While preparing a big trip, I thought it would be good to post some stuff I will be using... first off, the shock gum.
Big trout plus small nymph fly = snap! This gum level line is pretty like a hardened rubber band, a bit stretching. So when the big fish charge, it will absorb the shock that preventing the leader to snap. I learned this gum leader from Craig Mathews'book. He fish a lot of small flies in the yellowstone region which also known for it's hefty size trout. Sometime the rod and tippet just can not absorb that much pressures. So what he did is install the shock gum (8-10 inches long) in the butt section (between fly line and leader).
I have found it is very fun to fish this way too, because you will feel the elastic/stretching feel from the gum when fish is pulling, pretty "chewy". add the sweetness to the stiffer graphite rod. Of course, if you fish fiberglass rod, you don't need this gum... due to it's softer action. But when I practice my high stick nymphing technique... I prefer use graphite rod and I usually use pretty small tipper (6x-7x) with this technique... then the gum will come in handy! I use loop to loop connections, loop was made from mono nail knot sealed with UV knot sense.
2 comments:
Mark,
Very cool! I read quite a bit about the use of shock gum, but never tried it. I can see how it could be beneficial for large fish... unfortunately average trout size around here doesn't require it.
Agree! Vlad,
No need for average size trout for most of the creeks I fish, especially we use fiberglass rods in most of the situations...
What I like about the shock gum is when high sticking with small nymphs in the west... the long stiff graphite give me more sensitivity about the subtle take under surface, the fine tippet sink faster, and trout are larger in those bigger western rivers (if I got some lucks) : )
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