Jackster's post about regrets on a T&T rod he sold to a friend got me to thinking about rods that I no longer have but wish I did. I'm sure I'm not alone in the regrets department so let's hear about the ones you let get away thru trades,sales,mishaps or whatever.
I sold a firend just starting out a great 3wt custom rod on what I think was an old Fisher blank. Medium action that was really nice on small streams. One of the nicer casting rod's that I've owned. I also sold a Diamondback tradition(? or something like that) which was the original Classic .same rod they just changed the name to stimulate sales thinking the Classic was a sexier name. learned my lesson.I won't sell my other Diamondback Classics.
Best,
Steve

I casted a 590XP and had to have one. To get it, I sold off my last generation GLX 9' 5wgt 4 pc. That was one of the dumbest moves I ever made. I'd love to have that rod back.

Keith

Hey Steve,
I've let a few rods get away that I wish I still had: a Sage RPL 590-4, as well as a couple of Diamondback Classic Trouts. Also sold a 1976 Fenwick HMG GFF704 (7' 4wt), that was very "parabolic" & slow for graphite, which I really miss at times.

I've also sold a few blanks that I wish I'd kept (East Branch, Fisher, Lamiglas, etc.), but really need more rods like a hole in the head!

If anyone knows the whereabouts of a 1970's HMG in the GFF704 or GFF634 (6'3" 4wt), let me know.....see what you started, Steve?

Tom

SOB (as in crying) -

back in the 70's, i developed a friendship with Walt Carpenter, the then head of, and rod maker for, Payne rods, then Leonard, and then his own company - he got me collecting, and using, bamboo rods - i had 5 Payne's, one of which was a rod pictured in their original catalog - i had a 3wt leonard, a pair of pazon michell's (sp), a Winston, etc, etc - all told, i had a dozen + mint rods - - as they started to climb in price, i became hesitant to use them, and not realizing just how high that market would climb, had Walt sell them - - well, i do like my graphites, but they do lack that old character that only bamboo can possess, and i wish i'd held onto those rods, rather than buying Lucent Tech !!!

double SOB - that referes to Walt for letting me sell !!!

Tom,
i hope this thread ends up in you being able to find that fenwick,a truly nice rod. Whenever someone talks about willowy action I think about that rod.

Ayerloom,
The bamboo rod I'm having made is based on a Payne 100 taper. Even with my limited experience with bamboo, to quote someone else who made some bad decisions, "I feel your pain" *G*. Wow, that was some collection.
Best,
Steve

Its tuff for me to part with rods specially ones I have fond memories of using.
I still have the first "decent" rod I ever bought, its a Fenwick 8' 6 wt glass rod 1964. I also owned the second graphite rod I ever say, also a Fenwick, a Eagle....I did give that rod away to a ffing school for kids a few years ago and never missed it. I still fish the old Fenwick glass occasionally, cork all knarly and filthy, sometimes I wish it was still the only rod I owned.
Almost any rod I own is "for sale" some I'd let go cheap others I would demand a high price.
A few rods (mostly cane) I will never part with. I hope my grandsons will appreciate them and pass um down thru the generations but they will probably sell um off before they put the dirt on top of me.
Of the rods I have parted with....dont really miss um. I thought it over pretty hard before I sold um.

Hello All,

Sorry 'bout this... but I had a 7' fiberglass spinning rod that lasted better than a couple decades before its demise. Someone else accidently broke it and it now resides on display in a gun cabinet. I think it will take the rest of my lifetime with any rod to recover the memories shared with a rod from toddler +5 to adulthood.

As for flyrods, I once thought I lost my 884 G. I went faint, broke out in sweats, and got very nervous and upset with myself until I found it 5 minutes later hiding under a seat cushion in the camper. pheeewwww!!!

Here's to old friends,

CG

I haven't sold any rods that I regret but almost had one get away. I bought an Orvis 8'0 4wt Western Midge back in the early 1980's off Bary & Kathy Beck in my home town of Berwick PA when they had thier fly shop there. I worked my backside off doing odd jobs while in High School to get money saved up for this rod. Over the years I almost sold it on four seperate occassions but elected not too because the rod just casts any fly, any leader configuration, works on both large and small streams, comfortable, ect.

So basically it almost got away, but as I'm here typing this message the old Orvis still stands in the corner of my room and is just about ready to serve its 20ish year on the streams of PA.

Although I still have all the rods I ever had, there was a shotgun that I deeply regret selling. I was into double barrels for several years and had a few Berettas and two Winchester 101 pigon grades. One of the 101s was a field grade 20 ga in a presentation box with some of the nicest walnut you ever saw. Damn!!!

hey, BD -

what was neat, and still is with most bamboo rods, is that you knew WHO put so much effort into them - every rod had it's own character, as even supposedly identical models had slight differences -

wouldn't it have been something to be able to walk into an Abercrombie's or some similar dealer, and be able to choose from racks and racks of those jewels !!

I custom built a 7 1/2' 3 weight around 1990. It was the second one I ever made, the first being one for my wife (see a previous post under a snake protection topic: http://www.flyfish.com/forums/index.php?ac...ST&f=45&t=3591). The blank was a medium action "Riffle" brand from Phil Baldaccino's Kettle Creek Tackle Shop. Beautiful rod, beautiful action, my absolute #1 rod.

During an outing in 2002, I was breaking it down (2 sections) still strung and putting it in the back of my station wagon in order to motor to the next nearby location. My nephew put his gear in last and took his out first upon arrival. I opted to use a different rod and put my baby back in its sock and tube. The next outing, I was string it up and the rod broke at the female ferrule. Maybe it was just “its time,” or maybe that creep stinking klutz !@&!@ nephew of mine threw his stuff on my baby. It could have been his revenge (again, see previous post of snake protection ).

My grievous loss did give me an excuse to finally buy a Sage rod (SPL 8’3” 3 weight). It’s a darn good rod, but I don’t think anything will ever compare to my baby. I miss her.

John

FENWICK EAGLE 905.

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