Largemouth Bass Lineup
Thursday, February 9, 2012
First Fly Rod/Reel
The wife was going over to my parents' house the other day so I asked her if she could do me a favor. After the eye rolling, she asked what. I explained to her that there were three fly rods and reels that I needed her to bring home. One was the first fly rod I ever had, the second I had bought shortly thereafter and the third is something special I will save for another post. So the wife agreed and later came home with one fly rod and reel. It was not my first one. Swing and a miss but hey I guess I should give her an A for effort. The other day I was coming back from a work function and I had to use the facilities so I decided to stop by Mom and Dad's house. I figured while I was there I would kill two birds with one stone. God bless my partner in crime from work who was there to help. We went up to the shed and I rooted around in the rafters. I was able to locate my first fly rod as well as that other special item. After I limped down the hill and my partner was kind enough to carry everything, we headed back to my house. I honestly do not know much about the fly rod and reel. If anyone out there does, please let me know. I only remember buying it at either a Walmart or Kmart. I cant remember which one it was now. I am actually thinking about using this guy again for some bass later this year. I am worried though that it may break. So here is my first fly rod a 8 foot 7/8 Fiber Glass Shakespeare rod with a Shakespeare Alpha 2528G reel. It does hold a special place in my heart and it always will.
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My first was a South Bend of similar K-mart quality. I broke it a long time ago. If you plan to save it for posterity, be careful to not snag a tree limb on a backcast and then follow through with a strong forward cast... yeah that pretty well killed mine.
ReplyDeleteGreat advice Jay thanks. I do have a tendency to try and just rip my fly or line out of whatever it is snagged on. I would be worried that I would break it.
DeleteIt was actually a total accident. I had no idea it was hung up when I casted forward. Oops.
DeleteFun story. I checked out the Fiberglass Wiki at Fiberglassflyrodders.com/forum to see if I could help you out. The Wiki has a pretty extensive listing of vintage glass and the FY-12 is listed but there is no information other than line weight. I would suggest you sign up at FFR and either do a search for previous posts or just ask for help. There are some Shakespeare experts there that can probably help you out. Same with the Alpha reel. They are discussed under classic reels pretty often. Post your photos, it will help.
ReplyDeleteHoward,
DeleteYou are awesome. A god among men. Thank you so much for the information. I have another rod and reel combo that I will be blogging about soon so say tuned. Thanks again.
I joined FFR forum this week, and there's a ton of info on all kinds of older collectible glass rods. I got curious after reading your post and found a thread about your exact rod/reel combo.
ReplyDeletehttp://fiberglassflyrodders.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=5236&p=32553&hilit=2528G#p32553
Careful....that site will ruin you. I've alread bought an old reel off e-bay and am looking for some old rods too. Have fun fishing that rod.
Thanks RR. That is the rod and reel. I will have to join the site but not sure if my wallet can take it. Last thing I need and the wife wants is something else to collect! Hee hee
ReplyDeleteoutside of the occasional eagle claw, you can generally avoid spending money there.
ReplyDeletewhat? those? they're...blanks, so they're cheap. its what i tell my wife at least...
I actually had that very same rod & reel - it was the first fly rod my dad bought me - the first one I owned, although not the first one I fished. That honor goes to an Eagle Claw graphite/glass rod that belonged to my brother. He never actually learned to fly fish, and it just sat on a peg in the garage for ten years before I pulled it down. Neither of us knew about "backing" line - so those early attempts with a level line were done without fancy tapered leaders, or any backing line. Thankfully those early fish were all bluegill!
ReplyDeleteI kind of wish I still had that Shakespeare rod my dad gave me. I'd cut the foam grip and cheesy plastic seat off, and add a nice cork grip and an anodized reelseat. I didn't appreciate fiberglass rods a lot back then - but thinking back - that rod had a nice slow action and would be a hell of a bass bug rod.
I have this combo of fly rod and reel. I use the rod actually. It's good. But I use another reel this years, I use a Grauvell of 456 lines. Now, I'm thinking to put a new reel or the original that in the fishing rod. My experience in this team with the Shakespeare rod and the Grauvell reel, with a number 5 line, is that the throwing is not all good. I need a strong energy to win meters, obviously. When fishing, it's strong, any problem to broke them. But, with the pikies I don't know enought.
ReplyDeleteTo close, I say that I bought them in a Carrefour supermarket, with my father when I was young.
I have this combo of fly rod and reel. I use the rod actually. It's good. But I use another reel this years, I use a Grauvell of 456 lines. Now, I'm thinking to put a new reel or the original that in the fishing rod. My experience in this team with the Shakespeare rod and the Grauvell reel, with a number 5 line, is that the throwing is not all good. I need a strong energy to win meters, obviously. When fishing, it's strong, any problem to broke them. But, with the pikies I don't know enought.
ReplyDeleteTo close, I say that I bought them in a Carrefour supermarket, with my father when I was young.