Slowing Down

[TimMurphy]

Dear Rolf,

Maybe your preferences have changed over the years but you have to admit that you really don't own any "clunky" bamboo rods.

Everything you own was a fine casting rod back in it's day and it ain't like any of them are worn out. You and I both know that bamboo doesn't wear out.

I know it sounds like poetic BS but a lot of people haven't had the opportunity to cast a quality bamboo rod that does the work for you. I know you know what I mean when I say that.

It's kind of like Ty Webb and Danny Noonan in "Caddyshack." Like Ty says, "See the ball, be the ball, Larry, err, Lonny!"

Regards,
Tim Murphy

 

[lestrout]

Rolf - have your tastes in wine and tobacco also evolved as you gravitated to slower rods? I started with glass back before graphite existed, and after a wonderful (relatively fast) SciAng System 4 (used a JKennedy Fisher blank), moved on to cane for my trouting pretty quickly. Graphite came later, and I did embrace hundreds of them.

When I am in a cane mood, I need a relatively windless day (not a typical summer afternoon on the Madison when the hoppers are bouncing off your hat in the wind). When I feel the Karma, Zen, and mojo of the trouts, I reach for cane - that is to say, most times out here in the East.

People keep talking about fast vs. slow - I think more in terms of pushing the rod vs. letting it do the work. Can you envision using a tackhammer to drive a wood splitting wedge? When I'm in an aggressive point'n shoot mentality, nothing like a speedy Sage, Loomis or Gatti. But then I sacrifice flies, hookups, and ffish retention - my percentage of landed trouts definitely drops with the faster stuff.

As for those who point to the 'cost' of cane, the per-use cost of many canes is zero or less, since there is an ample seconday market for pre-owned (or even used) quality bamboo. The same can be said for very few sticks of the plastic persuasion (maybe the odd Russ Peak or San Francisco Winston glass and 1st generation graphite, or, in uninflated dollars, early Fenwicks).

tl
les

 

[Maurice]

Here is my take on all this hub ubba bub....I have gravitated to the thought that I can pitch just about any fly into any lie with any lever ranging from a plastic to bamboo to a broomstick. When I fish, I just want to get it there, I don't care what I'm using, I just try to adjust so it is functional. I guess I prefer faster rods as the slower ones don't throw the fly there like I like it to. But I still use slow rods. because sometimes the conditions warrant a slow rod. So in additon to what I want to cast, I guess the conditions dicate a bit of my choice. In fact I know they do. Like now Its all slow rods for delicate presentations on low clear conditions. If the water is pumping and I am throwing weight I want a stiff piece of plastic to chuck and duck. To me the rod is just a tool. like a hammer or a drill, I could care less what the name is on it or whether is fits the project perfectly, You just adjust and get over it.

I think the slowing down malarky is more chronological than it is a refinement of ones senses toward flyfishing, wine or good cigars....yer gittin' old folks. :lol:

Thats all I have to say about that....

 

[lestrout]

Ah - but to a musician creating fine music, his/her tool is an instrument. Thus it is so with fly rods.

Ever try to mend a line or roll cast or roll pickup with a broomstick? I know you can sorta double haul with one, however.

tl
les

 

[JackM]

Have you ever tried to play Reveille on a tuba?

 

[Rolf]

JackM wrote:
Have you ever tried to play Reveille on a tuba?

Jack please send more towels immediately! There is coffee all over the computer screen. THANK YOU!!!

Rolf