Best Stripping Guards
Stripping guards can be worn by any type of fishermen, but fly fishermen will definitely receive the most benefits. In fact, we would consider stripping guards to be one of the most underrated items in the fly fisherman's repertoire.
Stripping guards are pretty simple. They cover your fingers, usually the index and middle fingers, allowing your line to move freely over your fingers without causing any sort of cuts or abrasion. There are different types and styles, but they all hold the same principle.
Stripping guards can also be good for the line, as some stripping guards will actually condition the line, and at the very least, the guards will clean the line of any salt and dirt without destroying your fingers.
Flannelfishermen and his team will get straight to our review of the best stripping guards in the section below. Underneath that, we will provide a little more information about stripping guards in general, when they should be used, and how they differ from fishing gloves.
Reviews - Best Stripping Guards
- Basic
- Mid-Range
- High-End
Pros
- Can be worn on left or right hand
- Adjustable elastic band and Velcro design
- Superior protection of index finger
- Neoprene material
- Very affordable
Cons
- Only protects index finger
- Break in period to regain feel for line
General Consensus
This is a different take on stripping guards, whereby you actually use a strap around your wrist, and the guard extends down your index finger. If your index finger is all you need to protect, then this is a pretty cool design, but if you need multiple fingers protected, you will have to look for a different design.
The material is neoprene, which is highly popular among any water sport. It incorporates non-slip technology so you don't have to keep adjusting it while fishing, and the finger tip where the line runs over is quite thick and very protective.
The trade-off here with the better finger protection is less feel for the line. This means there is a break-in period to regain that feel for the line, or at least gain a better sense of the force you're applying compared to bare hands, and how much tension there is on the line.
Overall, this is a cool design for stripping guards, and it is certainly effective in protecting your index finger, but again, that's all it will protect. The break-in period can be a bit of a pain, but usually this is resolved after one good day of casting.
Why do you need stripping guards?
Unless your hands are torn to shreds, stripping guards won't change your chances of landing a nice trophy, so we don't consider them to be absolutely necessary. However, they certainly can enhance the overall experience of casting your line, especially if you have been fly fishing more often than usual.
As most fly anglers know, lots of casting will eventually lead to cuts and nicks from the line. When it can really be a problem for some anglers is when they attempt to set the hook and slice their fingers on the line, or when fighting a large fish that requires lots of patience and feel for the line.
So why not just just wear gloves or fashion your own stripping guards from material you might have around the house? Both of these are certainly legitimate options; however, many anglers avoid gloves because they still want some feel for the line, and some actually find them too heavy to warrant prolonged use in the water. As for creating your own stripping guards, this is definitely possible and can help protect your fingers, but the material that companies use is often good for you line, as it can clean and condition in while you cast and retrieve.
Healing Hand Cream for Anglers
We're going to go slightly off topic here and suggest one item that could be really worthwhile if you think you still prefer to go bare-handed when fly fishing. A relative got me this O'Keeffe's Working Hands healing hand cream after I had spent a weekend removing shrubs from a neighbors property, and it was actually awesome. I don't use it often, but it's great to have around the house. I find I don't usually use it during the day, but instead, I put some on at night while I sleep, and boom - healed! A bonus is that it doesn't smell at all either. I haven't used this after fishing yet, but the way my hands and forearms looked after removing shrubs, I think it will do just fine.
O'Keeffe's Working Hands - Hand Cream
Conclusion
At the end of the day, stripping guards aren't absolutely necessary, but at such a low cost and small footprint, they can be really handy items to have if you want to prevent cuts and scrapes from your line, while also cleaning your line in the process. It would be a stretch to say this will make you catch more and bigger fish. Instead, you could think of stripping guards as contributing to an overall great fishing experience!
