Gifted three rods!

[The_Sasquatch]

A lady I work with has an elderly father who fly fishes hardcore. He's getting to the point where he can't fish anymore, and no one in his family fly fishes. This Christmas he gave me a 6.5' Berkley Parametric Delux fiberglass rod and a Heddon reel.

Last week my coworker said he had more stuff to give me if I go over to his house. I made the trip today and it definitely paid off.

H gifted me TWO classic Fenwick fiberglass rods. The first one is a 6.5" 5/6 weight (since this is the second 6.5' he gave me, I asked if I could give the Berkley to my dad, who lost a 6' rod last summer. He was more than happy to let me do that).

The second is a 7.5' 6 weight. I got to try both of them today and they cast amazingly! I love these old glass rods.

The third rod he gave me is a 9' 5 weight that he built. I was just shopping for a 9' 5 weight as I need one, but now I don't have to buy one! The blank was unmarked and he couldn't even remember the brand, but the rod is just awesome. I fished with it a bit today before the hurricane. I never had a rod cast so easily. Its pretty cool that he built it. He said he never even used it.

Good gifts. I feel honored that he's passing this stuff onto me. I barely know him, but he wants the stuff to go to someone who he knows will use it faithfully!

 

[thebassman]

score!! Have fun with the new gear

 

[The_Sasquatch]

I'm really glad to finally have a 9' 5 weight.

 

[NCPAtrtbum]

Sounds awesome man. Those Fenwick glass rods are great, have fun with 'em.

 

[The_Sasquatch]

I lied. The one is a 6' 6 weight and its a Phillipson, not a Fenwick.

 

[WildTigerTrout]

Phillipson made some of the finest fiberglass rods of the period. What model is it? I have a DF 76 "Swamp Fox" made in 1971. I love it. Great dry fly rod. Enjoy your new rod I think you'll like it. BTW Cortland's Classic Sylk line works great on fiberglass rods.

 

[David]

Nice of him to pass them on. And great job appreciating what you received. Too many people seem to feel entitled these days...glad to see someone shoe true appreciation!
Maybe try to take this man with you on an outing....sounds like ha would have some great stories to tell.

 

[bikerfish]

Shhhh! No more talk of fiberglass, prices are already high enough!! LOL!

 

[KeithS]

Nice of him to pass them on. And great job appreciating what you received. Too many people seem to feel entitled these days...glad to see someone shoe true appreciation!
Maybe try to take this man with you on an outing....sounds like ha would have some great stories to tell.

He's dead...

 

[David]

So he's gifting from the grave...neat trick!

 

[The_Sasquatch]

The Fenwick is a FF75.
The Phillipson is an EF60.

He didn't gift from the grave, he gave them to me 'cause he's starting to get to the point where he can't fish as much. He kept one rod, a Sage 9' (which he said I'll get one day haha!), and his tying supplies, but he feels like that's all he's gonna need from here on out.

We're working on a day trip to Penn's Creek where he's had a cabin for a long time. He already started to tell me stories (including one that includes Eisenhower possibly using a fly he tied!). He's a good guy and very generous. I definitely couldn't feel entitled to this stuff. Like I said, I barely know him! I work w/ his daughter, that's the only connection to this guy. Pretty amazing. I'm very very grateful.

 

[The_Sasquatch]

PS-thanks for the tip on the Cortland Sylk. He gave me a Heddon 320 for Christmas that I want to put sylk line on. I think I'll spool it w/ 6 weight (since one rod is a 5/6 and the other is a 6). That will be my glass rod reel.

 

[gfen]

Sylk isn't silk. Its plastic like every other modern line out there.

However, its thinner than most PVC lines, so it goes through winky little old guides better.

 

[The_Sasquatch]

ahhh gotcha. I just bought 6 weight "whatever's on sale today" line, for now. I don't have a lot of cash to work with, so I gotta save up for $50 line.

Plus I need new waders.

 

[afishinado]

The_Sasquatch wrote:

...Good gifts. I feel honored that he's passing this stuff onto me. I barely know him, but he wants the stuff to go to someone who he knows will use it faithfully!

Nice! You have big shoes to fill, Sasquatch... ;-)

 

[The_Sasquatch]

They don't call me Bigfoot for nuthin'!

 

[The_Sasquatch]

I just casted the Phillipson for the first time. I put my Heddon on it, which is currently loaded w/ 3 weight. I was afraid it would be well underweighted, but it casted REALLY nicely. I got a few 20' casts out of it before having to go back to work. I'm really surprised, even w/ the lighter line, how nice it handled!

 

[bikerfish]

philipsons are awesome rods. took me quite a few years to find one cheap enough for my tastes. I fish it quite a bit. congrats on the great rods, get them out on the water and let them do what they were built to do!

 

[The_Sasquatch]

I used the 9' hand made rod (its graphite) two weekends ago. I have NEVER had a nicer casting rod. The guy I was fishing with kept making comments about how nice my casts are. The caddis fly literally floated down to the surface of the water in slow motion. I could only credit the rod!

I haven't used the other two yet, the glass rods. Looking forward to taking the 6' up into the mountains for brookies.