Sweetwater Fishing Forums
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: harro on June 24, 2012, 06:33:24 AM
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Back when I decided that a book of gel spun lines might throw some light on the information vacuum, misconceptions and flapdoodle getting around the fishing world on gel spun polyethylene braids and fused lines, the publisher agreed to do an American edition. Why wouldn't he? Lefty Kreh kindly wrote the foreword.
I'd been in the box seat for some time for such a project. It started in Amsterdam at the European Fishing Tackle Expo where I was on a boondoggle for Sage when it was a big happy family headed by Don Green, the man who'd brought rod materials through from tubular fibreglass to graphite composites.
Quite by accident I ran into my much missed mate, Don McPherson of Platypus lines. We'd done a lot of fishing in locations as varied as Sahara sands by the Nile and rainforest rivers in Central America. Don was in The Netherlands to secure a supply of raw GSP yarn from DSM Performance Fibres, the Dutch inventing company.
Back in Australia we put heads together and came up with some specifications for braids thart have proved comparable and superor to any imports.
Fastforwarding, the first review of the book has just come it.
Written by Dr. Gordon Hill, a flyfisher with close IGFA and FFF connections, I'm a big gobsmacked by what he's said.
Here's an extract.
Many of us who do big game fly fishing in the salt, use gelspun backing for its advantages. Having used various iterations of these lines for more than 10 years as they were developed and improved, I became all too familiar with their disadvantages as well.
I've just finished studying what I think may well be the best book ever written on these lines for fly fishers as well as those contemplating the use of them for spin, plug, deep jigging, bait fishing and trolling.
Rod Harrison ("Harro"), author, World renown and experienced fly fisherman (and expert at all sorts of other kinds of fishing) has spent many years studying these lines. He has interviewed scientists and folks involved in the development of these man made fibers, and has personally tested almost all of them.
Rod has been my fishing guest more than once. His fly casting expertise is fantastic .... a fascination to behold as he demonstrates both accuracy and distance using a much modified low elbow/ almost horizontal rod plane style which he originally learned from Lefty Kreh. His expertise in fighting a large fish is second to none; well demonstrated as he fought his first giant tarpon from my skiff several years ago.
On page 100, he offers a little quiz as, "Frequently asked questions". All of them are answered in text. Examples:
"Are Spectra and Dyneema the same?"
"What is the difference between braids and gel spuns produced through other processes?"
"Why do some gel spuns cost more and others less?"
"What's carrier?"
"What's a pik count?"
"What's denier?"
"Is it possible for braids not to break at the knot?"
"Which knots are best?"
"Do braids stretch?"
"What about claims that special resins make braids stronger?"
"Why are some braids sticky?"
"Do braids break rods?"
"Do braids cut?"
His book: *
* Rod Harrison's BRAID & GELSPUN SUPERLINES, by Rod Harrison, 2011, ISBN :
AUS: 9781 8651 3201 3 USA: 9781 8651 3207 5 Publisher: Australian Fishing Network.
http://www.amazon.com/Rod-Harrisons-Braid-Gelspun-Superlines/dp/1865132071 (http://www.amazon.com/Rod-Harrisons-Braid-Gelspun-Superlines/dp/1865132071)
http://www.overstock.com/Books-Movies-Music-Games/Rod-Harrison-s-Braid-Gelspun-Superlines-Paperback/6288581/product.html. (http://www.overstock.com/Books-Movies-Music-Games/Rod-Harrison-s-Braid-Gelspun-Superlines-Paperback/6288581/product.html.)
The book has been a wonderfully rewarding exercise and has opened doors with literary agents who're intertested in a crime fiction novel I''m close to
finishing. Fingers crossed.
Hope to some y'all at the Aussie Lure makers Expo...
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I haven't read it as yet Harro & probably should park a copy on the Man Cave table. I know from conversations we had both around the fire and on the water my education is far from complete. With accolades like those mentioned, it's got to be good. Keep 'em coming please mate.
:thanks
fitz..
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I've been reading it over and over in the "oval office" for a while now
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Hey Harro that's a great review mate!! and well deserved!! I thoroughly enjoyed the book as would any serious fisho wanting to know more about the lines they use, Thanks for writing it :thanks,after the crime fiction novel how about starting the Biography on your fishing life there's too much Australian Fishing History there to go untold you've fished with the Best of the Best and held your own,I know I'd be first in line to buy it.
Paul
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Well deserved and very encouraging to get that sort of reaction for your work. Nicely done Harro. Now I've gotta go get a copy.
Cheers,
John
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Hey Harro that's a great review mate!! and well deserved!! I thoroughly enjoyed the book as would any serious fisho wanting to know more about the lines they use, Thanks for writing it :thanks,after the crime fiction novel how about starting the Biography on your fishing life there's too much Australian Fishing History there to go untold you've fished with the Best of the Best and held your own,I know I'd be first in line to buy it.
Paul
Firstly I'd like to commend you on the deserving recognition and review Harro, congratulations!
Secondly, I couldn't agree with Paul any more highly in regards to written a biography of your life.
Cheers Dave