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About this time of year there are a bunch of sporting shows around the country, some with quite good fly fishing aspects to them. That of course gives the manufacturers a place to show off their new products. I?m as curious as the next guy (and maybe more) so I?ve always enjoyed not just attending the Spring shows but in casting the newest and latest fly rods, handling and ogling new reels and in general seeing whatever the new goodies are.
Ladyfisher,
I have mentioned this elsewhere, but will repeat myself because you are specifically addressing this subject. I personally have reached the apex of what I can do with a fly rod - any fly rod! I have absolutely no need for anything that has been developed beyond a rod that is the equivalent of say a Loomis GLX, or a GL3, for that matter. I am just as guilty of encouraging this kind of "gotta have the latest and greatest" by buying the next generation (which may have been a time frame of a year or less, between them!) before I've even gotten proficient with the one I already have. I love new stuff - don't get me wrong, but I'm starting to think that I may have needed "intervention" at one point.
Here's what I found out about rods - for me - YMMV. My first rod was a nice Montague boo rod. Liked it alot! My second rod was a fiberglass Wonder rod. This was an 8wt. and an abomination (steel girder) to cast. Maybe I was too young for it? My third rod was an 8 1/2 ft Fenwick (brown glass) - 1980?. The Fenwick was a joy to cast compared to the Shakespeare Wonder Noodle. Anyway, I recently purchased an Eagle Claw rod (graphite) for 1/3rd the cost of the Fenwick, at a major retail store. This rod will cast circles around any of the previous rods mentioned. If this was the only rod model I owned today, I could easily live with that. I would want it in a few different weights, but that would be it. For day to day trout fishing, this rod will do it all, and in style. It is a well made rod with some half-way decent components. I am strictly talking about performance. My emphasis is not on the cost (although imported) it may be assembled from U.S. parts? Don't know - didn't ask.
I don't have any disabilities that affect my casting ability now or in the past - there's probably an experience factor, but I am also comparing this EC rod with rods with names like Loomis, Cortland, Hardy, Scientific Angler, Orvis, Diamond Back, H.L. Leonard (graphite), Pflueger, and various Boo rods, all of which I currently own. This EC rod is not that far behind most of these rods and in fact is ahead of a few - in the casting and components department.
Now, this really isn't about this Eagle Claw rod per say, it is more a testimonial to the quandary some of us find ourselves in. For myself - unless I see a sweet custom made rod - which I recently have, or are looking to get a rod to donate - I'm done buying rods. What would I do with the next generation rod if the ones I own now, do all I can make them do? The most "advanced" rod I own now, is the Loomis GLX. This may now be considered a museum piece! LOL!!
Here's another analogy (at least in my pointy head!): The latest military fighter jet is supposed to be so advanced that the next generation fighter will be beyond the ability of a human being to fly it. I think we have exceeded that threshold when it comes to fly rods. Interesting thread, it will be interesting also to hear others view points. My position is not set in stone, and can be modified by any good "argument". I do have a "ceiling" that I would pay, for any commercial graphite rod, unless it is a "collectors model", and then my pocket book will be the deciding factor!
Hope you brought plenty of popcorn with you before you started reading my OPUS/TOME!! LOL!!!
Best regards, Dave S.
Just celebrated my 62nd birthday in February, and now getting ready for the upcoming Minnesota Fishing Season. I have all my fly rods clean and ready to be used, as well as all my fly lines, reels, and fly boxes refilled for specific species of fish that I might be fishing for.
Manufacturer's always have a new line of products to sell every year, and there is always something "New & Improved" to cause you to forget whatever you already have, to go out and buy this "New & Improved" product to replace something you already have that works just fine....I have all that I need, and I take care of my stuff, so that, it will last longer than I will... ~Parnelli
- I have a Cortland "CL" series 6 wt....that I bought in 1995, for general fly fishing, broke off a 6 inch section off the tip of the rod, and just cleaned off the new tip end and put on a new tip-top guide. The Cortland is even better now then before I broke the tip section...
- I have a Gatti 3 wt..... that I bought in 1999, still is a great fly rod for catching trout.
- I have a 5 wt St. Croix graphite for Smallmouth Bass.
- I have a 7 wt St. Croix graphite for Largemouth Bass.
- I have a 7 wt. South Bend Split-cane with a Cortland Sylk Line, that is also for Largemouth Bass.
- I have a 8 wt South Bend Fiberglass, for Pike.
I still miss that old 1 wt
Let us face some disturbing perceptions about our sport. Two of the biggest ones:
Fly fishermen are wealthy elitists that judge others not by their fishing skills, but by the gear they are able to pruchase.
Owning that 'new' rod (or reel, waders, vests, etc.) is not about how it fishes, but how it 'looks' to the people who see you fish.
Basically, what these two 'perceptions' indicate, whether true or not, is that the image of fly fishing has become similar to the one of Hollywood celebrity. Seeing who can out shine their peers on the red carpet.
I'm all for effective marketing. Economies don't thrive from saving money, but by spending it. The folks who build the high end rods have learned that they have to keep the cycle going, or they won't make money. If it was more profitable to just keep making the same rod for years, they'd happily do so. They don't do it for the same reason that car makers don't. 'New and improved' sells.
I'm sure that many of us here are done with 'new' rods. We are happy with what we have (I know I still have blanks I want to build on, when I get the time, but they are already on the shelf here). We find all the hoopla over the 'new' rods a bit tiresome and maybe even a bit funny.
It's a fact of the human condition that we tend to think that our opinions and concerns are shared by the majority of others. This is almost always an erroneous belief with regard to the smaller concerns of our lives. So while I might, and you might, believe that most fly fishermen think as you do, the fact of the matter is that fly fishermen are a diverse group of individuals. Opinions and buying patterns are not consistent with any one philosophy.
There are certainly as many folks who want that new rod as there are folks that feel they have all they need. Otherwise, Sage and Scott, et. al., would be broke.
You can, if you choose to, just ignore all that advertising hype.
By the way, I completely disagree that any significant number of people will buy a new rod because they thingk it will improve their fly casting skill. Anyone who has ever cast a fly rods either knows better or is hopelessly doomed to a life of mediocrity and poverty. A new car doesn't make you a better driver, and a new golf club won't improve your swing.
Buddy
Buddy Sanders,
Agree, and that's why I try to remember to specify that my opinion is "my experience" and that YMMV!!
Best regards. Dave S.
Its not just fly fishermen/ladies. I played golf two weekends ago and EVERYBODY had the new Taylor "white" driver, at $499 a pop. Maybe some folks can hit it better, but.....Quote:
Originally Posted by Buddy Sanders
The parallels between golf and FF equip really are evident - the "fast" rod and the "stiff" shaft - some people are skilled enough to use this equipment, and some are not. I'm sure the avg golfer couldnt hit Tiger's clubs - and I wonder if I could cast Lefty's fav rod? These special people have the skills to use the special equipment.
Last Spring I was with about 30 people for a long weekend camping trip up on my favorite lake. I took my buddy Stanley out in the boat with me. I anchored the boat by both ends parallel to shore and we proceeded to fish within easy sight of our camp. The air was calm as can be and If I do say so I was on top of my form with nice tight loops and laying the fly down gently each time. My buddy was slapping the water on his back cast with large nasty looping forward casts, His fly was making a big ole plop on the water as it splashed down. It was not pretty to watch but the fish didn't care and we were both catching lots of them and having fun. He was decked out in all new gear and at the recommendation of a flyshop salesman had purchased the most expensive 5 wt he could find. He asked me if I thought that the expensive rod and reel were a good buy. It was a Winston and when I saw it I began to drool. I have a medium priced sage which I really love but since 2007 when I cast one I have always coveted a Winston. I cannot cast farther with a Winston than I can with my Sage but still I wanted one. Alas He has mondo bucks and I do not.
We fished till noon and kept 4 good sized trout between us for camp lunch and headed back to shore to cook em up.
The comments floating around when we got back were, how come your casts aren't as nice and round as Stanleys? Most people agreed that my casts didn't look as good as Stanleys did.
When I said well they were longer casts by about 20 feet or more there was disbelief from most of the onlookers. Stanley who knew perfectly well that His casts were not up to par said " don't blame Roger He has a really old rod and He did his best, My rod brand new, plus it cost more. That seemed to satisfy everyone. The reality of the situation didn't matter it was the perception that won the day. Stanley snickered and gave me that Ha ha I got yah look.
Instead of casting as we had done in the morning We spent the afternoon trolling around the lake , I made Stanley row. What goes around comes around.
I have underlined the most important things from that mornings fishing.
For the vast majority of us, the equipment is better than we are. It's a fact. That's just the way it is.
Kevin,
You've hit the proverbial nail squarely on the head with that very astute observation! Hey, I resemble that remark! LOL!!! Which only means one thing - I still have plenty of room for improvement and the enjoyment of discovery. Can't beat that!
Best regards, Dave S.
While I can admire and appreciate many of the new rods. I still fish and shop for the old Orvis Superfines. Now an heirloom quality bamboo rod? That's another story. I'm still dreaming. LOL
Two things bother me about the contemporary mindset of many of our industry leaders today. But I'll add a caveat right up front. Not all of them are this way, and the current economic situation is shaking things up a bit. First, most of their business models are still predicated on "the boom" brought on by "the movie" in the 90s. They still sit on their haunches waiting for consumers to walk in or call and buy stuff just because they made it, brought it to market, or because it's in their shop. They invest very little in growing their consumer base and creating incentives. It's very much a business as usual mentality based on a peak business cycle when that peak is long gone. Second, they indeed feel a sense of entitlement that I like to compare to the "rockstar" mentality. I'll give a couple of examples that I think are the most ridiculous, but pretty much apply across the board.
Say a couple of guys partner up on a fly fishing video that sells really well. "Really well" in the fly fishing world is probably to the tune of 75,000 or so copies at a wholesale price of $15 per copy, but let's make it a round 100k and $20 to be generous and include direct sales profits. That's $200k. Divide that by 2 fellas IF they self-produced, directed, and distributed the video (which is unlikely). Now subtract the costs of production, which probably tallied about $25,000 each. So each guy made $75,000 on a project that took them all year to realize the benefits from. Best estimates, there are about 2-3 million avid fly anglers in this country of which we're assuming 100k bought their video including sell-through at retail. Now, let's assume that each buyer shared the film with 3 people. So 300k anglers saw the movie. IF all 300k really liked it, they have 300k "fans." Seriously, fly fishing is NOT a significant sub-culture in Americana...or even contemporary popular culture. I'll say two words: Charlie Sheen. This completely out of his mind creep signed up for Twitter and had a million fans in an hour!
Strangers recognize me almost every event I go to now, but I can't take myself seriously. I have more Facebook friends than many of the types I'm writing about, but I can't take myself seriously. I'm just a fly fisherman. I stand in the water and catch fish, help a few people do the same, and a few other people goofing off just like I do recognize me when I show up at gatherings of like-minded goof-offs. Big deal!
A lot of guides seem to suffer from this same malady. That one really amazes me! Guides...no matter how popular or successful...are servants, sherpas, who work their butts off to take other people fishing and try to provide them with the Great White Angler experience of a lifetime. It is supposed to be all about the client. However, I see far too much advertising literature and meet far too many guides and outfitters who present the image that says, "You'll be darned lucky if I allow you to fish with me." I guess that sort of reverse psychology sales tactic (known as the takeaway) might work on some prospective clients who have very little experience hiring guides or outfitters, but it's really being misapplied. The takeaway is an aggressive sales tactic that is only truly successful when applied with subtlety and finesse at the end of an otherwise successful sales interaction at the end of which the prospect hesitates too long. It is supposed to be the last-ditch effort. In marketing literature like brochures, websites, magazine ads, etc. it will rarely succeed. And an arrogant attitude at the booth during shows results in clients who book in spite of your persona, not because of it. So guides and outfitters like this are wasting their marketing dollars and working against themselves at shows. Guides and outfitters who understand "the people business" and who know that hunting and fishing trips are entertainment and service industry and convey that it is all about the prospective client are wildly successful...even if their credentials and success rates are inferior to their competition.
I gave those two examples above, but I see this apply to mfgs, retailers, and folks across the gamut in the industry. I once had a Sage rep and former AFFTA President walk up behind me and grab me by the shirt collar and speak to me very gruffly, interrupting my conversation with another Sage Rep whom I knew personally and was inquiring about his home and family after a major hurricane had struck his hometown the week before a show. The guy was newly appointed to some stupid position within an org I was a volunteer with, and he thought I didn't "belong" in the Sage booth talking to anyone without his permission! LMAO He was darned lucky I didn't cold cock him right there on the floor of FFRT in Denver! I had never even met the guy. That was the way he introduced himself. In no other industry I'm familiar with (well, not a LEGAL industry) do people behave this way in this day and age.
OK, I've gone on for far too long. I hope I've contributed something of value to someone.
I have not bought a new rod, exception one old bamboo, in the past four years. I have not spent much on fly tying materials in the past few years, except hooks.
I use the hooks up fairly fast and have been working on using up many of the materials that I have on hand.
Not helping the industry much, but still, catching abou the same number of fish.
Rick
I have 2 'official' surveys which show there are 12 - 22 MILLION fly fishers in the US. I don't believe either one. I once questioned a company who had taken once of these surveys as to how they got their numbers. Random phone calls. Ya right. I don't know any actual figures but I suspect what some of the ad agencies who work for various rod manufacturers may be working from wrong impressions.
Almost every fly rod I own was "obsolete" when I bought it. The few that were not will never be.
Actually, that's 2 million, not 200k, which will tend to have an effect on the rest of your numbers. ;)Quote:
let's make it a round 100k and $20 to be generous and include direct sales profits. That's $200k.
Point taken, though.
LF,
I was careful to use the word "avid" in my estimate of "best estimates." One of the federally funded studies done a few years ago was a mail-in survey that asked how often and by what means people fished as part of the survey questions. It concluded there were about 13 million Americans who had ever fly fished. Of those, about 6 million fly fished at least once in the past year. The study group considered them "fly anglers." I don't. Many of them most likely had just tried it for the first time. Many more probably only fly fish once every so many years. If I take a ride in a hot air balloon on vacation, does that make me a balloonist? About 3 million fly fished more than once in the course of the previous year. And about 2 million said they fly fished more than 6 times. I would consider those who fly fished more than once to be mostly casual fly anglers and those who fished more than 6 times "avid" fly anglers. The latter would be the only group likely to buy fly fishing videos. This is actually marketing demographics 101 stuff. But folks in the fly fishing industry aren't very hip on this stuff. It's actually odd. With my background in the hunting business and as head of ad sales for Outdoors Yellow Pages, I've had these types of discussions with a lot of folks across the hook & bullet industry. A lot of the other sectors are far more tuned in and market savvy on average. I'm usually impressed by relatively few senior execs in our industry, where the dominant strategy is a very myopic, "That's the way we've always done it."
Quote:
Originally Posted by Featherbender
Ah! Good catch. You are correct. And you're correct about it modifying my point very little. Charlie Sheen made $2 million per DAY. Many professional athletes make $2 million per GAME. And a lot of movie stars make $2 million for showing up at a party!
Well, two million is a nice chunk of change for any fly fisher, regardless of which way you slice it, but when I said point taken, I meant that even without the examples, you could have simply said "You don't work on the front lines of the fly fishing industry to get rich."Quote:
Originally Posted by flyguy66
Ah, but my point was that...in the big picture...even wild celebrity in the fly fishing business is comparatively insignificant. Besides, my example was over-simplified and very generous for the sake of clarity. The underlying point is that we...as a community...have a strong tendancy to take ourselves way too seriously, and I was attempting to establish some realistic perspective. Ego is what drives a sense of entitlement. And the ego in this business is laughable. It's just fishing.
Our elder statesman, Lefty Kreh, pointed out the flaw in our race to own the latest greatest rod with a comparison to 22 rifles. If you skill level is Remington, buying a fancy Italian pea shooter is not going to make you any better. Buying a $1500 rod instead of a $150 only gets you braggin' rights unless you are a world class professional. That said, it is probably some kind of flaw in our culture that makes us crave that $$$$ rod.
In my flyfishing career there is a 15 year period-1975-1990 when I slept like Rip Van Winkel. I was not sleeping really. Building a family and career kept me away from fly fishing. When I awoke I was delighted to find wonderful inexpensive graphite rods widely available. I still use my Wonder Rods once in a while, but I am honing my skills to match the performance of my new graphite rods. New = purchased after 1990. ;-)
As usual, Mike, Lefty is right. In fact, it goes further. The trend in rods now to make them faster and faster and lighter and lighter actually makes them more difficult for the novice and intermediate caster to cast effectively in a wide variety of fishing scenarios. Most casting experts agree that a decent medium to medium-fast action 8-9' rod is the easiest on the typical angler who isn't pretty well along the casting learning curve. And many new model rods are getting so light now that two things are becoming major factors in the purchase decision. Many of the lightest tip-flex (fast) rods are more susceptible to breakage. It's just a fact of the way rods are built...laws of physics. And some rods are now so light that they are outrunning the selection of reels on the market that will balance out on them in the appropriate sizes. When the balance is off, the swing weight increases and the gains one should get from owning a lighter rod are negated because your hand-arm muscles are having to compensate for the lack of balance in the rod-reel combo.
There are two more comparisons to axioms of the shooting sports that bear on fly tackle selection I'll share:
"A duck killed with a Remington 870 Express ($279) and a duck killed with a Browning Citori ($1000+) are both the same amount of dead."
There's always been a raging debate about which caliber of handgun is best for personal protection, with various experts falling into different camps and arguing their cases well. But the owner of the Gunsmoke Academy (probably the guy with the longest track record of excellence in handgun defensive shooting instruction in the US and a .45 ACP fanatic) said, "I say carry whatever handgun you shoot the most accurately. If you can hit an assailant between the eyes every time, it doesn't matter whether you shoot him with a .22 or a .45. He's dead either way."
The point is hype and marketing vs. skill and personal preference. A fella can spend all he wants on a fly rod, but if he can't make an accurate curve cast or a reach cast and maintain a drag-free drift, he's going to have to pass up a lot of fish. But a kid who learns to do those things with a $40 combo from Wal-Mart will fish circles around him.
There are just more folks in our society today who would rather look like they have stuff than who would rather actually be able to do stuff.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Buddy Sanders;
Quote:
Originally Posted by flyguy66;
Unfortunately it seems flyfishing has been tagged with these perceptions but not other types of angling. Yet the same basic characteristics of these perceptions can be applied to other types of anglers included bass, inshore, and bluewater circles. At least so it seems here in southern California where we see a lot of people that have to have the latest $500 dropshot rod or $600 spinning reel or $750 casting reel. I have been a part of conversations where guys with $50K bass boats who go on the water with rod lockers full of high end rods and reels rigged with $100 lures, and who wouldn't be caught using more pedestrian gear, yet refer to fly anglers and the fly angling industry as a whole as elitist and exclusive.
Flyguy66 pretty much summed up perfectly with a couple of basic truths that apply to so many activities or endeavors, whether it be flyfishing, or bass fishing with gear, or photograpy, of softball, etc.
As flyguy66 illustrated in an example, certain elements of the flyfishing industry are not always helpful to their own cause and if often seems that many in the industry are out of touch from the typical fly angler with a modest budget. On the water my friends and I are often engaged by other anglers who are interested in fly fishing. Many have looked into it but been put off by spiels they received from reps at sportsmans shows or even shops and see fly angling as too expensive. After a few discussions about equipment and tactics, maybe a loan of some gear and some friendly and free instruction, and gift of a few flies often those perceptions are erased. Some are even later seen on the water with fly tackle.
BINGO! I have run across many people, myself included, that vastly prefer the medium fast casting stroke of a rod built on a Sevier blank (Yes, the least expensive blank out there.) over the super fast high end factory rods. This is one of the reasons the Orvis Trout Bum rods are so popular. People can actually cast them and put the fly where they want it to go.Quote:
Originally Posted by flyguy66
Some of our esteemed members have the skill and ability to fish the super fast blanks. The average fly angler does not. I learned a long time ago that I am not likely to be the next Lefty or whoever the current greatest caster is. I want to have fun with a rod and struggling to fish a super fast rod is not fun for me.
flyguy66,
It's hard (for ME) to get too excited anymore with commercially made, graphite (or equivalent man-made materials) fly rods thats performance level(?) is beyond most peoples ability and pocket books! Custom made rods are a different story - you are buying a specific makers handicraft/artistic ability. I feel the same way about guns. There is definitely a cut-off point in the design of shotguns, where you would feel it has reached its maximum potential, as a hunting implement. However, once you have reached your full potential, you do start looking at the value of the craftsmanship, and owning a shotgun made with say - a nicer grade of wood, or some engraving. It will not make you a better shot, but it's not about that, it's about the appreciation of the art and skill that went into it. Why buy a beautiful wooden trout net when you can buy an aluminium/graphite one? - because you admire the skill and craftsmanship that went into it.(that's why I don't like that new Ghost (rubber) netting - it severely detracts (ugly) from a fine piece of wood workmanship! IMHO. There are some who will buy stuff for the name only, I'm not one of them. If I don't put my personal "seal of approval" on it - your name might as well be mud - cuz I'm not impressed! I will also say that there are a number of "names" out there that are synonymous with quality, and throwing their name about is not so much bragging, but more of a indication of "getting your moneys worth" If a shotgun owner mentions the name "Purdy" are you automatically thinking "Snob" or are you thinking - yes, those are some of the finest made shotguns in the world! I personally would think the latter. YMMV. Just because I can't afford something, doesn't mean I won't appreciate it for its own artistic value. Basically, what I'm trying to say is that I admire the craftsmanship and the design/functionality of a product, but when the functionality goes beyond my abilities, the only thing that can get me to pay more for it is it's craftsmanship! Hope I haven't confused anyone with my sometimes(?) circuitous rambling. Hey, you think your heads spinning - I have to live with myself - count yourself lucky! LOL!!!
Best regards, Dave S.
There are possible two sides to Fly- Fishing the way I look at the sport. The ying, the economics, and yang the aesthetics. There is always the push and pull and I find myself much more satisfied on the aesthetic side.
I really feel that which ever way the sport goes there will always be souls like me who carry on in spite of fads, downturns, and upturns, in economics. I also feel the young ones (and old ones) will come along without any prodding and be attracted by the same things I was. I don't know exactly what we are attracted too but it happens, and all I know it that it is a good thing. The cost of this experience is zero dollars.
I love craftsmanship and art. Each ones attention to detail is after all the reason the species keeps it's hold on the top of the chain and get's better at doing things, not how much we can profit from it. My feeling is that profit margins stall creativity.
So carry on, I can dodge my way through the economics and hoop-la and will still be fly-fishing when most have given it up to the frustration that has to me always been part of the sport.:D
I don't really get too riled over the manufacturers expecting us to buy a new rod every year because everybody has to make a living. However, like all Americans the only things they are entitled to are Life, Liberty and The Pursuit Of Happiness so long as they do not interfere with the God given rights of others.
Are the latest and greatest they tout every year better than last year's product? Maybe but only if there has been a quantum leap in the materials and or construction techniques. Otherwise it is window dressing, lipstick on a pig or whatever you want to call it. On their side of the coin can you imagine say a car salesman having nothing but the exact same model, style and options to offer year upon year? They won't be in business very long.
Personally I don't buy the latest and greatest just because they are there. I was not born with a silver spoon in my mouth and do not subscribe to the keeping up with the Joneses thing. Can I afford to go out and buy the newest rod from XYZ? Yes. Will I? No. I am more likely to pick some model that has been out a few years with the bugs now worked out of it or even more likely to buy something custom made off someone trying to make a go of it with their own shop. They won't make any money off of me with the latest and greatest because I enjoy fishing the old rods with their patina, their battles scars while thinking about the fly fishers of the past who have owned that rod.
Sorry. Kind of rambling there. Really the only thing any of us are entitled to are the God given right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness so long as we do no harm to others.
I think everyone is making good points. I love fly fishing because it is such a multi-faceted, full-blown lifestyle sort of thing - not just a sport, art, science, or business. And I can identify with the themes each of you bring up. I don't see them as contradictory, but complimentary. And the only thing that gets me a bit "worked up" about the industry is that since getting talked into founding AFFI, Inc. I have to interact with and even depend upon a lot of different companies in the industry in order to accomplish the goals of our organization. It can become frustrating at times to have to deal with folks who don't really understand what they are doing, or to get caught up in some last minute swindle because an owner is trying to squeeze out an extra buck as he sells his company to a bigger player. And as a teacher of this stuff, I'd really prefer not to have to UN-teach a bunch of stuff before I can teach stuff. But these are very minor annoyances...more along the lines of "in a perfect world I wouldn't have to..." types of things. Well, I have no illusions about the world conforming to my wishes! LOL
Lots of great thoughts here. I have to admit that I have never actually felt like the industry expected me to buy a new rod every year. It's their business and letting the other guy get ahead is always dangerous, so they move forward with the latest and greatest. For me, the strides they make provide the technology that I will enjoy in 10 or 15 years when it becomes old fashioned.
Most flyfishers I have met have an old favorite that they still fish regularly even though they may have picked up the latest and greatest, because they appreciate what the old can do. One of my favorite rods is an inexpensive old fiberglass rod from the '70s that I bought at auction and rebuilt. Total cost: $38.00.
Maybe a few years after the kids are through college, I will spring for a high-end rod, and I really hope that all those manufacturers are still out there.