FRAS

I have found that guitars are of much greater use back at camp than out on the river.  If you play well enough, people won't mind you doing it to have music while they go about the camp chores.

Zurf, buying a new fly rod is a noble undertaking, but fraught with danger. Does the wife know?

I own 11 fly rods, including a very early split cane that I reworked, and spent many hours rebuilding. Spent a fortune, over time, and now, I barely fish with it. It's an 8 footer, 5 weight, three piece, finished in dark brown wrappings with a tasteful gold trim. I barely fish with it because it is so beautiful to look at and I'm afraid of breaking it. When I do take it out on a stream, it actually will draw a crowd of envious anglers.

Truth be told, it has an awfully slow action, and your cast timing had better adjust, or man, can you look foolish in a big hurry.

Congrats on the new rods.
Tight lines!!

Yes, I understand that, Zurf. My cane rod is used sparingly, mostly for little "specks" when I venture north. The little trout I'm talking about are generally in the 10-16 inch size range. Great fun and they are very willing to take a dry fly. The slow action of the cane rod is very good for soft presentation of dries, but terrible in the wind. I never fish my can rod in canopy-covered streams. My favourite place is to stand atop a beaver dam and fish the pool above.

I still love it.

zurf,
So what your saying is you moved beyond the Zebco 33?
dj

Nope.  I still use Zebco push-button spincasting reels with my daughters.  My youngest has terrific aim with her ScoobyDoo rod.  I tried to give her a better quality rod last year and she wanted to stick with ScoobyDoo.  I've got a few rods rigged up for kids and take the neighborhood girls out on the rare afternoons there isn't something else scheduled.  One time I had to stop at a discount clothing store and then over to a friends house because in the time it took me to help out my eldest daughter, the youngest and two of her friends were sitting in mud with the water up to their armpits and laughing their fool heads off.  It's a good thing they had to sit in booster seats or they'd have ruined my truck's bench seat.  It was a little awkward sending them home in different clothes and telling their parents that they'd get the regular clothes and shoes back after I got the laundry done.  The parents, knowing that we are a safe family, had no problems with me giving them baths at my friend's house and providing a change of warm, dry clothes.  The moms weren't so keen on me traipsing little mud-demons through Gabriel Brothers, though, especially when I told them that I bumped into our pastor while we were there.  My friend's wife helped with the baths to keep everyone's reputation intact. 

- Zurf

edited by Zurf for clarity.