Keeping Cane Fly Rods Looking Like New

I have spent many years using a product by the name of Novus. Many years ago I wrote an article for The Planing Form news letter on this particular line of products. Novus cleaners and polishes will clean water spots, clear up minor scratches, and maintain a clear conditioned finish on your rod sections and wraps. Originally this product was used for keeping aircraft cockpit canopies clear and conditioned. Over the years it has proved itself in many different categories when it comes to cleaning and conditioning both plastics and certain finishes. Polyurethane, spar, spar polyurethane, and even tung oil finishes benefit greatly when combined with a regular cleaning regimen using the Novus line. Graphite rods also benefit when using this product for cleaning and conditioning purposes.

~For general cleaning halfway through the fishing season use the #2“Fine Scratch Remover” followed by the #1“Plastic Clean and Shine”. Rub the compounds in lightly using an old t-shirt scrap or a soft cotton sheet swatch. Let each coat dry for about 90 seconds and wipe clean. If you have hard water marks that have accumulated on wraps or on rod sections use a rooster quill, bone burnisher, or smoothed toothpick and very gently rub the spot. Tip section wraps typically get the white residue after a season of use on the foot of the guides. You will see a chalky residue powder from the water spot release from the surface. Just wipe clean and use the “Plastic Clean and Shine” #1 for the final rub down. The results are quite remarkable and will keep your heavily used rods looking like new.

above: “Johnny Logan” 7' 4wt. and a 18" Mad River Brown July 12 2016, over a decade of very heavy use this rod has been pampered using the Novus regimen for quite some time.

The above picture is my own personal rod I made back in 2005 (same rod in first photo) and has been kept looking like new year after year. Over a decade later my trusty old 7' 4wt. “Johnny Logan” is still looking like new!

Hope this is helpful to all of you who have inquired about seasonal cleaning.
~Clint Joseph Bova

Slow Water Caddis Emerger

The Caddis emerger is a very important part of the trouts diet. During this life stage the Caddis is especially vulnerable to the elements and is easy prey thus making it very attractive to these very energy conscious fish. The insect is just about ready to break free of its nymphal shuck and the count down for its launch sequence begins with a few wiggles. I have always been looking for a great surface fly that mimics these little beauties. For a few years now I have gotten a lot of use of this little emerger pattern that tends to out fish most of my other emerger patterns even when there is no discernible hatch. This is a great pattern for super finicky Brown trout. I have fooled many fish with this pattern and with the right combination of materials it is a pattern that stays floating even in fast water for a long time. With the use of TMC's Aero Wing material (extended shuck) the fly is a great floater. The fibers are not only fine but hollow keeping the fly float...

CB's Japanese Beetles

above photo: Provided by Debbi T. Walker an Ohio Photographer. Debbi is a talented outdoor photographer who loves to take pictures of insects, animals, and landscapes and often shoots photography around the Mad River and Cedar Bog. In the heat of the summer many fish hunker down during the day and will pass up the occasional Caddis, midge, or ant floating overhead. Often fish conserve energy for a larger more nourishing food item. During the summer months fish want to conserve energy and exert themselves only for the most significant meal. This is called the “Pounds Per Meat Law” again the least amount of energy is expelled for the most nourishment possible. This should be the mid-summer mantra for both fishers and fish! Large ants are another food item that fish will come off of the bottom for during the midday sun and heat. Japanese Beetles are one of those items on the surface menu that will spark a fishes interest when nothing ...

The Four Season Emerger

Fellow fly fishers ask me all the time what kind of “staple” emerger pattern I use so I decided to share my “Four Season Emerger” pattern. The following is a simple emerger pattern that I use season after season. This fly is very durable, very convincing, and the TMC 212Y hook is a perfect canvas for this style fly. The Four Season Emerger Thread: Veevus 14/0 Hook: TMC 212Y 14-22 Wing: CDC natural or desired tint Body: Dyed Peacock quill Dubbing: (Thorax) Beaver Belly w/guard hairs Legs: Knotted dyed Pheasant tail (double knotted) Varnish: SH Hard as Nails You can tie this up as a midge, mayfly, or even caddis imitation depending on your proportions and material selections. First create a body on a TMC 212Y sizes #14-22 by winding a stripped and dyed peacock quill. Varnish with 2 coats of SH Hard as Nails. After your bodies have dried tie in some knotted pheasant tail. Notice the two knotted strands, two legs on both sides of the hook. Dub over your thr...

SHOP NOTES | C.J. BOVA RODS

Search This Blog