REVIEW: Smith Creek – Trash Fish

We all know fisherman love their accessories. This is especially true with fly fisherman who seem to have gadget to do almost everything. Many of these are fly fishing specific, but I recently came across a device that’s applicable to all anglers, regardless of fishing style or location, the Smith Creek Trash Fish.

INTRODUCTION/IMPRESSIONS

Whether your stalking a trout in a crystal creek or trolling for Murray Cod, leaders get worn and damaged. When it comes time to replacing these, I’m sure many of you have experienced the awkwardness of trying to stuff a coiled mess of monofilament into a jacket or bag pocket only to have it springing back out like a jack in the box.

This too was the problem for they guys at Smith Creek, so they invented the Trash Fish, a small lightweight gadget designed to hold and store waste monofilament/fluorocarbon.

APPLICATION

The Trash Fish is very easy to use, you simply hold it in one hand with your index finger along the length of the device, then loosely coil the waste line around both the device and your finger, remove your finger, grasp and pull the line under the tab to lock it place under a small section of high density foam.

When it comes time to remove the waste line, you simply grasp all the coils and pull it in the opposite direction freeing it from the device. Cutting these coils in half before disposing is recommended to minimize the potential impact to wildlife.

CONSTRUCTION & FINISH

You can see a great deal of thought has gone into the design of the Trash Fish. Constructed from a single folded piece of  marine grade anodized aluminum, the Trash Fish weighs next to nothing but is extremely strong for its size and thickness; Even with the folds and cutouts, it is very difficult to bend it out of shape.

Located in the fold is a small section of high density foam which is designed to hold the line in place until you reach an appropriate location for disposal. Located on the rear of the device is a small cutout which allows a knife or scissors to cut through the coils without damaging or scraping the anodized finish.

A small split ring and cord is attached in the top corner of the device which allows it to be connected to the angler via a number of means. I think the supplied cord is more of a decorative/demonstration feature, as its a little short to be useful. It would have been nice to see a longer cord from the factory to allow it to be tied onto a jacket or bag however many fly fisherman have pre-existing tool/gadget holders which the Trash Fish would fit right at home on so its not a major criticism.

IN THE FIELD

The Trash Fish is as easy to use in the field as it is on paper.

Its important to remember to coil the loops loosely to allow for easy removal at the end of the day.

Coiling the line onto the device is both quick and convenient and the high density foam does a good job of holding the coils in place without unraveling.

CONCLUSION

As anglers its our duty to leave the environment and our waterways in a better place than where we found them if we want future generations to enjoy the sport as much as we do.  The Trash Fish is just one simple tool that makes this easier.

PROS & CONS

WHERE TO BUY

The Trash Fish can be purchased online via the  Smith Creek website or alternatively through selected tackle stores, a list of stockists can be found here.