Great thoughts

[shadesofsisyphus]

The Truth...
Ron McAlpin (bulldog1935) posted this comment a few weeks ago on the Fiberglass Flyrodders website and his words spoke the truth to me.

"I went to vintage tackle because I was bored-to-tears and jaded catching fish-after-fish on graphite rods and disc drags."


"I would still rather be horsed around for awhile by massive fish on my vintage tackle and have them escape, than to land them on a disc drag and yawn about the whole thing.
I much prefer the challenge - and the adrenaline - when my tackle is outclassed by my quarry and it's the quality of my skills and not the technology of my gear that generates the success."

TheFiberglassManifesto

[DruLeeParsec]

I would LOVE to catch fish after fish.

I DREAM of the day I can become jaded.

[Eight Thumbs]

I'm with DruLee on this one! I've never become jaded by the number of fish I've caught. I still fish my grandfather's glass rod and a couple of glass rods I owned before graphite era, but it isn't because of too many fish. I wonder if this "jaded guy" is fishing private water or following the hatchery truck. Maybe, he's just that good. I wish i were. 8T

[Bluegill222]

Can't say I've ever caught enough of any species of fish to become bored by it, let alone jaded. But at the same time, i would say I love fishing my vintage equipment. I think it's easy to get caught up in the "bigger, better, lighter, faster" mentality that the industry marketing machine has created. My vintage equipment reminds me that people caught big fish and lots of them before all the bells and whistles were invented, and I enjoy the ability to reconnect to those days by leaving the new toys at home once in a while. Having said that, there are times when the new toys sure are fun as well, and I have my share of those, too.

[jeffnles1]

Like others, I wish I caught enough fish to become jaded.

With that in mind, there is a place for vintage gear. I only have one piece of vintage gear and it's an old hardware store special bamboo rod and I've only fished with it a couple times.

I do shoot a lot of vintage rifles though and love the history and link to another time. I guess with fishing gear it's the same kind of thing, just a link back to another time and place.

If I ever get to the point where catching fish is so "old hat" that I become jaded, it may be time to take up another hoby because I'm not sure one is going to catch fewer fish on vintage than on new equipment.

Jeff

[DruLeeParsec]

Although I now have a new TFO Lefty Krey Professional 4wt (and I love it) I do still really enjoy fishing with my old 1960's Shakespear Presidential fiberglass rod with a simple Pfluger Medalist reel on it.

I fished all of last year and most of this year with that rod. 'Glass does have a particular feel about it. And casting a classic glass rod does make me feel a connection to the past.