Lars Christian Bentsen, famous Danish flyfisherman, master fly-tier, archaeologist and bag-fetisher reveals his secret tips...

Here's the latest tip!

Cleaning bodkins

This weeks Tip is one that I've often read about in books and magazines. I've just never bothered to try it out for myself. Bodkins are always full of dried varnish, or even worse, set epoxy or superglue. Cleaning a bodkin from these substances is quite a nuisance and can be quite difficult, especially with epoxy and superglue. But Last month I held a flytying course and one of the participants had done what I'd never gotten around to. Filling a 35mm film cannister with steel-wool and drilling a small hole in the lid. Now, all you have to do is stab the bodkin into the steel-wool and run it up and down a few times, and it's clean. The steel-wool will remove anything including epoxy and superglue.
I'm sorry there's no picture yet, but the cannister I had with steel-wool in it seems to be temporarily lost - anyway, I can't find it and will have to make a new one before I can post a picture. Try it out if you tie your own flies - it works great!

Broken rods

A little more than a week ago, this idea ticked in to my mailbox, from Alan Taylor, Tasmania.
Here's what Alan said in his mail:

"The attachment is a picture of a rod clip I have been making for a few years now. Too many rods get broken after being leant against the car and then being blown over. I have given away dozens to members of my club and other fishing friends. Some say I should go into manufacturing them and make some money out of it but that's not what fishing is about, is it?

Anyway, all it consists of is what is sold here in Australia as a "Selleys Super Clip" stuck to a piece of that magnetic sheet used for business cards, signwriting, etc. I am sure that Europe must have the Super Clip or it's equivalent under another name; it is just a moulded plastic thing that flips open and closed. If you are interested and can't get hold of them, let me know and I will gladly post you some.

On the subject of tips and hints, broken rods etc., you might also mention in your column one day that the best way to carry a rod in rough country, or anywhere come to that, is butt first. Then you won't walk it into a tree, or stumble and jag the tip into the ground.

Keep up the good work and regards to all at Sexyloops.

Alan Taylor,
Tasmania, Australia (where it is high summer and the fishing is great.)"

Alan, thank you very much for this tip - I'm sure many readers will head to the workshops and make something similar.
Lars

Knackered flies

Do the majority of your flies look like something Paul tied? Are they blessed with the look that flies can only have after being chewed upon by trout or grayling (or even some imaginary saltwater species)? Then I have a trick that can restore most flies!

This is old wisdom, but not very many people I know make use of it (Paul, you might as well not - your flies just look like that). Put on the kettle and let the water boil. Grab the fly (or flies) that look as if Paul has performed the Whipfuck on it and hold it over the steam. Steam has a magic influence on both natural and synthetic fibres and can restore them quite dramatically. You might want to wash them first under tap-water if they are particularly worn!