Fishing Story #1

Phil Yearout · 06-01-2025, 12:53 PM

Visited a favorite spot on Friday; a little glass 4wt was already in the 4Runner's rod loft so I took it down to what I call the Cottonwood Grove. The fact is it hasn't been that for a long time; someone cut them all down for some reason, but I still call it that. Anyway, it's at the end of a riprapped drainage slough and the riprap extends out into the water forming a sort of shoal and it's been a productive spot in the past. It was again; a bunch of bluegills - no records, but fat and in the 9-10" range.

So yesterday I wondered if they's still be biting there, and if so, how much fun would they be on my Winston IM6 2wt? Yeah, I know: it oughta be a dry fly rod, but the day before they liked a black wooly bugger with some green wraps so I tied on the smallest one I had. They still liked it and they sure put up fun fights on the little 2wt! These aren't necessarily the biggest or most colorful, but...

Kentucky Bird Hunter · 06-01-2025, 04:34 PM

I just acquired a Winston Pure 8’3” four piece 2 wt. Matched it with a jewel-like Orvis CFO reel that I got from a member here. Perfect dry fly rod for our brookies on the North Branch of the AuSable River here in Northern Michigan.

Nothing like the fun of a little fish on 2wt!

Phil Yearout · 06-01-2025, 07:03 PM

I bet; great outfit - ain’t them little Winstons sweet?

Kentucky Bird Hunter · 06-01-2025, 08:12 PM

You bet. I have a 6’6” Winston IM6 3 wt. that is a five piece rod! Dang thing will fit in your glove box! Not much for streamers, but it is a sweet travel dry fly rod!

Kentucky Bird Hunter · 06-01-2025, 08:13 PM

I’m a sucker for sub-gauge shotguns and light line fly rods!

Phil Yearout · 06-03-2025, 01:09 PM

As a poster here said to me in a PM: "I have too many fly rods...said nobody ever."

I do though sometime have trouble deciding which rod to take, and I do sometimes feel guilty about not giving each the attention they deserve.

I have my Winston graphite rods from 2 thru 8wt; just really love Winston rods. I like glass too; I have them in 4 thru 7wt. Then there's bamboo; I have 3 thru 7wt, mostly vintage except these two...

Headwaters 2pc. 6'6' 3wt with Zhu reel (all Chinese but I haven't had a fish turn up its nose yet

)

And the "Queen of my Quiver", Brackett-era Winston 7'6" 3pc. 4wt with Hardy reel

Andy · 06-03-2025, 01:49 PM

I was near the West Branch of the Neversink River yesterday, beautiful, storied, private water. I watched a quite aged gent work a bamboo rod, complete with tweeds and a tie and hip waders. Felt like I was back in time and it was pretty cool.

Dean Romig · 06-03-2025, 09:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew Sacco

I was near the West Branch of the Neversink River yesterday, beautiful, storied, private water. I watched a quite aged gent work a bamboo rod, complete with tweeds and a tie and hip waders. Felt like I was back in time and it was pretty cool.

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