Fishing Forum

The sun was out and so was I. I drove 60 miles over to the Bear River to spend a little time teasing the fishies.

As I sat down on the bank to rig up, I could see fish nibbling on the surface. I eased into place below the hole and started to pull line off to get my fly in position, I false cast once and then went to lay the line out. SNAP!!! Out of the blue my rod broke in half. I was stunned! I didn't even have a fish on. I was just casting, and not even a long or hard cast at that.

So there I was with fish sipping all over the place and me with two pieces of rod in my hands. My other rods were 60 miles away. I don't know why I didn't bring a second rod. I usually do.

Then I thought about the video someone posted on fly fishing section a while back. ( I think it was on here??) It was of the guy that was casting fly line with just his arms...no rod. So I took the tip half of the rod and pulled some line out and started messing around.

With using the tip section in one hand and a pile of line in the other I was able to cast far enough to get the fly in the seam. I was amazed! I was even more amazed when I caught a fish!! Fighting a fat 16 inch rainbow on 4 feet of fly rod without a reel is really a challenge!

I wish I hadn't left my camera at home. I know that that is one fish I won't forget for a very long time. What a hoot!! I felt like I wrestled it in by hand, which was pretty close to the truth. I caught one more smaller one that came off sooner than expected, Then I lost my fly to the bushes behind me. With that I called it quits and drug my tail home.

Now I get to see how good my rod's lifetime guarantee is.

I also won't forget to take a second rod with me from now on!!
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too bad about your rod, hope the warranty meant your lifetime and not the rods. Sounds like you had a good time anyway.
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Kudos to you for some quick thinking on the spot! Ingenuity plus desire paid off.
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Thanks! I hope the warranty is good too!



For anyone that is interested here is one of the videos of the guy that can cast with out a rod. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0fES1sfBRE

Even with the short tip section I was using it was hard to do so many things that are just second nature with a rod. No roll casts and mending is a pain. I didn't continue for too long ...although experimenting was fun, keeping the line untangled was too much work!
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Write that down on a "Lessons Learn" list....I have one that is quite long...I have forgotten everything from tippet..net..waders (and boots)...license..glasses (to tie my fly on)...getting old stinks...LoL
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Sorry about the pole but at least you got some casts in and had a trophy for your efforts.
Kinda reminds me of my dad being in construction he had an idea of stringing up a chalk line with a section of mono, I remember all the time we would be out driving on on motorcycles only to pass a beaver pond or a small stream and we would stop and look for grass hoppers or earth worms under cow pies to bait the chalk line and try our luck. many fish fell to that chalk box lol
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Aaaack! That's a tuff break! Sorry to hear about the rod. So maybe THAT's why I always bring WAY too much stuff! Sometimes it's just easier to grab another rod and keep casting, then deal with the birds nest when I get home! Hopefully before the next trip out.

Ended up kinda like whipping a willow! And you got fish! (but forgot the camera, sigh [frown])

Had a lightweight Sears kiddie rod that survived TWO Musky attacks, and then in putting it in the car - it bend, and the fiberglass just shreded! Maybe it was already weakened (or I AM as big a clutz as I claim!)

Chalk line - that's a good one! Lets hear it for improv! Getting primitive - like jugging for cats!

What a great memory of you dad. A chalk line hand reel!


Bringing more than one rod and reel was a lesson I had thought I had learned before, but just when I get lax about things like that, I relearn why!!
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Epic story. Thanks for sharing.

Windriver
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Had a tfo rod break in the exact same manner. Was lucky I had others in the boat with us.
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That's a cool story, even if you did end up stuck without a rod. I always have half a dozen rods with me when I fish warmwater, but if I'm fishing exclusively for trout, I usually only have one. Maybe I'll start bringing a backup.
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Great story. Ron
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Great story as always . love to hear your adventures . Keep them coming . Curt G.
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