The rod I got from Walmart wasn't a Crystal River brand, I can't remember what it was. It was an 8'6", 3 pc., 5/6 wt. Anyway, it was pretty hard to learn to cast on. It seemed to be pretty rigid but vibrated on the forward cast something awful. It was so bad the top section would fall off after an hour or so. There I'd be, casting along with my woolly worm on a 3x tippet getting into the bluegills and, "zzzzZZZINNNGGG splashhh!" There'd go the old rod section. I actually caught a gill while reassembling it once. Talk about JUNK!

I did learn to cast better after getting a 7'6" 4/5 wt slow action graphite Garcia circa 1975 from my Aunt. Best rod for this beginner.

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There's almost nothin' wrong with the first lie, it's the weight of all the others holdin' it up that gets ya'! - Tim

[This message has been edited by MOturkE (edited 02 December 2005).]