Haste Makes Waste or Something Like That

by Herb S.
(Southwest Michigan)

Today is the day my wife and I were supposed to come home from a five day trip up north trout fishing, hiking and doing the tourist thing. Instead, Judy broke her foot before the trip and has been laid up for several days awaiting surgery. She has a temporary splint and can’t get around very well without help and I’ve been taking care of her 24/7. I got a break when a good friend volunteered to stay with her so I could go fishing the day before yesterday. You bet I dashed down to the cellar, grabbed my gear, threw it in the truck and headed to the river.
I was loaded for bass and panfish with the trusty Suntech FMX Keiryu Stiff 45, but arriving at the get-in found the only line in the shoulder bag was 11’ of 8 # clear fluorocarbon from the last time out. It had a #8 Muddler on the 5X tippet with a BB split shot. It didn’t take long to realize that any weight caused constant hang ups in the massive weed beds and what I needed, but didn’t have, was a #3.5 line that casts so well with unweighted flies.

Remembering Theodore Roosevelt’s dictum, “Do what you can, where you are, with what you have” I pinched off the split shot and had at it. While I can’t say it was easy to cast, that marvelous rod, with some casting technique adjustment, got that light line and unweighted fly out there and I had a pretty good day. Lurking in the weeds and a few open pockets along the shore were plenty of rock bass to 9”, some good sized bluegills and a couple of feisty juvenile smallmouth bass. So the day wasn’t a loss and the very versatile rod saved it, but a geezer like me ought to look before leaving with the wrong line. Did I mention I love this rod?

Return to Your Keiryu Stories.


“The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten” - Benjamin Franklin

"Be sure in casting, that your fly fall first into the water, for if the line fall first, it scares or frightens the fish..." -
Col. Robert Venables 1662

As age slows my pace, I will become more like the heron.


Warning:

The hooks are sharp.
The coffee's hot.
The fish are slippery when wet.

Beware of the Dogma






Currently processing orders that were received Mar 8.


This Just In

Oni line size 2.5

Free Fly Tying Materials

Used Fishing Books and DVDs

3x5 Photo Tank (Imperfect)