Satisfying …

[Bamboozle]

I bought my first fishing rod & reel NEW with money earned by cutting lawns and doing other yard work.

I went shopping AFTER I had enough money to buy one of the reels and the rod recommended by Jerry McKinnis on "The Fishin Hole." I still own and use both.

Here's the reel, a Garcia Mitchell 408 and this is a picture of MY reel before I recently lined it up.:

And the rod is in just as good shape, I just don't have a photo.

I think I paid around $26 for the reel and a similar amount for the rod which is a yellow fiberglass Eagle Claw Trailmaster #M4TMUL-6-1/2 foot fly/spin rod.

I lived in suburban Philly so the lawns were on smaller suburban lots. In those days I used to get around $3.00 to $4.00 to cut a lawn with a walk behind gas mower INCLUDING trimming with hand shears.

Based on that, the rod & reel purchase represented around 15 - 20 lawns cut over many weeks and around 30 - 40 hours of labor which doesn't includes WALKING a 1/2 mile out and back with my two gallon metal gas can for fuel or similar walks to some of my customers while pushing my mower & gas down the street.

THAT'S why I cared for this stuff and every bit of fishing tackle I've bought regardless of the price!

FWIW - People can do what they want with their tackle, but every rod I own regardless of the cost or whether it is a spinning, casting or fly rod is in the rod sack & tube it came in or one I purchased or fabricated.

Every reel of every type I own including the 408 and my fancy fly reels are in the cases or pouches they came in, cases I have fabricated or had custom made by my man Tuby in Poland.

If you have a special reel that needs a special case, reach out to Tuby. You WON'T be disappointed.

 

[jifigz]

I've broken one fly rod in my life while fishing, and it just happened a few weeks ago. Otherwise, my gear lasts and lasts it seems, except for the disposables like waders. I still take great care of them, and I repair them as long as possible, but at some point, they just need replaced. Also, I don't own or buy any expensive gear. I use cheap rods and cheap-ish reels. My only decent fly reel I've purchased when I started fly fishing for trout was an LL Bean Double L; that thing has been rock solid. It never quits. I also purchased an LL Bean Streamlight reel for my bassin' duties, and it, too, has been rock solid.

Now, I might buy a decently expensive rod, such as an Orvis Recon, to replace my broken rod, but I certainly wouldn't have to. That would be a luxury and not a requirement. You don't need expensive stuff.

 

[JG63]

Funny thing about earning your money as a kid rather than being given an allowance on that silver spoon in the mouth; it usually makes one appreciate the value of a dollar and take better care of the items purchased with those earned dollars. Despite hopefully better earning power, that mentality is often carried into adulthood.

Amen bruddah!

 

[[WR]]

Amen bruddah!

Apologies @JG63 for derailing your thread. Hadn't meant to do that.

 

[JG63]

Apologies @JG63 for derailing your thread. Hadn't meant to do that.

There was no track to begin with - ergo NO derailment - I appreciate good discussion and valid viewpoints for all things “feeshin’” - it’s what we do 😎

 

[JG63]

I used to drive through Cortland, NY pretty frequently and sadly, I wasn't nearly as interested in fly fishing then as I am now, but now the Cortland outlet store that used to be there is no longer in business. I wish like hell that they still were.

Tioughnioga River has some pretty nice water too - I used to drive by on my way to skiing Greek Peak - though I’ve never fished it - a stop at the Cortland store was always worth the extra few miles

 

[TimMurphy]

Tioughnioga River has some pretty nice water too - I used to drive by on my way to skiing Greek Peak - though I’ve never fished it - a stop at the Cortland store was always worth the extra few miles

Dear JG63,

I used to fish the Tioughnioga River a lot down below Whitney Point where it dropped into the Chenango River. It was nothing to catch a smallmouth, a walleye, a brown trout and maybe even a pike out of the same hole, plus rock bass and perch. Every cast was an adventure!

Regards,

Tim Murphy 🙂

 

[GANGGREEN]

Tioughnioga River has some pretty nice water too - I used to drive by on my way to skiing Greek Peak - though I’ve never fished it - a stop at the Cortland store was always worth the extra few miles

My brother is friendly with one of the guys at Cortland and I know that he prowls around that river a lot.