Using the Rail--Discussion Thread:

[gimmedeal]

I don't use the rail because most of the time I don't have to. I've also been concerned about damage to the rod when I set the foregrip on the rail. I think if I was to have rods built for rail use, I would have the foregrip built with a denser grip than hypalon or eva to spread the rail contact out just a little. As to whether it's okay, by all means do it. I just love the contact I have with the fish (does that sound right?) when I'm standing up with the rod.
Even a harness changes that.

[LEXPRO]

I fought a mystery submarine fish for an hour with a Tiagra 50 on a chaos roller rod using only a belt. I should have used a harness or something because that fish kicked my arse... Plate, harness, rail whatever just as long as you are having fun...

[gman]

Originally Posted by Uncle Russ

Yeah, I'm not an intolerant person until it comes to folks who try to make up rules for other folks--Gunsmoke's rules are acceptable because they strike me as the same sort of rules John Wayne or Charlton Heston would approve of. But dudes who sip lattes and tell me that I am the scum of the earth and don't deserve to live, unless I cast a barbless, size 28 dry fly upstream to a native, wild trout that you have spotted in a sipping rise to a known hatch, it makes me want to use rotenone on their local waters.

Russ

Russ I love having a Latte

[SkeeterRonnie]

i cant figure out how to use the rail with a spinning setup!

[hatidua]

Originally Posted by Uncle Russ

size 28 dry fly upstream to a native, wild trout that you have spotted in a sipping rise to a known hatch

I don't drink latte's (or any other coffee product for that matter) or pinch barbs down, but I toss more than my share of #28 flies (WITH barbs) at wild trout

If ya wanna get really sporting, we can talk permit on the flats with a fly rod - that be sport ...but I'll put a 5/0 through the nose of a live sardine as willingly as the next person.

[Fishhead56]

Uncle Russ. Thanks for the start of a good thread.

The fishing described is stand up fishing.

To one effect or another it's about (to me)

getting pulled to , slammed against, ect, the rail while connected to a wild game fish.

G. S. made good points about fair chase.

Even free gaffing ling and Dorado is a sport as long
as the gaffer wins and the fish is harvested.
Sport has risk. But waste is not sport.

The rail use started for me from fishing off of oil platforms and some party boats for bottom fishing. Where the rod tip is on the rail and it's just cranking a locked drag to raise a bottom fish away
from cut offs and hang ups,

I don't have a tech, for tuna and rail fishing as my knees are
gone and getting low is not a choice. And some times the sholders even burn from
lifting just 12oz bottles. But I like to fight fish with straight arms down to the rod and have a good ratio on retreive. either 2 speed or power handle. Keeping a straight back. With rod in gimble plate.
I have one of those light weight, slip on, mesh type, sholder back harness things but have never
put it on while fishing.

And I have decided to pass a rod twice in 30 years..

K2

[Uncle Russ]

gman and hatidua: Don't mind anyone else having a latte or fishing little flies--you guys don't tell me I have to lay down my dynamite stick to join you. I do happen to be an enthusiast of the long rod and have 5 outfits from 4 weight through 12. I bought my first rig in 1957 and have a reputation as being an expert at catching highly selective largemouth bass over their spawning beds in small ranch ponds. Actually, you may enjoy the story of a trip I took to Wyoming with some South Texas Latino buddies of mine. One of the guys and I took time off from hunting biiiiiggg whitetails to go over to a bridge at an obscure river. There was a huge hatch of what I think were tiny midges going on and big trout were rising in the pool right by the freaking bridge. My buddy was throwing chunks of corn (enormously illegal) at them on the tip of a 2/0 hook and of course, nothing was happening. I did not have a flyrod. My friend was cursing up a storm and swatting the flies and said, "I might be able to catch some f*%king fish it weren't for all thes GD bugs getting in my nose." I told him, "Ray, there are people who would pay $5,000.00 to be here right now." He said, "If they were, I wish they had these f*%king bugs up their ass." Then we drove into town, bought a case of beer and by the time we got back to the ranch we were hunting, he was waving a 1911 in the air swearing he was going to kill a doe with it. I had already hid the clip.

Fred: I'm glad you like contact with the fish. I like watching you having contact with the fish.

fishhead: I put guys who like to gaff big, green ling in the same category as the fringe group that hunt feral hogs by baiting a tree, climbing into it and jumping out to kill the boar with a Bowie knife.

Russ

[gman]

Originally Posted by Uncle Russ

gman and hatidua: Don't mind anyone else having a latte or fishing little flies--you guys don't tell me I have to lay down my dynamite stick to join you. I do happen to be an enthusiast of the long rod and have 5 outfits from 4 weight through 12. I bought my first rig in 1957 and have a reputation as being an expert at catching highly selective largemouth bass over their spawning beds in small ranch ponds. Actually, you may enjoy the story of a trip I took to Wyoming with some South Texas Latino buddies of mine. One of the guys and I took time off from hunting biiiiiggg whitetails to go over to a bridge at an obscure river. There was a huge hatch of what I think were tiny midges going on and big trout were rising in the pool right by the freaking bridge. My buddy was throwing chunks of corn (enormously illegal) at them on the tip of a 2/0 hook and of course, nothing was happening. I did not have a flyrod. My friend was cursing up a storm and swatting the flies and said, "I might be able to catch some f*%king fish it weren't for all thes GD bugs getting in my nose." I told him, "Ray, there are people who would pay $5,000.00 to be here right now." He said, "If they were, I wish they had these f*%king bugs up their ass."

Fred: I'm glad you like contact with the fish. I like watching you having contact with the fish.

fishhead: I put guys who like to gaff big, green ling in the same category as the fringe group that hunt feral hogs by baiting a tree, climbing into it and jumping out to kill the boar with a Bowie knife.

Russ

Russ I really hope we eventually get to fish together, your a fun guy. I would however have to get you a Starbucks Latte ha ha no worries if you dont drink it. I will have both

[Uncle Russ]

gman: You and your boy are on the July trip aren't you? Or did I imagine that? I definitely would look forward to swapping stories with somebody who jigged up a marlin. I scored on a 10-pound blackfin on one trip.

Russ

[gman]

Originally Posted by Uncle Russ

gman: You and your boy are on the July trip aren't you? Or did I imagine that? I definitely would look forward to swapping stories with somebody who jigged up a marlin. I scored on a 10-pound blackfin on one trip.

Russ

ha ha That trip was probably up there as my favorite other than watching my son with the OB Tournament last year. We aren't on that trip, I am trying to get myself on the July 4th trip but we had "family" plans which really means no fishing family party