Hey Slicker!

[Buzz]

I had the urge to buy a new small stream rod. I've been using bamboo, but I wanted a really light graphite rod for some odd reason. Sort of try new technology if you will.

I looked around to see what was available. I wanted something in the 7' range for a 4wt. I'm not fan of light lines. They can't handle the wind, and Colorado is always windy. I decided on the Sage TXL-F 6'10" 4wt. It has the latest tech that Sage has to offer.

http://www.sageflyfish.com/fly-rods/freshwater/txl-f/


The rod is so light, that I was having a hard time finding a reel light enough to balance the rod. I finally gave in and bout the Sage Click 3 reel, that is pretty much made for the TXL rods. Not a fan of large arbor reels, but I like the lightness and click drag.

http://www.sageflyfish.com/fly-fishing- ... ter/click/


So, I got everything a couple of days ago, and put a Rio Trout LT DT4wt line on it. I went down to the Arkansas River to test it out. As was expected, it loaded with just a foot on line out. Nice soft presentations at any distance. What shocked me was the distance I could get out of it. I had to cut 20' off the line to get it to fit on the reel. Damn DT lines! I could easily throw all the line out with no haul at all. Impressive for a little rod made for short casts. It also had no trouble with large dry flies. (#8 hoppers)

Overall a nice setup that turned out to be be more versatile than I expected. I'm going to go ahead and use it on the Frying Pan this summer for the green drake hatch. We'll see if it has the backbone to bring those monsters in.

[callmeslick]

enjoy, Buzz!! I have a little 7 foot Loomis that I like for similar situations.

[Pudfark]

In the late sixties, I took up fly fishing. My uncle gave me a new "shakespeare" 6 1/2 foot fly rod w/reel. Then, the practice began. The rod was "hollow fiberglass,spun"...
It was a neat inexpensive little rig. Easy to cast and the distance was remarkable for it's length. I got my first catalog from Herter's and then all my income went to fly tying materials. Enjoy Buzz.

[Buzz]

This was my last year for hunting. I love the meat, but i've lost the desire to kill. So, i'll be concentrating on going on hikes with Buddy, and fly fishing the creeks.

Not a bad way to spend my last days on earth.

[callmeslick]

may those days be many, Buzz....

[Pudfark]

I hope you have a full creel....I myself, miss stalking brook trout...
I'd probably go back to fly tying...except, I can't see the damn things anymore...

[callmeslick]

I tie around 2000 flies per year(a few for shops, mostly my friends and I lose a lot). I'd be absolutely lost without a magnifier at my tying table.

[Buzz]

I went out for a couple of hours today to try out the new rod. I was surprised that I caught a few fish on dries.

You have to love the trout in creeks. They always take dries.

[callmeslick]

unless it is absolutely frigid water, trout in small creeks are always looking up for food. Think about the numbers of midges and small mayflies they see. Add in the terrestrials dropping out of trees and grasses at the water edge, and the shallow depth of the water they live in, and the surface is like a chow conveyer belt.

[Buzz]

That's why I fish creeks 99% of the time. I fish dries 99% of the time, and the two go together perfectly. The only time i'll fish the bigger waters is when I know for sure there's a hatch, and i can use dries. Like the green drake hatch on the Frying Pan, or the caddis hatch on the Arkansas River. I like the Arkansas better, because I live on the river. The Frying Pan is a 200 mile round trip.

I used a Parachute black Ant for the creek the other day. There isn't an ant in sight this time of year, but those creek fish could care less. I love it. I could probably use a Royal Wulff all year, and catch a ton of fish. Maybe a Hares Ear when run off comes. Sort of makes life simple.