does anyone use fiberglass rods anymore?
Golly Gee Willikers does that question ever bring back some long ago memories. I remember the catalogs; J.C. Penney, Sears & Roebuck, Montgomery Ward, etc. laying open on the neighbor's kitchen table. The folks were flipping the pages back and forth, passing the catalogs around to each other and talking about........... fiberglass fishing rods. Back in those days, the internet didn't exist so, information about new outdoor sports products usually came from a 'department store catalog', word of mouth (from someone that got a catalog before you) or, a trip to Re-Arm Sports Center down the alley between Liberty and Buffalo St. in Franklin, PA. Ahh those were the days, going with dad when he went for his hunting license(dad didn't fish), the smell of gun oil and nitro solvent hitting your nose before you were three steps in the door. Than there was the loud mouthed salesman who knew anything about everything and he wanted everybody in the store to know it when he was answering your question. Dad would avoid that dude like the plaque and always responded "just looking" when approached which, brought about the response
"
Wellllllll just let me know if you need something". Not sure what it was dad would mutter each time but, I think it had to do with the South end of North bound horse.
Sorry..... got caught-up in the moment
, back to the table full of catalogs where the buzz centered around Fenwick vs Shakespeare etc.
Fast forward to the dawning of 'competitive bass fishing' and me being trusted to hold my own fishing rod without fear of me tossing the rod when I felt the tug of a fish as the bobber disappeared. Hey, I wasn't about to get 'stung' by no catfish that might be on my fishing line, no wayyyyy! Anyway, who doesn't remember the Fenwick "LunkerStik"? Man-o-Man that was the rod to have if ya wanted to be known as an angler, that is until the newbie, a combination of graphite and glass came along and it had a lifetime guarantee not to break. I still have the two rods I bought when Shakespeare introduced the "Ugly Stik" back, I believe in 1976. Bought em at Delkampers in Meadville, PA. even though I still lived in Franklin I chose to not shop locally, I didn't want to deal with that loud mouthed dude either!
To make a long story short
................. yep I still use those rods especially when I troll, pulling long leaders behind dipsy divers using 4 lb test
or, more.
I gotta go, it's Sunday......... I have this hankering for a big plate of overcooked eggs, extra crispy bacon, burnt toast and, fish!
Have a good week and tight lines to all............