Trip # 10 to Willard

[Tin-Can]

Were all the fish lively cats?

Jim, I have to assume they were Cats. I was in an area that is usually a good Cat producing spot, and as Larry said, he wasn't too far down the wall from me, and he caught several. But no matter what type fish, having 2 break offs back to back like that is certainly not the norm for me. And pretty aggravating. [:/]

I didn't go fishin yesterday cuz I had some maintenance tasks on the boat I wanted to do that required a trip to Cabela's here in Farmington. I took a very close look at that rod and the first 40 or 50 feet of line off the reel. Wish I had done that before I got it baited up and in the water. I have no memory of any problems with that rod last year, and I replace my line on all my rods at the beginning of every season. But yesterday I found some splits in the last 2 line guide linings.
I have the hunch that the 6 lb. mono was going out OK thru those guides on the cast, but when they got loaded up with a fish on the hook, those splits spread open just enough for the line to get between them and run across the rough edge of the guide.

That rod was a "yard sale" find probably 15 years ago. It was an old "Carbomax" (never heard of that brand or name of rod but it was in perfect shape and has caught lots of fish) 6'6" Medium weight rod. It has been one of my favorite general duty poles for many trips to Willard, Hyrum, East Canyon, and several community ponds.

Well, I gave it an honorable retirement to my dumpster, moved the reel to another pole that had a cantankerous old reel that I just haven't had the guts to get rid of. So now hopefully I have made one serviceable rod and reel out of 2 bad ones.

It's kinda funny, my wife bought that rod and 2 or 3 more at the same yard sale back when she and I and the 3 kids were all fishing and equipment costs had to be kept to a lower budget. All of those rods have served me very well for many years so we have gotten more than our moneys worth out of them. Now that I can afford better, newer equipment, I just have a hard time getting rid of some of the older stuff. Sentimental I guess. [:|]
[signature]