My 7-wt was a fun find! One late night in December we randomly went to K-Mart in West Omaha. As is customary with me, I drag the wife to the fishing section. The fly-fishing selections in stores out here are pretty slim pickin's, at best!
Just so happened, I saw a "longer" rod in the rod selection. So I hunted a little more to find that it was a Berkley 7 foot 7-wt fly rod. I quickly began drooling over the $20 find. Well, we walked out with the rod and now it was time to find a 7-8 wt. reel. Off to Cabela's!!!
Got a nice reel and some good line (all more $$$ than the rod) and we were in business.
So we went fishing on a cold evening last week. The wife picked out here fly and I tied it on. She was in business. I went and strung up the 7-wt with a new size 6 jig fly... I was looking for bass and crappie.
The wife got into fish right away and was constant till the sun went down. That little size 12 foam spider had a fish on it the entire time.
I was trying to get my fly far up into the spillway and I kept hanging up in the bushes behind me. My casts were shoddy at best. I finally realized that I was fishing a rod 2 feet shorter than normal. I thought I was good at this point... Nope!
My cast kept falling short. I was casting a wet noodle! My rod was flimsy as could be. So, now I needed to slow my cast down. After the wife's 20th fish, I finally hooked a crappie. Got it close and he came off.
The wife managed about 30 bluegill in an hour. I got 3 crappie to hand. Didn't manage any crappie. The last 10 minutes of light I was throwing a larger foam spider just so I could know that I can catch fish.
I decommissioned the 7 wt that night for a time. Great reel and line... just can't see the need (now) for a short 7 wt rod. Maybe I will reconsider. The rod is off to a friends home to spend a few weeks. He like the slower action rods; maybe it will be a fit for his fancy.
Till next time, Durangler
1 comment:
Hey, if that 7 footer isn't working out for you keep an eye out at your local Walmart (if you have one close). Around here they have had their 8 weight Scientific Anglers rods on clearance. I saw them for $21, and I heard at some places they are down to $13. They have ceramic stripping guides, 9 foot length, and the action is probably somewhere in the medium-fast range. Anyway, I may see if I can find any left for $13, at that price I don't think I would need permission, hah.
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