Home Made Fly Lines

[Wildfisher]

Silk? Cheeky bugger I was a weekend hippie. It was cheesecloth or nothing.  :lol:

[Midgie Hater]

Hemp surely?

We also forgot the pipe-cleaners Fred (This has no connection with the above comment btw  :lol:). No such project was complete without having a father who was partial to a bit of Blue Nun.  :roll:

:lol: Alan

[Wildfisher]

You wouldn't want cheese made with yon shirts.  :lol:

[Wildfisher]

Actually my first fly fishing set up comprised a 7 foot flexible solid glass spinning  / bait rod, an old reel I got from someone and a fly line made from a ball of jute string I got from my Granda

I actually caught fish with that.  :lol:

I quickly  graduated to a "Golden River"  green level line I bought for £1 from Tam Clark's bike and tackle shop in Arbroath. Apply grease it's a floater, don't it's a sinker. I used that for years. 

[Wildfisher]

your grandad would never have believed it.

It's no accident his name was Fred too.  The scary thing is when I look in the mirror these days he is staring  back at me.  :lol:

[Stonepark]

Don't know if i can persuade the mrs to make room for a 30yd jig

[haresear]

Oddly enough I took delivery of a "home made" silk line the other day.

I've yet to put it on a reel, but it got a good press from Alan and Malcolm when they reviewed it elsewhere. It's a Cadno DT4f.

I do hope the line is better than the poor service and lack of communication I experienced.


Alex

[Wildfisher]

I had a silk line years ago Alex. I  quickly tired of the hassle of keeping if in  good nick. Gone were the days of sticking the reel in the bag at the day's end and forgetting about it until the next day out. Mine eventually  rotted.   :lol:

[haresear]

I had a silk line years ago Alex. I  quickly tired of the hassle of keeping if in  good nick. Gone were the days of sticking the reel in the bag at the day's end and forgetting about it until the next day out. Mine eventually  rotted.   :lol:

Aye, that is a likely end for mine, given the way I just chuck things in the car boot and leave them there.

As for Cadno fly lines, the guy concerned is apparently the only UK manufacturer of silk lines.

Alex

[mhackney]

Hello gents, I'm Michael Hackney and found this forum from all of the members hitting my web site from this post! I am the co-author and publisher of the new book Fly Lines - how to make them with John Betts. I don't know if you've come across mister Betts in your angling travels but he is truly a fly fishing luminary. He was a pioneer on synthetic materials for fly tying in the 1970s. This book is primarily his work and I've added some additional information.

I want to set the record straight - this is not a furling or braiding technique, it is completely unique and one that John invented. It uses common materials - Dacron braid, monofilament fishing line - and simple tools - a doll maker's needle, paper tape, a measuring tape, scissors and a few other household items. The lines are amazing, they float all day, they have the look and feel of fine silk but are completely synthetic, work well in sub freezing temperatures AND the best part, you can tailor the properties of the line very precisely to match your rod and fishing style. There is nothing else like it. I've been fishing them exclusively in 1 to 7 weights on bamboo, fiberglass and graphite rods for several years. They take a few hours to complete your first line but once you learn the techniques that can be reduced. They cost about $20 US to make and less if you make or intend to make several.

We realize that not everyone can or wants to make their own kit, that's fine. But for those of you who do or are interested please check it out.

Best regards,
Michael