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mikechell

Stripping guards

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Does anyone else use these?

 

 

I almost always "strip set" when I get a strike, and I used to burn my finger, especially when I miss the hook set. Ever since I found these, it hasn't happened. I'll never fish without them again, unless something better is out there.

 

 

No, I am not flipping anyone off ... just showing where the line lies. So, is there anything better, other than whole gloves?

 

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I make my own, but I'm with you, I wont fish without them anymore...

 

I have the "stripee" as well, and its not a good fit for my fingers (I bought the biggest one they had even)... It also retains water all day, and if its cold that keeps your fingers cold all day too. As far as it cleaning or conditioning your line, the fuzzy bit also retains mud, sand and grime spreading that across your line. I wasn't a fan of them myself.

 

I carry 2-3 of the little sleeves with me and swap them out when my finger starts to get cold, or after I've dunked it. They dry out in the pocket pretty fast and ready to be swapped back into rotation throughout the day.

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I've been looking round as the sand and salt leaves me with blistered and cut fingers but I'm not sure the tubi grip type guards will solve the issue or simply trap more grit against my skin. I've found the SealSkin waterproof gloves to be the best thing so far but they dont stay waterproof when hooks go near them .

I have been looking at Buff wear gloves but the stock in UK seems very limited.

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Just about everybody I fish with uses a two-handed retrieve, (salt water) so guards aren't necessary, but when it's cold, I fish with fingerless woolen gloves without any problems - you could cut the fingertips off a jogging glove or a driving glove and it should work OK. Cold shouldn't be an issue in Florida.

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I use the same ones as Mike. I go through several of them a year. Between textured line, big fish (sometimes), and long days of fishing, I wont go without them.

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I use the Stripee myself and have for the past 5-6 years. They do fit tight like mentioned but I like the fact it fits nice and snug. The felt pad on them is simple to dunk and rinse off so holding mud is no issue. Something like a stripee or some type of finger guard is a "must" if using streamer type lines and the weather is warm because it's real easy to get line cuts on your fingers during the summer with bare fingers.

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So, is there anything better, other than whole gloves?

 

Stop moisturizing your hands so much?

 

I've always seen these advertised and thought they were for the guy that fly fishes a couple times a year... surprised to see some die-hards have a problem with it. I fish a SA sharkskin line and haven't had any issues, Feathercraft even warns you to use the guards with it. I think my hands see a bit more regular abuse than normal people's do, so that may be a factor.

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Well, I've always said, I use cheap equipment. I am getting a fly rod, soon, that will require me to drop the "always" from that line, but for now it fits.

Maybe higher priced lines don't burn when pull through the groove in your finger.

Maybe I am just being wimpy.

But snatching a few feet of line through the groove in my finger without the guard, hurts. I'll take the finger guards over the "carpet burn" any day.

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Maybe higher priced lines don't burn when pull through the groove in your finger.

 

No they all do burn no matter if they are cheap or high dollar. Keep in mind it depends on the conditions as well as style of fishing too. If your in a cooler climate and fishing small streamers with a slower strip pause retrieve then you don;t have much to worry about. But if you fish streamers like I do in warmer weather (cuts&burns are made on skin easier when the weather is warmer) and your aggressively stripping the line at a high rate of speed (I use the jerk strip method) then it's not even the hook set that cuts your finger, its the constant stripping of the line at speed across the same spot over and over again over an 8hr day that cuts into ya.

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I've never seen these before, I finally bought some gloves because of the "burn" but dont wear them on hot days. What a great idea, ill have to grab some of these. Thanks guys.

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Maybe higher priced lines don't burn when pull through the groove in your finger.

 

The sharkskin line feels like 200 grit sandpaper. It is the most I've ever spent on a line.

 

Maybe I am just being wimpy.

 

You are. Man up. And stop using that Lippa tool to "protect" the fish and just admit you're scared to touch them...

 

 

When you guys strip line, do you relax your stripping finger momentarily? That's what I do, then snap it tight at the end of the strip. Maybe that's how I can get away with it. If I was keeping tension I could see how it would burn...

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Maybe higher priced lines don't burn when pull through the groove in your finger.

 

The sharkskin line feels like 200 grit sandpaper. It is the most I've ever spent on a line.

 

Maybe I am just being wimpy.

 

You are. Man up. And stop using that Lippa tool to "protect" the fish and just admit you're scared to touch them...

 

 

When you guys strip line, do you relax your stripping finger momentarily? That's what I do, then snap it tight at the end of the strip. Maybe that's how I can get away with it. If I was keeping tension I could see how it would burn...

 

 

Im not sure what kind of fish you fish for but regardless of the line you can get your fingers tore up pretty good from burns. In MI I primarily fish predator fish (aka Musky) and when a 50" Musky grabs your fly and runs its no joke. I had the same experience in Florida with "fast" fish like Spanish Macks, Bluefish, etc.

 

I will say your hands can get conditioned to it to help (aka calluses) but I still have had line burn through and cut me. I always have some tension on line so I can quickly strip set when I get a grab. Without tension I would most likely miss the fish.

 

To each there own! If you can fish sharkskin without em' more power to ya! That stuff is like sandpaper, no doubt there.

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Can't remember how many anglers fishing fly with me end up with cuts on their stripping fingers by the end of a hard day's action. I keep both band-aids and sport wrap on board for just this purpose. Savvy anglers bring their own finger guards.... I wish I could say that such small injuries were because of big fish -but most will never, ever use a fly rod as much where they usually fish than they will in a day in the 'Glades or a night around bridges and docklights over in Biscayne Bay. Your hands are continually wet which softens the skin and eventually most will begin to wear through that outer layer.

 

I want my anglers in good shape for that one fish where stripping and setting the hook means everything.... There are quite a few products out there from stripping gloves that protect thumb and first two fingers on your weak hand (the stripping hand) or just small finger tubes that give the same protection. Once you try them you'll always want them with you when you're going to be working a rod continuously for hours....

 

tight lines

Bob LeMay

(954) 435-5666

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