Priced a decent bamboo rod lately? Old or new, it’s enough to put some people on the verge of apoplexy. Gardeners dream of warmer weather while browsing seed catalogs; some of us dream while browsing other stuff. As you plan your fly fishing purchases for 2011, think of this:
From the April, 1947 issue of Field & Stream
And for two-thirds of the price of the rod, slap one of these Champion reels on that baby and you’re almost ready to hit the water!
From the April, 1947 issue of Sports Afield
This is the first installment of “Flashback Friday” a new feature of The View From Fish in a Barrel Pond, scheduled to appear, generally, on —Fridays.
The View from Fish in a Barrel Pond 
put me down for 1 of each. If I am looking forward to a flashback, how would one conjugate the verb?
Rob – very carefully?
QG, that would be about $150 for the rod and $100 for the reel today. Still a great deal. You wouldn’t find new bamboo at LLB or anywhere else for that price!
Pretty pricey, actually. I bought my first fly rod right after WW II (first shipment the sporting goods store rec’d after peace declared). That would have been 1945 and I paid $8 for it, a 9.5′ split-bamboo rod. I forget the line size (size G, probably), but a size #8 by current rod sizing. I still have it and try to catch at least one fish a year on it. An old pal, really.
Paul — Any angler who has been fly fishing for 65+ years is okay in my book. My hat is off to you for taking care of your gear well enough to still have that old rod and I think it’s great that you fish with it from time to time. Keep it up — I’m sure you’ll get the hang of this fly fishing thing sooner or later. 🙂
Thanks for dropping by!