A fly rod...a post I did back in 2010. My Orvis Superfine Small Stream fly rod I purchased 30 years ago...the post has seen 6000 page views since published. Yesterday I pulled out the Orvis rod and went to the stream where I fished it back a long time ago. The post was originally posted on a local fly fishing forum in the early 1990's.
This is the wild brown I caught so many years ago.
The run where I took that brown has seen some dramatic changes in the years.
I fished that run again with the 2020 version of that 1990 Orvis rod.
When the fly worked through the riffle and settled in the pool I felt the take. The fish did what most wild browns do it found the nearest cover. Luckily for me it was only a small branch and I was able to bring it to hand.
Could this brown be a descendant of the one taken there 30 years ago? I really don't know but I like to think it may have been.
Great post Alan, taking us there with your words and images.
ReplyDeletebillp
Deletethanks
Bill I enjoyed it...both sharing and remembering the times I've had with this rod.
"Could this brown be a descendant of the one taken there 30 years ago?"
ReplyDeleteI vote yes.....
Mark Kautz
DeleteThanks
Mark these fish have a remarkable sense of survival. I did a post on a brown possibly living in a super small stream all of his natural days...I have to look for that one.
those classic Orvis non sanded blank rods garner pretty penny these days. The best of Orvis then and now.
ReplyDeleteJohn M Pavao
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John they had a real winner then. I wish they would have kept it in production.
indeed, there is a facebook site dedicated to those rods- very entertaining and informative. Gene Hill once wrote that if you find something you really like, buy 2 or 3 before they change it or stop making it. Very sound words of advice. I wish I had bought a lot of those rods from the late 60's to mid to late 70's. Both in glass(Fenwicks) or graphite(Orvis suerfines). It is interesting how much these rods sell for these days. Maybe people have figured out that those old rods were pretty darn good then and now.
DeleteJohn, I have done that but it was to late to do it with the Orvis rods. Cabelas CGR,s and Cane and Silk I have a few.
DeleteThe good news is that stream is still producing wild fish. Our small streams are the proverbial canary in the coal mine. Glad to see it still producing after all this time.
ReplyDeletemike
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Mike it has been a consistent producer all of these years. It hold brookies to but they are a up and down fishery.
Alan
ReplyDeleteI can't think of a better combo, the Orvis reel, Orvis flyrod and of courxe the bomber to fish all those streams where you live. Thanks for sharing
Bill Trussell
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Bill that combo has been a favorite of mine for a long time. The bomber will always be #1, especially on the small streams.
Alan,
ReplyDeleteFishing a familiar stream is like visiting an old friend. Sure they change with the passing years but so do we. It's always interesting to see the changes, some for the better and some not, and remember the prior visits.
JJ
Beaverdam
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Joe so true. Even when those years are not so good we will always have the outstanding ones to carry us.
Great post, and great to see the wild browns are still thriving in that run. I have an Orvis Seven Eleven 4 weight of similar vintage I’ve meaning to get out and this inspires me to do so. As always, great writing and photos. Waiting for my order of Firehole sticks to try some kebari!
ReplyDelete-Kevin
Ned Zeppelin
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Kevin it's nice to take out those rods we love. They are old friends.
Your going to love those Firehole sticks.
Alan, A fine nostalgic post, sometimes I think it's us that changes not the wild things and wild places. Stay safe, John
ReplyDeleteThe Two Terriers
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John we do change and sometimes more often then we like. Wild places should change but only by natural forces.