What has been your best purchase toward ff and why?
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What has been your best purchase toward ff and why?
You mean after the first rod, reel and line??? Best money spent??That's easy...
Lessons with a professional.
You need the rod, reel and line to participate...BUT catching fish isn't really about the kind of gear you have...it's knowledge that gets you in the game. All the rest of the hardware is just fluff to make one feel better.
garb72,
For me I think my best purchase in the world of fly fishing has been my membership in the Federation of Fly Fishers (FFF).
I have my Sage rods and my Orvis reels and all the other neat little things that we just have to have, but my FFF membership has opened so many doors to different worlds for me. I am retired and my whole retirement is based on fly fishing, fly tying and working as a volunteer for the FFF.
Larry ---sagefisher---
Well, I have bought way to much stuff this year, as I have just got started. Waders, vest, 3wt fly rod from albright, and I ordered a Peak tying vise, but it isnt here yet, and a ODC classic. I'd have to say though the best money I have spent, was when I bought some gas last February. I took a day off and drove down to Tullahoma and met Jack Hise for the first time and made my first trip fly fishing. Now when my wife fusses about all the money I've spent, I just tell her it's all Jack's fault. :)
hNt
a $10 raffle ticket at a trout unlimited auction that won me a winston 8ft 6in 4wt im6 rod
and my sage 8ft 9in 3wt LL
#1 is the basic gear I bought to start fly fishing. If we can't cite that, it would be the basic gear I bought to start fly tying.
Catching with a fly I've tied myself enhances the fly fishing experience. I enjoy tying as a hobby in its own right. The act of tying enhances my ability to day dream about fishing.
Finding the rod that fits so nicely it becomes an extension of your arm.
Even though I'm grinning every chance I get to fish, that rod just makes the grin that much bigger!
hNt;
Thanks for the kind words. Your wife can blame me for all your purchases!!
My best "Purchase" was not realy a purchase. It was setting up the first Michigan Fish-In. What a great and grand time that was! I've now been to the last 2 Idaho Fish-In's and about to attend the 5th Michigan FI. We've even had a few Mini Fish-In's down here in Tennessee. I do plan to be back in Idaho this year!
Meeting other members of FAOL is a great investment in your fly fishing experiance! Try it, you'll like it!
First quality rod and line. I toiled with cheap junk for years and never really got the hang of it. I bought one of the old Orvis Clearwater combos 10 or so years ago and with that the shop owner offered to take me fishing and fix my cast. My fly fishing grew exponentially that day.
Aside from that, tying lessons. 7 bucks a class for 6 saturdays, I believe. Best $40 I ever spent!
Without question, this has been my best purchase. It has opened up tons of opportunities for me.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...ech1/002-9.jpg
My "best" purchase took place on line about 15 minutes ago. This year I was able to purchase a "lifetime" Pa license for $51.70. Now need to live 10 or more years ...................ohhh yahhh.
Bernie
This was my best purchase...
If I had a picture of it it would right here..
My Marriage license...
It is so related to my fly fishing becasue the fine young lady that came with the license 28years ago is more then happy to let me Fly fish all I want..
To be fair she knew what she was getting into when we first started dating, I stood her up several times for Brook trout....
My next best have been my fishing dogs ..
This fellow is proving to be top of the line..
http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z...IMGP0055-1.jpg
and then my Nor-vise, and first sage rod etc.....
You bought a mini dumpster? :lol:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lotech
most definitely my wife's wedding ring. Let me explain. She told me a few years ago that she did not care how many rods and reels I own. THat wedding ring was a fabulous investment. :)
For Us it has been the Gas we bought and used for going to the places where we have met other member's of the FAOL Family. :D
Kevin,
You cracked me up. Wife too. Both of us got a good chuckle.
:lol::lol:
What Deb said. Got lesson from Ian James for my son so now he feels more confident and wants to go fly fishing with me.
My license every year. The rest of it is just stuff.
two days of fly fishing school to learn what it was all about: $$$$
6' fiberglass rod outfit from the hunting store to match the little creek that taught me the rest: $
5 years of fly fishing, so far: priceless
I have to agree with that, even though my quality rod and line would still be considered cheap junk by some...LOLQuote:
Originally Posted by flywatersmallie
Olympus 1050sw. Being able to take pics of the brookies i catch has added a lot of joy to the sport for me.
http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q...ry13111/24.jpg
http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q...ry13111/38.jpg
I would say it would have to be that first "used" (really kinda rump-sprung) Wright & McGill bamboo rod I bought for five bucks back in the summer of '49 - that certainly opened the fly fishing Pandora's Box for me!
Dale
1)Orvis Streamlight rods at Sierra trading Post: $29.00.
2) Starter fly tying kit at Bass Pro.
3) Native Ultimate kayak
It is Jack's fault. He had led me astray many a time. Darn near drowned me in a thunderstorm too.Quote:
Originally Posted by hungNtree
I used to blame my bad luck on Karma but it just turned out to be Jack. :mrgreen:
Best purchase would be the gas I bought to travel to Lowell for the Idaho Fish-in. Always the highlight of my year.
Way back when I was young, About the time that the earth was cooling down and the lakes and rivers began to form upon the land, my best purchase was a dozen Doc Spratley flies that started my flyfishing hobby. Prior to that I did not really believe that flies would catch fish at all. Worms were the thing back then but the Spratleys sure put paid to that notion.
This is a link to the story In Readers Casts about the Spratleys. http://www.flyanglersonline.com/feat...cast/rc489.php
I tell people all the time that my kayak was my best fishing related purchase
It was a whole new level of fun.
My kayak definitely is my best purchase. It has opened up waters all over the state.
I'm torn between my kayak for the same reasons stated above and the first decent fly rod I purchased which was a like new Sage RPL for $10 at a lost luggage sale. I love the rod, but the Hobie Outback Kayak has really let me enjoy fishing to the fullest in places I couldn't get to before. Either way. I consider myself to be very fortunate to have all my "toys" to play with:)
Jim Smith
The two prescriptions I take every day to keep crohn's disease in check. Without the drugs I wouldn't get out:mad: With them I am able to get out and enjoy myself fishing.:D
Purchases? How about investments? My three best fly-fishing investments were:
1. Bought a St. Croix rod, Pflueger Medalist reel and new fly line. I consider this a major factor in turning me on to fly-fishing. I'd owned a cheaper "combo" previously, and it wasn't nearly as fun to fish with.
2. I made a conscious decision to invest TIME into fly-fishing. I'm so glad I did. The rewards ("joy") have been exponential.
3. I decided to reverse my earlier decision to NOT tie flies. Tying flies has certainly added to my overall experience, joy, and understanding of fly-fishing.
My best purchase was the studded wading boots I bought so that I could get out into the current to cast instead of trying to make 80' casts from the bank. I have never seen a pair of "women's" studded boots, though, do they think women have better balance than men?
I would have to say a 97 f 150 extended cab, It sure beats the Toyota Camry when I'm trying to get to the mountains.
What really brought fly fishing to life for me was my first bamboo rod then a silk line. Doing things the way our forebears did added a dimension that until that time was non-existant. The first 37 years before that were great but nothing like the entire bamboo experience.
Vic
for me its has to be my waders/boots and an upgraded rod. The new rod is lots more fun to cast and waders let me go lots more places.
It's been my computer.Quote:
Originally Posted by garb72
The ability to share with you folks because of it has enhanced my ff experience incredibly...almost everyday.
Yeah, they probably go on that premise. I've seen more men fall down after drinkin than wimin......Seriously, you can just buy the studs and add them.Quote:
Originally Posted by herefishy
My best purchase for last year? A one dollar raffle ticket that won a Redington RS3 8' 3wt.
I would have to say the $10 each person gives to Neil Holding certified two handed instructor when we host our little get togethers here and there. That price is peanuts for this guy to show us and break down things on the Spey side of things. Everytime we go out something is new is learned.
Has made my learning curve to the spey world shortened by a whole lot of years.
Best investment in equipment was the $50 I spent on a barely-used Renzetti Traveller vise; still going strong 14 years later (#2 would be the pair of Dr. Slick hair scissors I have; they just feel so right in my hand). Smartest money I ever spent was for a day with a guide at Harker's Island fishing for false albacore - what he showed us in one day put us light years ahead of where we would have been otherwise and made our subsequesnt trips there much more productive.
Regards,
Scott
Some of my best purchases have come from auctions. Everyone should take a look at those in your area.
The most recent one was a set of brand new Orvis wading boots, an Orvis vest with a fly box--underneath a set of old rubber hip waders, all in the same box. No one looked under the rubber boots. Got those for $10.
Then there was the Lamiglas 5'9" 4 wt. practically new, $225 rod for $30.
And the LL Bean bamboo for $50.
And a whole slew of other collectible fishing equipment-quite a few high dollar lures, etc. etc.
You really do need to check the auctions.
George