Albin 26' CC

[Mariner]

Andrew,

30 YARDS of line on the deck? I've never seen anyone fly fish, so I guess I have no idea how it's done, but what's the purpose of having line laying around on the deck? Especially that much?

[Elizabeth Ann]

Thanks for the endorsement Mariner.

I suggested marine board b/c I really don't know how to manage and use fiberglass. I figured those holes would be huge to patch and fill, maybe even requiring a professional job to match the topside.

I figured if properly sealed, which should have been done by Albin. They could just remain below the marine board out of sight for future use if needed.

To modify my original idea, I still would used marine bard and leave the light and cleat hole unfilled, but I would put the board over the two holes but only in the area between the chocks up to the anchor locker.

How about a custom pulpit?

http://www.beachfiber.com/bigpics/smbowpulpit.html

[apage]

Hi Mariner:

The process of casting a fly rod involves "loading" the rod. When you begin to cast you start with only a little line ( 5 yards or so) actually in the water. The rest of the line is either still on the reel, on the deck of the boat or in what's known as a stripping basket which is fastened around the waist and catches the line when you pull it in. When you false cast, a process of getting more line out by moving the rod forward to 10 o clock, pausing to allow the line to shoot forward then pulling the line back to 2 o clock (when the tip of the rod is straight up and down it is at 12). The more line that shoots out, the heavier it becomes and thus the more the rod "loads".

Eventually you go beyond 10 oclock and allow the line to land (hopefully) delicately right in front of the fish. Then you begin stripping the line back. This involves pulling the line by hand instead of reeling it back onto the reel. As aforementioned, the line ends up on the deck or in a stripping basket. A good fly fisherman will leave a lot of line in the water if they know they are not going to hook a fish instead of stripping it all the way in.

Then when they cast again, they slowly pull the line out of the water in a fluid motion and the water resistance loads the rod again and there is only a need for one, amybe two false casts before they present the fly again.

Anyway, I am no pro and usually end up with thrity yards of line on the deck, a fish giving me the proverbial fin (ger) and when I have a perfect trajectory and distance to the fish end up snagging the line around a cleat or something.

So the question is why fish this way? If you can do it, the reward is amazing. The rods are a lot more sensative so you get a much better feel for the fish. You fight the fish with your extra hand on the line until the fish takes all the extra line back on to the reel and, I guess, because of the extra work it makes you feel as though you've accomplished more.

Sometimes, however, the wind is making havoc of your casts, the fish are out of range and the heavy saltwater fly does not want to cooperate with my amateurish casting style. There is another process within the casting called a "double haul" which involves pulling on the line just a little why the line is shooting forward and backward (once when the line shoots forward and again when it is shooting back). The double haul loads the line even more because it provides extra split second resistance and then the line compensates shooting more line out. Ultimately, especially in saltwater fishing where there is inevitably more wind, a double haul is necessary.

Simple right? If it looks graceful chances are the fly fisherman knows what he is doing. If,like me, it looks like a guy trying to fly a kite in no wind, chances are you are not going to get much line out and probably won't catch a thing.

That's my dissertation on fly fly fishing. Anyone please feel free to jump in and correct me.

Stay well.

AP

[Maye Marie]

Do not put that anchor roller on this boat. Or do you wear white socks with black pants. I think they did a great job on this boat. A center consol boat is for 360 degree fishing. The flush mounted hardware is a plus for any type of rod you have and need to bring in the big ones, especially with light tackle. As you rotate around the boat it nice to do this with out worry of tangled line and have the fish of your dreams break off because of a tangled. You need an anchor, reach in the box and take it out, pop up the cleat tie off and fish. If you’re anchored more than likely you’re not going to need 360 fishing. Off the stern will be fine.

I target all fish species in the North East. Eighty percent of the time I am drifting or trolling. Hook up on tuna off the chunk on a light rod and have a ball with this boat. Throw a cast net or cast for bunker bait you would be glad you did not put that anchored on. My biggest stripper come from working the shallows of the coast line drifting bunker or shad on light tackle. Albin was right most times you are not on a hook while fishing. I am assuming that is why you bought the boat.

Modern day fishing is moving more and more to light tackle and moving your boat threw the target areas. It would be a shame to take this boat that is designed out so well and destroy it. At least use the boat for one season before making irreversible changes. I think you would be surprise how your thoughts will have changed. This boat is for the serious fisherman. Leave this sight and talk to a few, I think you would be enlightened

[Mariner]

I think you should set the boat up for however you think is best for how YOU use it. If you drift fish, great, leave it clean. If you don't, then put the roller up there; the convenience and safety increase will be well worth the sideways glances you get from the light tackle guys.

I do agree with Terry on one point, though, and that's that you should use the boat unchanged for one season before making any major changes. We did this with our boat and it was very enlightening. We've changed our mind on a number of things.