This is just an email to a couple buddies, figured I'd put it here in
case anybody fishes in that area and wants to talk/email. The point
of the long email to my friends is that I lost the tip of my Winston
6'9" LT 3wt (out in the woods on a rainy day - and damn if that 5th
section doesn't look just like a wet stick) - the only rod I'd fished
with for about 7 or 8 years, at that point. I had picked up a demo
Winston 7'6" WT 4wt online from a place I regularly buy flies from a
few weeks earlier, on a whim, but was nervous about fishing such a
"big" rod. The LT had been shipped back to Twin Bridges (no love on
the phone from the receptionist), so if I was going to fish it was
going to be with a new rod. My friends are really pretty darn good at
flyfishing, I feel like I'm always learning. But, these days, I get
out a lot more than them, so I send them reports.

-----------

Saturday, 6/13 -

Despite being sick as a dog, I couldn't sacrifice what looked to be a
great day for fishing, even if getting dumped on seemed to be
inescapable.

On 33N towards the Poconos I went through one of those deluges that
have both lanes clogged with pussies going 40mph. Aargh! I want to
fish!

I picked the true Poconos creek instead of the sub-Poconos creek -
it's much more open and casting friendly, and I was a little
apprehensive about fishing a 7'6" rod for the first time in years.

Noticed a little sign saying "Henryville Flyfishers" on a cool stone
and wood house along one of the big creeks. Wonder if it's a $5000
membership type deal, or just some folks who like to fish. Bunch of
dandies out on the one creek - male and female - static positions in
the water, everyone in all green, chest waders, boonie hats,
shades . . . Looked sort of like a geriatric Vietnam movie. They
were casting like someone was grading them.

Keeping the rituals intact, I enjoyed a Torpedo, a dip, and the Dead
on the way in. Fresh tire tracks on the wet dirt road, but they peeled
off into one of several house/trailer camps bordering the state
forest. Empty lot, as usual. How many years has this been my
treasure? During the brief hike in, thought about that and the
handful of other official wilderness creeks that I enjoy, wondering if/
when it's all going to end. Ugh, bad thoughts, so instead consider a
bright spot of the recession - there aren't going to be a lot of new
flyfishing enthusiasts, any time soon, the way I'm thinking

A moment of comedy gearing up - brand new rod (Winston WT 7'6" 4wt),
brand new reel (Lamson Velocity V1.5), both purchased sight unseen.
The reel collar won't screw onto the reel seat! This can't be! It's
too thick! Is this what I get for ignoring local shops and trying to
get good deals on the interpipes? Calm down, just look at it. The LT
just has a little friction slider that comes over the reel seat. Aha!
The WT has a threadless collar that gets driven by a threaded sleeve -
just screwed the sleeve up and all was well. Whew!

Caught 15 in less than two hours - a lot of 4-6 inchers - maybe this
year's trout are growing up and are hungry? Hadn't been catching very
many little ones this year, at all. And caught some beauties,
including probably my 3rd biggest ever.

I love the rod - it's awesome. Felt like I was cheating on my sweet
girlfriend, or something. I could instantly cast with a ton more
control and so much easier to get distance. Almost the same sensation
with a hit, but the damn rod is a crane lifting fish out of the water
- first few fish it was like "Woah! Here he comes!"

It was almost like the rod was setting the hook - I didn't need to be
johnny on the spot at all (most of the time) reacting to strikes. A
tiny lift of the rod and he's on. That big one fought for well over a
minute, not just darting and leaping, but big pulling sweeps, too (in
the big, long pool). Pretty exciting! Winston might now be corporate
****s, but their rods are sweet. I might have to have a big talk with
the LT when it gets back.

Why do you need so many different flyrods? Cause they all feel
different, they fish different, and it's fun.

And the reel - very nice. Though, as you guys both say, about anything
can give you line when you need it and can reel it in when you don't
(not that you've said it just like that). But I love the reel, it
works great with the rod, and it'll service both the 7'6" and the 8'6"
in CA.

I treated the rod like a sacred museum piece after I was done. I was
within a couple hundred yards of the tip I lost, but fished close to
the practical daylight limit, so I'll have to look another time. Maybe
over the 7/4 holiday (I've got Jackson two weekends in a row, now).

Oh - all the recent rain had levels up a good bit, but very
manageable.

A very nice time on the creek and the new rod and reel are awesome.
I'd recommend the WT 7'6" 4wt as a great rod!