"Joe" wrote in
oups.com:

.........you know, of course Joe, that these rods are fondly known as
"kpos's" (korean pieces of ****) so named by our own inestimable Ken
Fortenberry) But screw him, I have every Stowaway and Three Forks rods
that Cabelas sells (except one) and they are all well worth the money. I
can tell you that the 5 and 6 wts have hauled aboard my boat some mighty
impressive smallmouth bass. No worries that the multi-piece rods will be
"stiffer" than 2 pc rods of the same action, I can't tell the difference.
They are all medium action rods and especially suited for a beginner to
fly casting. You have made a wise purchase my friend.

Frank Church
....who loves ya Forty? :-)


Thats exactly the rod I bought, a Cabelas Stowaway 4 wt 7.5' and it
arrived today. I'm no expert on flyfishing but I know cheap crappy
merchandise when I see it. I'm very happy to say I did not see
anything of the sort when I opened my package. The rod is beautiful
and seems very well-made, and the reel seems well made and is very
functional (in my living room anyway). But on top of that it came with
a cordura wrap with slots for each section, and two very nice cases, a
tube and a pack case with handle, and a seperate paded reel case.
Nothing about this package appears cheap. I am quite impressed and if
it works half as well as it appears to be made, I will be very happy.
Tomorrow I head to the fly shop for flies.

Thats exactly the rod I bought, a Cabelas Stowaway 4 wt 7.5' and it
arrived today. I'm no expert on flyfishing but I know cheap crappy
merchandise when I see it. I'm very happy to say I did not see
anything of the sort when I opened my package. The rod is beautiful
and seems very well-made, and the reel seems well made and is very
functional (in my living room anyway). But on top of that it came with
a cordura wrap with slots for each section, and two very nice cases, a
tube and a pack case with handle, and a seperate paded reel case.
Nothing about this package appears cheap. I am quite impressed and if
it works half as well as it appears to be made, I will be very happy.
Tomorrow I head to the fly shop for flies.

Well I set about loading my reel last night. I think I did everything a
first-timer is supposed to do. I tied the backing on with an arbor
knot, put on enough to allow just enough room on the spool for the fly
line, attached the fly line with Albright knot, started reeling it on
and looked down horrified to see the fly line had fallen into 10,000
knots all by itelf, and spent the rest of the night unravelling it. Did
I miss anything? :)

Oh yeah, then I ended up with juuuuussssst a hair too much line on the
reel because the last 20 feet or so would rub the guides, so tonight I
get to unreel it all, trim the backing, and do it again!

"Joe" wrote in message
ups.com...

Well I set about loading my reel last night. I think I did everything a
first-timer is supposed to do. I tied the backing on with an arbor
knot, put on enough to allow just enough room on the spool for the fly
line, attached the fly line with Albright knot, started reeling it on
and looked down horrified to see the fly line had fallen into 10,000
knots all by itelf, and spent the rest of the night unravelling it. Did
I miss anything? :)

Nope. That's just about the way it works. Um......well, there's a couple
of little things......

Oh yeah, then I ended up with juuuuussssst a hair too much line on the
reel because the last 20 feet or so would rub the guides, so tonight I
get to unreel it all, trim the backing, and do it again!

Ah, there you go......perfect! :)

Wolfgang
who, like most, knows what kind of problems can develop when one omits those
last tiny details.

Oh yeah, then I ended up with juuuuussssst a hair too much line on the
reel because the last 20 feet or so would rub the guides, so tonight I
get to unreel it all, trim the backing, and do it again!

Next time you have to put a l ine on a reel, do it backwards. Put the
line on first, then the backing. When the reel is as "full" as you
want it, cut the backing, and reverse the two lines.

vince

vincent p. norris wrote:

Next time you have to put a l ine on a reel, do it backwards. Put the
line on first, then the backing. When the reel is as "full" as you
want it, cut the backing, and reverse the two lines.

Easier said than done, without two reels (or spools) of the same
capacity (or three reels with at least as much capacity).

It's easy and convenient to use a rolled-up newspaper as a substitute
for a spool, but you should have someone with patience to help out while
you're winding the backing.

I like to have a well equipped fly shop load the backing and fly line
onto the reel. They'll do it for free if you buy a line, or even if
you're a regular customer, and they're far more efficient than I am.
While they're at it, I ask for a three-foot section of leader butt tied
to the fly line with a needle knot, if you please.

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.

Next time you have to put a l ine on a reel, do it backwards. Put the
line on first, then the backing. When the reel is as "full" as you
want it, cut the backing, and reverse the two lines.

Easier said than done, without two reels (or spools) of the same
capacity (or three reels with at least as much capacity).

I just pulled the backing, then the line, off the reel, walking slowly
through the house as I did, so they didn't fall into one large pile.
Then I went to the starting point, attached the backing, and wound it
and the line on the reel. Not hard at all.

BUT FIRST YOU HAVE TO LOCK UP THE CAT!!! And send any small kids out
to play.

It's easy and convenient to use a rolled-up newspaper as a substitute
for a spool....

If you do that, be sure to change hands every ten turns or so, because
you will be twisting the line.

vince

vincent p. norris wrote:

It's easy and convenient to use a rolled-up newspaper as a substitute
for a spool....


If you do that, be sure to change hands every ten turns or so, because
you will be twisting the line.

Not the way I do it.

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.

vincent p. norris wrote:

I just pulled the backing, then the line, off the reel, walking slowly
through the house as I did, so they didn't fall into one large pile.
Then I went to the starting point, attached the backing, and wound it
and the line on the reel. Not hard at all.

I did this last night and it worked great.

I am looking into getting the Mel Kreiger video on casting that I've
seen recommended here. In the meantime, can anyone explain the basics
better than this description, taken from
http://www.ehow.com/how_16390_basic-cast-fly.html

I have been out practice casting in my yard and I can cast fairly
accurately already even in wind, but I'm sure I am doing a lot wrong.
Being my first time I must be, right? I dont understand part 1 and 8 of
this description. Am I initially laying the line out beyond the tip of
the rod, or just above the reel? And the part about pulling it back in
in 6 inch lengths I just plain dont get. I'm sure it will make more
sense once I get the video (or should I go rent A River Runs Through it
tonight? :-)

Steps:
1. Let out 25 feet of line in front of you. Practice out of the water
and with-out a fly on the line so that you won't have to worry about
getting caught up in anything. (Image 1)

2. Grip your rod as if you were shaking hands with it. Set the rod's
handle in your palm and close your fingers around it, keeping your
thumb on top. (Image 2)

3. Face the direction that you want to cast, putting your weight on
the balls of your feet. Keep your wrist still and stiff; don't allow it
to bend. Your elbow, not your shoulder, should be your pivot point.
Picture hammering a nail.

4. Think of the movement of your arm in casting as being like that of
a clock's hands. If you view a fly fisherman from his or her left
profile, the caster will move the rod between 11 o'clock on the forward
cast and 1 o'clock on the back cast.

5. Hold the rod at 11 o'clock to begin. From the tip, the loose fly
line should trace down the rod until you can grab it with your free
hand. Hold and keep it above waist level. (Image 3)

6. Pull the rod back to 1 o'clock, release the line and wait there
until the line straightens behind you. Now accelerate the rod forward
to 11 o'clock and wait for the loop formed by the arcing line to
straighten out. (Image 4)

7. Bring the fingers of your free hand toward the reel and grasp the
line between your index finger and thumb. (Image 5)

8. Pull in your outstretched line in 6-inch lengths so it forms a big
excess loop right above the reel. You're not pulling more line off the
reel or putting any back'you're simply gathering slack to ease the next
cast. Pull in only as much as you need to place your cast.

9. To end casting, stop with the forward cast at 11 o'clock. All the
slack you pulled in will sail out with your fly (when you have one on
the line), which should land right on your target. Assuming, of course,
that you've been practicing.

Joe wrote:

vincent p. norris wrote:


I just pulled the backing, then the line, off the reel, walking slowly
through the house as I did, so they didn't fall into one large pile.
Then I went to the starting point, attached the backing, and wound it
and the line on the reel. Not hard at all.


I did this last night and it worked great.

Put the cat away first. :-)

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.

rw wrote:
Joe wrote:

vincent p. norris wrote:


I just pulled the backing, then the line, off the reel, walking slowly
through the house as I did, so they didn't fall into one large pile.
Then I went to the starting point, attached the backing, and wound it
and the line on the reel. Not hard at all.


I did this last night and it worked great.

Put the cat away first. :-)

I put him away years ago!