up and I've not experianced any problems.  I always carry a length (with superglued braided loops on either end) that I can slot into the leader if I feel the need.  I find it especially useful if I'm fishing with a heavier weight outfit (say after a night of Sea Trouting) and want to scale down the tippet.

Norm

[Wildfisher]

I always carry a length (with superglued braided loops on either end) that I can slot into the leader if I feel the need.

This is similar to Ollie Edwards' set up - no knots.

That opens up another can of worms really. He is probably a better,  more experienced and more successful fly fisher than most will ever be yet he  uses Moser miniconns and loop to loop connections on his leader set up. Quite short leaders too compared to most of us. None of this seems to mess up his presentation or reduce the numbers  fish of  he catches - however, he is  a very proficient caster with superb line control skills (I was told  that by someone who has fished with him). Perhaps it's time for more experiments.  

[River Chatter]

I've never found a need for power gum. Modern leader material's pretty good these days, so even a fine one for small flies is strong enough for most of my needs. Also, if I'm fishing really small, chances are I'm on a slow moving pool on a burn with a slowish actioned rod in my hand. Been years since I was broken off on the take.

[Wildfisher]

Thanks for the replies. The only enthusiast (so far) seems to be Norm, who, interestingly, appears to be the only  one (so far), from  those who have replied, who has actually used it.  

I'll order a spool and do some experiments myself I think.

[River Chatter]

Fair call that... impossible to venture an opinion if you've not tried it! Soft toilet tissue you say Buzz... hmmmmm  :think2

[Andrew Moray]

Hello Fred,

I bought some on impulse after reading a John Goddard article about fishing #26 smuts and aphids.
Haven't yet experimented enough to comment on it's usefulness, but the logic in the article seems sound enough.

Guy I know bought the Moser shock gum loops, a setup just like Norm mentions, I blagged one :-)
He used his because he didn't understand the difference between "lift into" and "strike" and the value of a soft touch.
I can't complain, it got me a #3 TXL for a VERY stupid price ...

Can get a dod of the optima stuff to you next week if you want to trial it ?.


Tony

[Clan Ford]

I tried the moser shock gum loops but they are too short and the "gum" is too stiff.  I think the secret is to use quite a light weight gum and at least 12".  can't say I've noticed any prolems with casting it but then I tend not to fish with a 24' clyde style leader :shock:

Norm