Well, Dave E., I Just Bit The Bullet!

[garyj]

Hey, Dave E.!
I just returned home from an enjoyable day with my better half on Valentine's Day ;) and discovered I had won the auction on that most famous auction website for a NIB w/warranty Abel Super 8. Now the barn is full! Well, at least from 3 through 10 weight, that is. Now, if I can just remember how to make those braided loops you showed me while I was out West! Let's see - you said to use acetone, I believe, for taking the outer coating of the fly line off to expose the core for this purpose. Where can that be most easily obtained? Would a drug store carry it? Where can the braided line be obtained to construct the loops? Would you care to pontificate a bit on this subject for me to refresh my failing memory? I'm a bit unsure which size of the braided line I should use for my lines - I need to put loops on six, seven, eight and nine weight lines that I have recently obtained. Also, did I understand you to say it would be best to replace the factory loops on the Rio Versa-Tips with braided loops? Man, I hate that I can't remember this stuff! Many thanks in advance for your patience with an old forgetful doddering fool .........

[Dave E.]

Not really up for pontificating, I took the time to write a response this morning, but I must have timed out on the system or something......it's lost now.

Anyway, on to plan B:

Option 1: Bring the lines out west, we can set up a lunch time assembly line or refresher if you prefer. ( Let me know and I'll bring the fixins' to do it. )

Option 2: http://www.danblanton.com/gettinglooped.html

Hey, about the Super 8, that's awesome....Is it wearing basic black or tropical punch?

All for now, Dave

[Dave G.]

Is the barn ever really full Mr. J. ? I'd gone and checked out that super "ebony" new real you've just aquired. I'm sure that you'll enjoy it a whole bunch, congrats! If you decide to take Dave up on option # 1 let me know so I can reserve my spot at the table and learn to get looped along with you ;) If I recall correctly are you sitting on a super royal flush, having a 6, 8 and a 10 at this point and time? If so I may have to fold
Cheers,
Dave

[Dennis E.]

Okay... great job at filling the barn with numbers 3 throught 10. So when are you gonna mortgage the barn for 11, 12, or 13? Just kidding. Enjoy the new rig.

Dennis

[garyj]

Hi, Dave!
Sorry for the delay in my response - things have been busy here for the past few days. My son-in-law in the 101st Airborne Division arrived home from Iraq yesterday morning at 6:05!!! He has been over there a year. Of course, we had to work a couple of days to get everything ready for his return. It was certainly good to see all of those heroes getting off that plane at Ft. Campbell! They were a tired looking bunch, but their smiles lit up the dark morning as they saw their loved ones waiting on the tarmac for them. There are still several more of the 101st to come home, as well as other outfits who are still over there that need our thoughts and prayers. O.K., enough of that for now.
Since you so graciously offered, and since it appears others besides me would benefit from your instruction (see Dave G.'s response), I'll take you up on another lesson on playing "loop-de-loop". I'll likely attempt some loops on my own and bring them to you to grade for me, if I can find some braided material someplace. Tell me - are those pre-packaged braided loops from the same material you use (just higher priced), or are they something entirely different? I can't tell from the catalog descriptions and pictures, but I have yet to find a catalog with the braided line on a spool.
The Super 8 is in basic black - you know me, just an old stick-in-the-mud with no sense of style or adventure. I guess I'm just simple-minded!
Gary

[garyj]

Dave G.,
When Momma says the barn is full, you'd best believe it!! I think I've created a little confusion on the specifics of my stash - this will be the second Super 8, although I do have a Big Game spare spool for the one I bought previously. That will handle the ten weight stuff. Additionally, I have a Super 7 with a Big Game spare spool. Also, I just bought a JM4 Bauer that should handle freshwater bass and light saltwater, if you believe the advertising. Thus, with those, I should be covered from 7-10 weight. Now, with Dave E.'s remedial "Loops For Dummies" course, I will be set to go!

[Dave E.]

Re: "Tell me - are those pre-packaged braided loops from the same material you use (just higher priced), or are they something entirely different?"

They're DO-DO!
If you can't find spools of braided mono in thirty and fifty pound, just hold off 'til you get here....The old saying ~ "Why is there never time to do it right, but there's always time to do it over", comes to mind. ;)

[garyj]

Dennis,
At this point, if I mortgage the barn, Momma had best get a new wardrobe and anything else her heart desires! I do not see significant additional expenditures on fishing tackle in my inmmediate future. I don't care for knots on my head that much!

[Dave G.]

When Momma says the barn is full, you'd best believe it!!

It sounds as though you've taken the advice of someone and have gone and aquired a reel for each rod that you own. Two of a kind on those super 8's, well I'm not buyin this poor old country boy stuff any longer. Now you've gone and done it! I'll probably have to take myself and my milk crate and fish alone waaaaaay down the shoreline so that I'll have something to fit it with All kidding aside, I'm sure you'll enjoy that reel very much...along with your other one ;) Gary147.....there surely must be something (rod or reel) on the horizon for you LOL!
Glad to hear that your son-in-law has made it home safe and sound,
Dave


" I'LL HAVE ONE OF THESE AND TWO OF THE THOSE AND ONE FRUIT CUP PLEASE."

[garyj]

When Momma says the barn is full, you'd best believe it!!

It sounds as though you've taken the advice of someone and have gone and aquired a reel for each rod that you own. Two of a kind on those super 8's, well I'm not buyin this poor old country boy stuff any longer. Now you've gone and done it! I'll probably have to take myself and my milk crate and fish alone waaaaaay down the shoreline so that I'll have something to fit it with All kidding aside, I'm sure you'll enjoy that reel very much...along with your other one ;) Gary147.....there surely must be something (rod or reel) on the horizon for you LOL!
Glad to hear that your son-in-law has made it home safe and sound,
Dave


" I'LL HAVE ONE OF THESE AND TWO OF THE THOSE AND ONE FRUIT CUP PLEASE."

"well I'm not buyin this poor old country boy stuff any longer" - Boy, Dave G., do you know how to hurt a guy! I'll have yuo know I had to sell two redbone coon hounds and pick two acres of collard greens to get enough dinero to buy this reel! I couldn't show up out West with a tin can fer a reel, now could I? ;) Besides, he who dies with the most toys is still dead; he just creates more animosity among his heirs!! Now, to complete my ruse as a fishing rich playboy, can you inform me as to which particular brand of milkcrate is the "in" type? Ditto color. I wouldn't wish to be seen standing on an improper milk carton, lest someone get the impression that I'm not suave and sophisticated (did I spell that correctly?). Now, around here, our 'crates' have names like "Ranger", "Triton" and "Skeeter" stenciled on their sides, and they float instead of resting on the bottom of the lake.

[garyj]

"Pre-packaged loops are Do-Do."
Got it, Dave!! Stenciled it on my forehead. Since you said that, I now remember you have already told me the same thing last year. I told you I needed a remedial course! The only thing I can say is that all I went through last fall must have caused some form of amnesia. I can't seem to remember many things that I used to know well. I guess it was either the fall or just old age creeping up on me. Please bear with me; maybe I'm not a total lost cause.
I'll hold off doing any experimenting until we get together shortly out west.
Gary

[AWJ]

Gary - you can get the braided mono from the San Jose Flyshop. I've always liked the Gudebrod (50 and 35 lb) stuff. If you go to Dan Blanton's site to check out the "Getting Looped" article, you can find the website for the flyshop. It is hard to find in catalogues for some reason and impossible to find in Oregon as far as I know. Best thing to do is just call SJ flyshop and tell them what you're looking for. The loops aren't hard to make and the instructions at Dan's site are pretty thorough. If you get started early on them, you'll be able to impress everyone at the Reno meet.

PS - I am hoping to get down there this year. I've already got my milk carton, bigass flyrod and shooting heads, so it's just a matter of timing work-wise. And, glad your son-in-law made it back safely.

[Dennis E.]

You gettin' knots on your noggen? Go to the surplus store and buy a helmet! Then buy that next rig! Hmmm how does a 12 weight Xi2 sound with an Abel 4N? ;)

Dennis

[tom b]

^^^^^ T O P ^^^^^ maybe this will reach some great posters from the past