Several years ago - about 15 really - I stopped into a pawn shop in
Dayton, Ohio. In the junk rod pile I spotted a pre-fire Leonard Tournament 5 wt.
The wraps were bad but for 25 dollars why not? I asked the owner
about the rod and he said rod, reels, ( Cortland,) and flies and leader
box came in on same deal. The owner was anxious to unload the whole
lot and priced it cheap $50 dollars for it all.
I bought the rod and leader box and left and spent the day thinking about
the man that had owned the collection.
I returned and bought the flies.
Here was a man that was a serious fly fisher. In those days a Leonard
didn't come cheap. The flies had great hackle-and showed an appreciation
of the fly tying craft way ahead of the time. The flies looked to have been
tied in the early 50's. Deer hair nymphs have not been tied for 50
years.
This was a man that had devoted a considerable portion of his life to
the sport. The rod was a class act. The flies were as good as any today
and the reels were a class act then.
I bought the lot. Why did I buy the flies?
I tie all I use but there was more to it than a rod and flies. Here was the
leavings of a good - maybe great fly fisher - he had to be dead or he
wouldn't have parted with his Leonard. The rod looked as if kids had
fished blue gills with it. The flies were untouched. The gut leader box
had early nylon in it. I guess he really couldn't change, even after gut
was gone that's the way he kept his leaders, moist in a leader box like
he had for the last 50 years.
Why did this collection have such an effect on my life? And it sure did.
I see my stuff in the future there. In a pawn shop, not appreciated. My rods,
probably my Leonard, my Gatti and Sage rods. My good reels, even some
of the high dollar ones, sold to those that will never appreciate them.
My family has no appreciation of my stuff. My flies and reels and rods
will go to the bait fishermen.
I bought the collection not for the value but because I couldn't
stand to see it in the hands of someone that would not appreciate it.
My rods and reels books and tying stuff will go the same route I know.
A super garage sale. Limited edition books, high dollar rods and reels,
and decent flies, all for 20 dollars. Just like the pawn shop stuff.
Dust in the wind. Old Rupe
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