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New - the Dobson Cliplight! Introducing the handiest little light you'll ever see. These tiny lights clip on magnetically to your clothing and provide just the right amount of hands-free illumination for knot-tying when you're fishing at night. Click here to read more about it. |
$10.00 for two Plus $4.95 shipping
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The simple and effective way to manage your rod when you need an extra hand.
$14.95
INCLUDING ALL SHIPPING, HANDLING AND TAXES
SEE OUR FISHING PICTURES
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I've been a fly fisherman for thirty years or more and a catch and release advocate for almost as long. A problem that all catch and release fishermen encounter is what to do with their rod when both hands are needed to release a fish, especially if you want to take a picture too. The problem of handling a big fish to be released, the eight or nine feet of rod, protecting your expensive reel and with luck getting a great picture to preserve the memory seems like it requires more than two hands.
We have all had the problem and lost either the fish, the photo opportunity, busted a rod or at the very least filled the mechanism of our reel with dirt and grit. All this and if we are lucky we end up with a photo of a poorly handled fish that doesn't really show off the gear used to catch it. After years of accepting this as the price, willingly accepted, of catch and release fly-fishing I had a flash of insight. It happened while salmon fishing in Newfoundland. I was trudging up the path from the floatplane dock and paused to admire the beauty of the scene; a timber frame log cabin, a wilderness setting and hand hewn rod brackets placed in pairs six feet apart across the front porch. Those rustic rod holders are the hallmark of Eastern salmon camps. As I absorbed the scene I noticed that rods placed with the reel to the right of the bracket rested rod and tip in both brackets but rods placed with the reel to the left rested in only one bracket. The tips seemed to levitate a few inches above the other bracket.
As I thought about it I realized that I was carrying my rod the same way, finger and thumb at the balance point of the rod and the rest of my fingers barely cradling it. I think all fly-fishermen know instinctively where the balance point of their rigs is and use it when walking or holding their rods when stopped to chat or look over a pool.
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The clip was invented as a way to more responsibly handle a fish that is to be released. It does that. A couple of surprise benefits are that it also places tackle perfectly for photos while allowing you to minimize risk to the fish while posing. It allows you to leisurely sift through your fly box or even tie on a new leader without having to leave the water and find a place to sit and lean your rod. It works. It solves a problem. It might save a few fish. It doesn't clutter up your vest.
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$14.95
INCLUDING ALL SHIPPING, HANDLING AND TAXES
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The Dobson Clip is like your thumb and finger holding the rod at its balance point. The amount of force required to overcome the inertia of the long rod prevents sudden motion from dislodging the grip and the friction of the special foam pad prevents the rod sliding too far from the balance point to be steady. It works easily and naturally. Just slip the rod into the clip at its balance point, snug it up with your thumb and you now have a free hand to safely and expeditiously handle a fish. Your rod and reel are secure from being trampled, dropped or muddied too.
