[Jim Eddie]

Anyone use a stripping basket ? I always thought it was agood idea for bank fishing particularly in some more overgrown loacations where your fly line is attacted to every blade of grass, also for Salt water fly fishing where rocks will trash your fly line.

I've just been to lazy to lbuy one and lug it around. However I saw the William Josefph Stripping basket , its like a wading belt but has a stripping basket you can fold away when not in use. Anyway the wife and kids have just bough me one for fathers day (they just don't know it yet) 

http://www.hartflyshop.com/william-joseph-stripping-basket_2170_1222.htm

 

Jim

[Barry Robertson]

That looks posh Jim, i might have to have one of those  

[Ben Dixon]

Hi Jim,

I do not know what it is called but, the best line holder I have come across is on which can be strapped to your thigh (or waist) that is composed of a semi rigid flat plastic base and has soft PVC "spikes" sticking up from it, strapped to my thigh it can be positioned to catch the line as I strip, does not obstruct my haul or movement and the spikes seem to prevent tangles, I must get one form somewhere!  I think Magnus should be able to tell you what it is called.  I own one of the collapsable foam jobs, not used it much as it is a bit cumbersome.

Cheers

Ben

[Jim Eddie]

Hi Ben

Thats the flexi stripper promoted originally by Carl Hutchison , I have heard nothing but good reports on it.
 

Jim 

[Rob Brownfield]

I have used a stripping basket years, but I have no idea why..it caused more problems than it solved..BUT..thats because I dont have one suitable for what I really need one for, ie, off the rocks or Pike fishing.

Basically, the one I have is too small for use when stripping lures. If I wear it on my waist it gets in the way so most of the time I wear it low down, almost on my thighs, and to the left.

Having said all that, for fishing with buzzers and nymphs I really should use it as for that its great.

For use with lures it would appear the favoured basket is a small laundry or shopping basket with a dozen of so holes drilled in the bottom and 100-150lb nylon line "spikes" inserted to stop the fly line catching.

Have a look at this informative video.

[esoxfly]

Hi Jim,

I have the William Joseph one but haven't used it yet.  It's a really nice quality piece of kit 

I wanted it for Pike fly-fishing from bank and boat.  I bought it after nearly coming a cropper with a couple of pike in Sweden last year.  The boat I was in was not a traditional sit-down loch-style job but one where you stand in the front to cast and fish.  The line had a habit of getting caught on every catch, latch, bag, buckle, etc. in the boat!    This ruined several well timed casts but more importantly caused problems when largish pike grabbed the fly and made off!  A bit scary and not good for the line!

 
Chris

[Iain Goolager]

I have a stripping basket - well more of a 'pop open money belt'. I 've had it for years but only used it a couple of times.

It doesn't sit that well and if it's a windy day then it's easier to get an eel into an ale bottle than drop the line into it.
But it's handy for the running line when using a shootin ead on the banks of the Don and I blessed it when fishing buzzers ,wading on a loch, with a wind from behind.

It's just a case of finding the right one, but they have their place.

Iain