Armed Polite Society
Main Forums => The Roundtable => Topic started by: mtnbkr on May 17, 2017, 09:06:52 AM
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I got a $50 gift card for Cabelas for my birthday recently. Since I'm pretty well stocked on gun, hunting, and camping stuff and I don't like to spend gift cards on consumables (IMO, those given on gifts should be used for durable items), started looking at fishing kit. While I enjoy fly fishing, my 8.5' 5wt rig is a bit overkill for the waters I fish locally, so I don't pull it out often. Cabelas had their CGR fiberglass rods (http://www.cabelas.com/product/fishing/fly-fishing/fly-fishing-rods|/pc/104793480/c/104721480/sc/105573780/cabelas-cgr-ii/2459266.uts) on sale 50% off (ie $59.99), so I grabbed the 5'9" 3wt. I bought the appropriate sized Wind River reel (http://www.cabelas.com/product/fishing/fly-fishing/fly-fishing-reels|/pc/104793480/c/104721480/sc/105572880/cabelas-wind-river-fly-reels/1307921.uts) on the suggestion of the sales guy (was looking at their Prestige Plus, but he said the cheaper real was just as good and only a hair larger/heavier). The bargain cave had their Prestige Plus DT 4wt line (http://www.cabelas.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=1747705) for $16 (with 25% off that). A spool of dacron 20lb line for the backing and I have a dandy lightweight outfit for $125. =D
In the driveway, it casts dry flies like a charm. I can't wait to go after panfish with it.
The CGR rods have been getting fantastic feedback online via numerous sources. People rave about them at full price, so to get one at half price sweetens the deal that much more.
Chris
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I bought a similar St Croix rod in 3wt when I found myself fishing for trout in a little stream with trees growing overhead like a tunnel. It was like fishing in a crawlspace in places but the trout were in there and hungry and any rod longer than my arm was a challenge. I wasn't willing to spend much because I wasn't sure how much I would use it. It worked great for those trout but I use it most for panfishing from the boat and shooting line under the trees next to the banks of the old strip mine lakes around here.
I tie a black cricket pattern that they really tear up in summer. Bluegills and redears are hell on dry flies. The little poppers hold up only slightly better.
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I have a couple black cricket "flies", I'll give them a try.
Chris
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The little foam spiders are pretty effective on smallmouth bass around here most years. Any cheap bulk pack of dry flies will take perch in the rivers all day long if you find a good spot. Just wish I could find a small to medium fly rod that will take down small enough to easily be added to an overnight bike tour loadout.
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Fishing. The lesbian sister of knitting and scrapbooking.
Which explains why you like it, Chris... :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
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Fishing. The lesbian sister of knitting and scrapbooking.
$30 (freshwater only) or $40 (all water) license, effective tackle can be had for $20, so basically a year-round all you can eat buffet for $50. (Or active duty and DV super combo licenses are free, so just tackle costs. Also no license needed to fish from the bank within a state park, so the once-a-year fisherman or state park pass holder doesn't need to spring the $30.)
Well, OK, maybe not really all you can eat, but with daily bag of 25 channel cats, 5 of most bass, 25 white bass, etc. and I've even had game wardens point out that once you eat one, they don't count picked bones toward your possession limit, you're pretty much allowed to get plenty to stay stuffed if you've got the skill.
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Fishing. The lesbian sister of knitting and scrapbooking.
Which explains why you like it, Chris... :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
Says the Mary that drives a Subaru. :P :laugh:
Chris, you will love the 3wt. I started using one probably ten years ago and now find I prefer it the majority of the time when it will do the job. I started with a 2 piece St Croix but last year bought a 4 piece TFO BVK* that I can easily hike with. I mostly keep a nice Reddington on it that I got for Christmas a few years back, but also have one of the older Cabelas reels (one of the cheaper ones that goes clickity click) that I keep a sink tip line on for if I have to change to streamers. Though I mostly do dry with the 3wt.
They are a real pleasure to use in little brushy streams (as Kingcreek pointed out) and also make catching little fish fun. When I hike into higher alpine lakes, often they contain small brook and Golden trout, and the 3wt can make them feel like lunkers. :)
I still bring my 5wt when road trip fishing, since the fish can get pretty big in some places, plus I still found my 9' 5wt almost a necessity on the Henry's Fork last year just to get the line out. But for little streams and small lakes and ponds, it's the 3wt all the way.
* Only technically bought. Cabelas was running a good sale, something like $75 off, then I used Cabelas bucks, so... free. :laugh:
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Don't you have a drum circle to attend, you California Xzuexual?
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Don't you have a drum circle to attend, you California Xzuexual?
That's next week. Tomorrow is water yoga followed by tantric carbon neutral cooking.
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You'll love it. Of my 3 fly fishing setups, my 7'4" 3wt gets the most use. It casts a dry fly like buttered supermodel sex.
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I've been fishing exclusively with this outfit since I put it together and I love it. I haven't caught anything significant on it, just various sunfish, but they're a blast on this little rod. Yesterday, I hit Bull Run Creek (small tributary of the Potomac) yesterday for an hour or so and caught several bluegill on woolly buggers or black ants. The last one was a keeper-sized 'gill caught while wading.
This set up lives in my trunk so I can go fishing on the way home from work if the mood strikes me (one route home takes me by 2 fishing spots).
Chris
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Interesting. Of all the fishing I do I actually never have tried fly fishing. Good luck!
Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
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I've been fishing exclusively with this outfit since I put it together and I love it.
We told you. :laugh:
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We told you. :laugh:
I never doubted you. :P
Chris