Fishing with a 3D Printed Fly Reel and Strike Indicator

A couple of days ago, I posted about fishing for stocked trout at Liberty Park Pond in Sedalia, Missouri.  Both the fish and the weather were cooperative and since the conditions were decent, I decided to do a little field testing of some items that I had recently 3D printed.  The item that I was most excited to test was a 3D printed fly reel that I made about a month previous.  The second item that I had made was a strike indicator.  The indicator is the type that comes in two halves, has leader/tippet inserted into a groove in the middle, and screws together.  To say that I was hoping to catch a fish on this setup would be an understatement.  I was hoping for one dumb stocker.

I actually ended up catching two dumb stockers on this rig so my goal was accomplished and my hope was satiated.  But that's not what you probably want to know.  You probably want to know about how the items performed.  Well, they were...okay.  The indicator's buoyancy was perfectly matched when throwing a 1/80 ounce jig.  It was easy to see and rode just high enough in the water without sinking.  It was sensitive and didn't appear to require much effort on the part of the fish to take it under.  On the other hand, I hated how it felt in a cast.  It made everything feel heavy and clunky for lack of a better word.  However, if I were fishing deep holes from a boat and not making long casts, I think this is the perfect tool for the job.  I'm not going to get rid of the strike indicators that I typically use, but I'm going to keep a few of these 3D printed indicators on hand to use in the right circumstances.  

As for the reel, it was serviceable.  I don't tend to sink a lot of money into reels, especially on rods that are less than a 6 weight.  I don't tend to need an outstanding drag system with lower weight weight rods so to me, a reel is a glorified line holder.  When it comes to 6-8 weight rods, that's when I will upgrade to a rod with a better drag system because that's when I tend to catch bigger fish that need to be played a little more carefully.  The 3D printed reel held the line fine and I was able to peel off line without a problem when I wanted to make a longer cast.  The biggest negative was how the reel felt when I retrieved line.

This thing is about as smooth as 100 grit sandpaper.  While it DOES click and offer a little resistance, its winding motion is cumbersome unless you really add some muscle to it and crank it fast.  The reel sticks and is inconsistent with it's tension.  As one of my club members said after trying it out, "It feels like it was 3D printed."  That is best way I can describe it.  To summarize, I don't plan on abandoning my manufactured reels anytime soon.  However, with all of that being said, I found a lot of satisfaction in catching fish on both of the items that I made.  It was just as rewarding as catching my first few fish on flies that I had tied and I will definitely use both in the future.  

They are both far from perfect but like so many other things that I tend to make, I can live with that.  I am not a machinist or master carpenter, but I can find an appreciation for things that I make and I can overlook the flaws.  I can do that because of the joy that the process of making something gives me and the fact that I can say, "I made that!  It started off as nothing important and now it is something that I can be proud of."  In comparison, this situation is like my dog.  It's not perfect, but it's mine and I love it anyways.  So if you're thinking about tackling this task or a similar one, just go into it knowing that things might not turn out perfectly but you can still find satisfaction in the process and the imperfect final product.  And don't forget, if you wanted perfection, you would have paid for a machine to make the object but it would have been more expensive and not nearly as gratifying.  

Fishing for Stocked Trout at Liberty Park Pond in Sedalia, Missouri

Last weekend, my youngest son Cody, the middle school fly fishing club that I sponsor, and I headed to Liberty Park Pond in Sedalia, Missouri to fish for stocked rainbow trout.  It was an hour drive for most of my club members but I more than half of the club was able to make the trek.  Now you might be wondering, "Why drive so far to fish for stocked rainbow trout?  There are multiple lakes in the Kansas City area that are stocked with rainbow trout."  The answer lays within the regulations of Liberty Park Pond.  

All of the lakes in the Kansas City area are catch and keep lakes all year long.  That means that once trout are stocked in the lake, anglers can start harvesting them.  Liberty Park Pond is different.  At this lake, all trout must be released until February 1 when anglers can start keeping fish that they catch.  Another important note is that Kansas City area lakes get three stockings over the course of the winter but Liberty Park Pond gets one stocking of trout.  So not only does Liberty Park Pond have more fish than Kansas City lakes, it (should) maintain that population.  That should mean higher catch rates and thus, more fun for both adults and kids.

While it wasn't a perfect day, it was pretty good.  The temperatures weren't tool cold and it wasn't too windy.  What worked against us was the fact that the lake was approximately 80% frozen except where the fountains in the lake were keeping the water moving.  Since our fishing locations were limited, I believe that lowered the number of fish that we caught.  If we could have tried to fish other spots, I believe that we could have caught a few more.  I believe (and I could be wrong) that these fish move around a lot.  I believe that because that's what they do at the hatchery they are raised in and what they instinctually do in their native, wild habitat.  In other words, we fished spots and hoped that the fish came to us, and they did sometimes.  

We probably caught a total of 25 fish over the course of the day.  All fish were caught on 1/80 ounce jigs and midges which were both under strike indicators.  Almost all of the takes were aggressive and hard to miss.  Some fish were caught on short retrieves and some were caught without giving the flies any action.  While it wasn't a day that produced gaudy numbers or any fish that were larger than stocker-size trout, it was still a good day.  It was nice to be outdoors and spending time with other folks that enjoy fishing.  The occasional fish just made the day even better!

 

Frontline Fly Fishing Fly Tying Gala: Feb. 22

If you live in the Kansas City area (or really like to travel to the Kansas City area), mark your calendars for Frontline Fly Fishing's Fly Tying Gala!  It will be held on February 22 from 11-3 at the Sheet Metal Workers Union Hall.  There will be 5 fly tyers from the Kansas City area offering demonstrations and instruction on a variety of patterns.  I was flattered to be asked to be one of the presenters and it will be an honor to show attendees some patterns and techniques.  Food will be provided and I will share more information about that when I learn more.  There will also be a rummage sale with fellow anglers selling new and gently used fly fishing items.  With this being the first time that this event has been held, I'm not exactly sure what this is going to look like, but Frontline Fly Fishing has put on some great events in the past and I have no doubt that this will be well ran as well as a lot of fun.  I hope to see you there!
 

This Happens to Me Almost Every Year!

It happens about this time of year, almost every year.  Fishing starts to slow to a crawl and rifle season for deer (for me) comes to an end.  I don't get too wound up about stocked trout, but I will still fish for them once in a while.  The temperatures get cold, days get short, and a blanket of gray gets draped on a lot of days.  My desire to be outside starts to wane because the activities that I love have all been placed on pause for awhile but my hands need to be kept busy.  Sometimes there is a declaration of what is about to come and sometimes it creeps up on me.  Last year it was a declaration but this year it crept up on me.

I started to notice it one day when I started a fire in the fireplace.  Not too many days after that, it snowed and I got out the electric blanked to use in my recliner.  Before I knew it, I had sank into my yearly habit.  Out came the plastic baggies, and then the tackle trays.  I started making a list (literally) of what I had in my inventory, both personal and professional.  The icing on the cake was when I brought all of my materials, tools, and vise upstairs and plopped them on a television tray that resides in front of my recliner.  

A sudden urge came over me to turn on some football or a movie that I had seen enough times that it could just be playing in the background without requiring much of my attention.  Before I knew it, I was vacuuming up messes of marabou and acting as a tool and material Sherpa up and down the stairs from my peg board that holds my materials, back to our upstairs living room.  My wife would occasionally ask how many more trips I needed to make or how much longer I was going to spend on my endeavors that particular evening.  It was at this point that it really sank into my primordial brain.  I was knee deep into fly tying season and I didn't even know it.

Admittedly, I have a little undiagnosed seasonal depression.  I've also had a few things happen in my personal life lately that have caused me to struggle with my mental health lately.  When one or both of these things happen simultaneously, I know that it is essential for me to keep my mind and hands occupied.  It helps me to block out the bad things that are running through my mind and focus on something that is both productive and fun.  It has been proven through different studies that fly fishing and fly tying can be used to treat different types of mental health problems.  Thank goodness that I find both to be so much fun and productive that I don't look at it as treatment...but it is.  

I was apprehensive to publish this post because of the stigmas that still surround mental health topics especially as they pertain to men.  It is my hope that I am not negatively judged by how I am feeling mentally or emotionally but the risk of being judged outweighs the opportunity to help someone.  If you can relate to anything that I have written, and you're looking for something to help your mental health, I hope you start tying some flies soon.  Whether you are a newbie or have a little rust to shake off, it might be good for you.  On top of being good for you mentally, you'll be happy to have some full fly boxes come spring.

Deer Season Review

Alas, deer season has come and gone.  It did not end up with a monster buck being harvested but it was full of experiences that I could not have gotten anywhere else in the world! 

My buddy Corey harvested his first coyote, which was pretty special. We have a large population of coyotes where we hunt, so taking one out every once in awhile is a good thing in my opinion.

I was educated about the turkey population on our farm on opening morning of rifle season. I was under the impression that we had about 10-15 birds on the property. To my shock and amazement, I watched 30 birds fly down in front of my hunting blind on that special morning. 

I had some chances to harvest a few different deer but chose to pass on all of them. I could have taken a small doe, a big doe, and some younger bucks but chose to hold out for a bigger deer. When a mature 9 pointer came along at 50 yards, I passed on him too because he wasn’t the 10 pointer that I was wanting to harvest. 

I hunted field edges, creek beds, and open fields during my time in the field. They all produced picturesque moments and reminded me how I should appreciate Missouri’s diverse terrain and ecosystems. 

At the start of the season, I had vowed to shoot a raccoon or two if I saw them. I wanted to harvest some fur and knock down our raccoon population a little. I believe that raccoons could be having a negative impact on turkey nests and wanted to give the birds a little help. When I DID run into a couple of raccoons, I just couldn’t bring myself to pull the trigger. They were just too darn cute and I guess I’m getting soft in my old age.