Month: March 2005

Fishy Smells – Get Rid of Them

The Number 1 Question Asked on This Site!
Fishing Smells – how do you get rid of them?

The smell of fish and fishing really gets some people going – and at the risk of being sexist it is usually at its most strident when female partners are involved in the discussions.

Getting the smell off hands, etc is best done with any lemon scented soap or a mild dose of lemon detergent. Clothes are best attacked with good old NappiSan or any oxygen bleach, give them a soak first.

But the very best thing of all for removing fishy smells from body, boat, clothes and children is “Simple Green”. It can take a bit of finding, but it does a great job.

Trout fishermen are well advised to take a small flask of Simple Green in their fly fishing vest – it gets rid of the smell and residue of insect repellant and sunscreen – both of which you don’t want on your flies or leaders.

Just One Other Thing (And it Is Important):

If you are preparing fish to eat and it has a strong fishy smell, it means the fish has not been cared for properly, and it is unfit for consumption – see this and this

Posted by Tony Bishop in Articles and stories on fishing in general

Belt Up When Wading

In your book “Fishing Smarter for Trout”, chapter on Night Fishing , page 125, You mention wearing a tight belt around the outside of your waders. Why? The book that spawned the question : Fishing Smarter for Trout

My First answer:

Wearing a belt round waders helps stop water running into your waders when you first fall in, in a river. If you do get washed away after you fall in the air trapped in the waders will greatly help to keep you afloat. Then you can concentrate on getting and keeping your feet facing downstream, and moving yourself as quickly as possible to shore by moving across the flow, (never try to go up against the flow).

The next question:

Thanks for your reply, it created quite a good discussion and questions at work regarding the use of a belt with waders for safety reasons. We agree with your idea of using a belt if one is wearing PVC type waders. But if the fisherman were wearing the Neoprene type, would he still need to use a belt? I was under the impression that these Neoprene waders float no matter what, possibly a wrong assumption.

Next answer:

Your comments about PVC or Gortex type waders are spot on – you should always wear a belt with these waders. In fact the better quality waders of this type come with a belt built in.
Neoprene does float, but its ability to support the body depends on the amount of clothes the dunkee is wearing. In any event it is not the floatation that is usually the most pressing issue – but safety from getting knocked about on rocks, trees, etc. Waders full of water make movement in the water very difficult indeed. It is imperative that you try and keep your feet pointing downstream, to avoid being hit in the head on rocks, tree trunks, etc. Anything that hinders this is not good. Secondly when you get back to the shallows trying to climb out of the river with waders full of water is very difficult. You can minimise all these problems by wearing a belt.

Posted by Tony Bishop in fly fishing how-to