How we 'look' at fly rods...

[GRN]

I'm stealing this idea from a thread on another board... thought it was kind of an interesting idea...

I have a few rods that I have very real attachment to, and some that have captured my curiosity... and thinking about it I tend to quietly describe them from an emotional perspective to myself... not so much a classification of character, more about the relationship (man, you can tell it's the middle of winter, eh?).

790 SP, my first real love in fly rods, has showed me so many things, and caught so many beautiful fish... my last and only remaining 2pc (graphite anyway), a lifetime rod.

586-4 SLT, my go to, like a best friend who you know so well you never have to think about your interaction, everything is automatic, smooth, it just is... the friend you like to have with you when you have no idea what you might be getting into.

690-4 SLT, another best friend, similar to his little brother but more robust in situations that call for a more bold approach.

8'6"4wt BIIx, a very dynamic and exciting affair, surprising, blows me away every time I use it. Sometimes it feels like I have fished it forever, sometimes it allows me to do things I don't expect to pull off... probably one of the very best all around trout rods every built.

389-5 (and previously a 389-4) SLT, my meditation, my mentor of 'smooth', a bit fickle but gracious beyond any other to date.

376-3 SP, elegant, soft spoken and delicate, but yet dynamic... a strange fit, somewhere in between.

6'6" 3wt Double L, my new curiosity, very three dimensional characteristics for a short light line rod... and the first departure from 'premium' genes in many years.

I have unfortunately created a void regarding glass and boo in the current collection, but like all things that will eventually change again. The rest of the pile in comparison to those above are just some very nice fishing 'poles'.

I look forward to targeting a lot of my time on the water this year to the lighter line rods... and still have to figure out what gaps to explore with my pro form this year (2 rods)... Thinking of giving the Z-Axis another try in a different 5 or 6 wt config., and a ZXL, probably a 480... then there is that whole spey thing... there are much worse things to lose sleep over ;-)

TL's~

[fysh]

Man this is "waaaaayyy" to deep for me. lol

[Joni]

Okay, every time I get a new rod, I am in love with it, but me changing and rods changing it is hard to keep that flame going so to speak. here goes with just a few
My first real love Trident "TL" 9'6" 6wt. This rod got a lot of flack because they pushed the anti dampening handle thing. Stupid plan, but none the less the rod WAS (it was stolen 2 yrs ago) my zen, my mojo, part of me.
Now the Zero is like the teenager striving for acceptance and doing a very good job
T3, that is my bull dog, tip flex, musclerod
BIIx fastly winning me over as a do anything rod
All the full flex including glass, are my strutting rods. When I just want to relax, and "Flick"
BAMBOO, wel unlike Rodney, it gets full respect. It is like MOM. She would do anything for me, but I know to give the TLC back.

Interesting post GRN....I....LIKE IT

[Kai]

My first fly rods were all graphite.

They are fun, but I never really became attached to them. They were tools to get the job done. Some worked better than others.

Then, I started fishing bamboo. I've developed a much more emotional attachment to bamboo rods. I love it that a bamboo rod is made by hand, specifically for me, by a craftsman who pours his talents and time into creating a wonderful fishing implement, and when he's finally done, he writes his name on it. Bamboo rods are beautiful, and each one has a truly unique casting personality, and learning the variations of each rod is a real pleasure. I don't really remember which graphite rod I was using when thinking back on my early fishing trips, but my boo rods are all so unique, that the casting, fighting, and landing experience of each of the various rods is more memorable.

Each bamboo rod I own was commissioned with a particular piece of water in mind (and has the name of that place written on it by the maker,) so I associate each rod with one of my favorite fishing spots.

Here are a couple of my boos (my "White River" rod, and my "Weminuche" rod)




(my first quad rod)



(This rod is just plain beautiful. The fact that it casts so smoothly makes me love it all the more.)

[GRN]

Originally Posted by fyshstykr

Man this is "waaaaayyy" to deep for me. lol

Cluck!

[fysh]

yup!