Lefty Article

A LITTLE TASTE OF SALT		This was a light, collapsible, round fabric column that the line could be stored in and stripped back when retrieving. It was so light that some of the Florida guides soon determined that filling one inch plastic tubing with egg sinkers and placing it in the bottom would hold it securely. But it had the same problems as the plastic tub. Many people have modified inexpensive plastic rectangular tubs such as used to wash dishes to make a stripping basket. They are much superior to most deck stripping baskets. They are worn by the angler so they take up no deck space and allow freedom of movement. The caster can roam the beach or boat deck. The problems are they are shallow and with slippery sides the line can easily escape and a tangle results. When wading, if you get too deep or a wave fills the basket, you have real problem-even if they have holes located in the base. These stripping baskets take up too much space when placed in your travel luggage. What are the requirements of a good stripping basket? It should hold the line when waiting for a cast. It should be easy to use and not get in the way of the caster. It should also be light, not expensive, and portable. It would help if it did not hold water. And, the basket should be adjustable to the fly casters height-which some of the stripping baskets fail to do. Every stripping basket I have tried has enough problems that I have never been totally satisfied. The one that comes closest to answering all these requirements is the Charlie Sander's Total Control Stripping Basket. This basket weighs about 5 ounces. It is a collapsible wire frame with a deep mesh basket. It can be snapped onto the belt in any position you desire (which accommodates the height of the angle). By following the direction that come with the basket-you can fold it into a tiny circle that will fit into its own small mesh bag or be placed inside a gallon Zip Loc bag. Many fly shops now handle the basket. You can locate a local dealer by emailing Charlie Sander at www.flyfishbasket.com Continued below...

LINE MANAGEMENT Article and Photo by Lefty Kreh
King Montgomery wearing the Total Control Stripping Basket on a very windy day in the Bahamas	For saltwater fly fishermen, these scenarios are all too familiar. While cruising open water, a school of breaking fish is spotted and there is a race to the scene before the school disappears. Line is frantically torn from the reel and thrown to the deck. You get there in time. Fish are breaking on the surface all around you and a fly is thrown into that melee will bring a sure strike. A quick cast is made and as the fly shoots to the fish it suddenly jerks back and falls near the boat. You were standing on the line. Scientists have been looking for Big Foot-they need only look in any fly fishing club to find a lot of Big Foots. Flats fishermen are also plagued with missed opportunities.
The first deck stripping baskets were large plastic tubs, but they had the disadvantage of taking too much room on the boat, making it difficult for the angler to move around or change direction and still strip line into the tub. The real breakthrough came when Carl Anderson from the Florida Keys invented the Line Tamer, which resembled a round cylinder with a stout base that was a great improvement over the tub. Some of Florida's West Coast flats guides discovered the collapsing leaf basket sold by Home Depot and similar firms. The line is very carefully laid on the deck and the angler stands at the bow ready for a cast. Suddenly, the quarry is seen and a fast cast is made-only to be spoiled by the line trapped under foot. These problems come from improper line management and many fly fishermen assume that is just part of the game. But it really doesn't have to be. Keeping line under control before, during, and after the cast is essential to being a successful fly fisherman. The stripping basket is the most obvious tool for line management. The purpose of a stripping basket is to store line prior to casting and then depositing the line safely back in the basket during the retrieve. One type basket sits on the boat deck and the other kind is worn on the fly fisherman.

It is the finest wading unit I have ever tried. Here are some of the advantages of the basket. By placing a lot of fly line in the basket you can wade worry free. I have found this an asset when wading for freshwater trout in rivers-as well as wading a shoreline or bank that has line-catching grass. There is no line dragging behind in the water that must be recovered before a cast can be made. Because the basket is mesh, the water flows through it. If I am standing on the bow of the boat and the wind is blows, I can forget about the line streaming around and catching on things inside the boat or underfoot. Because the line remains in the basket and off the deck, the line stays clean. When bonefishing or seeking redfish that have become wary, I often use a 12 - to 16-foot leader-which can tangle badly in a stiff breeze. I not only store the fly line inside the basket, but I will place the leader there too---holding only the fly in my hand for the next cast. Of course, you can roam the beach or walk from one of the boat to other without worrying about the line being safely held inside the mesh basket. It is so light and small when folded that it can easily be placed in your luggage. Some fresh water as well as saltwater fly fishermen will carry the basket in there fly jacket to be used when needed. I rarely recommend a specific product, but this one solves so many line management problems both for fresh and saltwater fly fishermen that I am happy to do so. LEFTY KREH has been an outdoor writer for over fifty years. His books are considered bibles by thousands of fishermen