A 2-weight rod.
I've enjoyed hiking into Colorado’s back country in search of the beautiful... secluded mountain creeks and brook trout. A 2-weight rod would be perfect for such endeavors. I actually went into a local fly shop this fall to buy one I had spotted. But it was gone. No worries. At the fly show I set out to find all the vendors with 2-weights. I spent a lot a time at the casting ponds.
Mystic, Allen, Orvis, TFO, Hardy, Scott, Sage, Greys and others were placed in my waving hand. The only hindrance was my price range. I even got cash before I left the mountains for the big city so I wouldn’t go over budget. Oh, I eyed several that were beyond the cash in my pocket. You can feel the quality difference in your fingers as the line is laid out on the water. But I couldn’t justify spending that much money on a new fly rod that I will probably only use a few times a year.
My favorites were the Mystic and the Scott fiberglass. But both were out of my price range. My thoughts were on a seven and half foot, 3 or 4-piece rod. But after casting a 6 foot, I opened up to that option. I almost went with a 6 foot, 3 weight fiberglass Hardy. But I was persistent on a 2 weight.
I narrowed it down to the Allen and an Orvis (the Clearwater, not the Superfine). I went back and casted each twice. Short casts. Long casts. Roll Casts. It was the last day of the show and deals were in the making. The guys from Breckenridge Outfitters would take 15% off the rod. The Allen boys still had a better price, but it was a two piece. Time to think about that feel of the rod. How it pulled on the back cast, how it loaded and released the energy to stretch line over the water.
I pulled out the cash and handed it the guys from Breck. With a new rod I needed other gear…reel and line. I have a small Hardy reel I think will work, so just needed some line. Was about to go to the Rio booth, but the boys from Breck didn’t want to let me go or for them to carry too much stuff back up the mountain. They made me a great deal on a new 2-weigth fly line. I also got an as great a deal on a new Brodin Ghost net to replace the one I broke into three pieces on my recent trip to Wyoming’s Miracle Mile.
With rod and net in hand, I finished my shopping. Not only did I get what I wanted, I was surprisingly able to buy it all with the cash I had. Those late Sunday afternoon deals can really work out at the Denver Fly Show.
Thoughts of a summer visit to Lost Creek Wilderness is already taking my mind to beautiful places.
But there is more.
I was able to hang out with two friends I hadn’t seen in years. Among the vendors was Natural Retreats, who now owns South Fork Outfitters. I spent two summers guiding and working at the fly shop many years ago. Jonathan L., a fellow guide, was in the booth for Natural Retreats. He’s working on the business side instead of in a drift boat these days. Then I saw Shawn L. who used to be my boss at South Fork. He’s with Yellow Dog Fly Fishing Adventures now. Both are excellent fisherman and I learned a great deal from both of them. Greetings and old stories. Questions of who’s doing what these days and how are the kids? Great to catch up with these guys. And now thoughts are forming of a fishing trip up north to the South Fork and to flowing waters in Montana.
