On impulse yesterday I invested $37.99 and bought a 7’ 4wt. Not that I need one, since I have a perfectly functional 7’6" 4wt Loomis already, as well as a couple 3wts. But for $38, what the heck. I need a small stream loaner rod anyway.
Strung it up with a DT4F 444Lazer ($24.99 in the bargain bin) on a Bass Pro Hobbs Creek. Total cost of outfit, about a hundred bucks.
Fished it on the Gunnison today, caddis and hoppers. It is a faster rod than the Loomis, or maybe it is just enough shorter to feel that way. Throws caddis without effort, a #8 foam hopper with just a little oomph and some English to lay it under the cutbanks.
Well, it worked. Had a fair to middlin day, plenty of fish to hand, most of them on the hopper and most of them in the 16-18 inch range, with one that went 22". No problem fighting them, and no complaints at all about the rod in any way. It even handled some wind later in the day, and I only draped line over myself three or four times S.
It came with a 2-part warranty. Break it and I own both parts.
Actually, it comes with a lifetime guarantee, defects in materials and workmanship, if it breaks while fishing. Wear and tear not covered. Bear in mind, it will cost me $30 in gas to drive back to where I bought it…
Let’s see - if I can make it to Lowell, I can use Jack Hise’s Z Axis one day, DG’s 7’ for 4 wt the next day, JC’s Gatti for a day ( after seeing me cast I know he will take pity and let me try his rod ), Ladyfisher’s Kusse boo for the fourth day ( after seeing how poorly I do with the Gatti I’m sure she will want me to prove anybody can cast the Kusse ), and then for day five I can get a rod from GBF that he has borrowed from someone to try for the day.
A five day week fishing without even bringing along a rod. Hmmmmm ??
Joe, WW Grigg. I haven’t fished that 5 I bought from you, yet. This is the second Grigg rod I have bought. The first is a 6’ 3wt, which is a toy, but does work on real small cricks.
Last May, my kids wanted to buy me a Fly Rod and Reel for my birthday…they are not even teens yet so had no idea of the possible cost involved so my wife let me know what they were up to and confessed to being ignorant of the subject as well.
Anyhow, at this time I wanted to try a small creek 3 wt and ordered a 7’ 3 wt Eagle Claw Granger IM7 2 pc. rod and a Martin Brook reel…both pieces came in at about $70.00 and I cannot stress enough how nice this outfit is.
troulet carries both pieces and I’ll probabaly order another rod as a backup sometime soon…the rod is a keeper as is the reel and to think they were had a bargain.
