Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Jason Knight on July 12, 2009 at 5:41am

Bryan,
I used stainless screws (2) per horn. I also glued them to the brace with epoxy. You would have to break the brace to get the horns off now... I then used fillet to cover the screw holes - so I was left with a nice little contrasting dot instead of a screw head.

Here are a couple pics.

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Permalink Reply by Dave Z on July 12, 2009 at 7:59am

Jason, has the boat gotten wet yet??????

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Permalink Reply by Randy Dersham on July 12, 2009 at 8:40am

If you use epoxy as Jason did there is no chance that the horn will split off of the knee brace before the knee brace will break. It is very strong.

It is traditional to put the horns in a straight line across the knee brace which could allow you to cover the screws with the fly line deck cleat.

I prefer to tilt the inside edges of the horns up a little bit as Jason did. The reason is that the two screws not being in line have a less likely chance to split the knee brace if someone decides to sit on the horn. It also allows then to be moved farther apart if you choose, and I like the look of the curved knee brace with a "curved" or implied curve of the horns.

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Permalink Reply by Bryan McDade on July 12, 2009 at 9:24am

Thanks you all very much, very helpful with pics too! I will use the stainless screws with epoxy, and no the boat has not gotten wet yet only for the lack of me finding a trailer. I think that one is solved so the maiden voyage will be in late July. It will be on the Rogue or possibly the Chetco if you guys are familiar with those rivers. Wonder if there are many summer steelhead on the upper Rogue as I have never fished it? Once again thanks for all your help, would have been lost without it.

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Permalink Reply by Karl Mueller on July 13, 2009 at 10:31am

Ok guys--I just used stainless screws on mine. Five plus years and still going strong. No offense to anyone but of something is going on strong enough to break the stainless screws, shouldn't the passenger be seated?

Oh, I guess I should have read further . . . then again, sitting on the horn is one way to get dropped off on the shore or never invited back. Every trip I give folks the these are not a seat speech. That works too and they are easier to remove that way.

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Permalink Reply by Dave Z on July 13, 2009 at 5:46pm

I actually have two casting braces for my boat.

One with horns, one without. I use the one with horns when its me and a buddy fishing. When its me and the kids, I put the horn-less one in. They are less apt to knock their heads on it.

Actually, I left the brace without horns in the boat one day we did a bass float on flat, moving water. My buddy and I agreed that without the horns was actually a benefit- No fly line got caught on them.

I use no glue or epoxy on the knee lock to brace. no reason, but I just think it is overkill. A couple big honkin screws do the job.

We also started fly fishing seated more often. It actually is quite effective. no knee locks, and is great for attractor fishing in moving water.

Good luck.

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