Thinking & Wondering at 2:30am

So you need a new rod? With all of today's new features what do you really need? Want? Why? Is it the Nano Weight? the custom specialty streamer flinging rod? Is it your first rod and have no idea what to get? Do you go with a moderate? moderate fast or maybe a fast rod? Follow the way of thinking that says the slower rods are easier for beginners? How long will you stay a beginner? When do you determine what you like? Is it a boo maybe? Or is it a $700 rod or maybe it a Wal-Mart special? Have you noticed how it is becoming about the cost, weight or who uses what that makes the rod better? I have seen guys that could cast anything with ease and then there are those that can not. It to me is about relaxing, I have found I like faster rods, however I can still have just as much fun with a Wal-Mart rod teaching my nephew as with any $600 rod, you know I think I have more fun with that $30 rod.
To each his or her own, but I have found what I have been looking for! Sharing with family and friends, and sometimes hooking a rising fish.

Wayne

Very well put Wayne, for 2:30 am. Reading it at 2:50 AM trying to stay awake for 4 more hours.

Wayne, I think you nailed it. As for distance rods and high tech modulus/scrim and all that, I once saw JC cast what I think was a $7.00 fibeglass TrueTemper rod from a hardware store and he shot the entire line plus some backing. So it's not the rod that does the casting, it's person doing the casting. And I believe you are right, relaxing is the key. Here's a picture of Z from here at FAOL, totally relaxed. Except for the fish at the end of his line.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...theStJoe-1.jpg

Last I took my nephew on a party boat night chummin gfor blues out of Barnegatn NJ for his birthday. While I have plenty of saltwater gear of my own, we went with $5 boat gear. My spinning reel had a piece of oak wood fashioned to the handle for a knob, and everything was covered with rust. The rod was missing the next ot last eye and 2 of the existing eyes were taped on and shelaced over. A real piece of work :)

My point though is this....by the time the night was over, we were exhausted....had a boat-load of blues for a BBQ....and I had "mastered that piece of &^%P rod and reel to the point that I didn't feel the least bit handicapped.



Are you fishing? Are you catching fish? The rest is all vanity when it really comes down to it. ;)