Fly fishing gear is a big part of Casting Across. I’ve always enjoyed the aesthetics, the marketing, and, most importantly, the function of fly fishing gear. Consequently, I’ll review new products on the site from time to time. But appreciating fly fishing gear shouldn’t only be about the latest model or newest technology. The things that you’ve fished with for years – for decades ought to be celebrated as well.
It is in that spirit that I put together this gear review. Although some products are old or even out of production, their value compounds with use, experience, and familiarity. We should enjoy what we use when we fly fish, especially if we’ve enjoyed it for a long time.
I had been fly fishing two times. On the first outing, I broke the top section of my department store fly rod in half. On the second outing, I realized that it’s identical replacement was a little long and cumbersome for the densely vegetated stream I was fishing. Like a seasoned angler, I set my sights on an upgrade.
Being a teenager at the time, it took some time to save. This meant I had time to shop. I flipped through Cabela’s, Bass Pro, and local fly shop catalogs every night. Price was my first criteria. Length and weight were second-tier issues. Out of youthful ignorance, I wasn’t concerned with the label on the blank one bit. The price was dictated by my patience. Impatience and saving $25 a week put my budget around $200. Coming from a conventional tackle mindset of “lighter is better,” I zoned in on 3- and 4-weights. To address the canopied creeks in the area, I wanted something between 7′-8′.
The 7′, 3-weight St. Croix Avid was ordered over the phone and bought sight unseen. To this day, my first fly rod was the only purchase I’ve made in this manner. But I can confidently say that it worked out pretty well.
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