The Domino Effect

Author
doubletaper
Pro Angler
  • Total Posts : 3977
  • Reward points: 0
  • Joined: 2007/10/15 20:00:48
  • Location: clarion, pa
  • Status: offline
2008/03/16 11:24:45 (permalink)

The Domino Effect

                                       3/16/08                                           

                The Domino Effect
                     Of Buying Fishing Gear

I got $200.00 for Christmas from my mother. My intention was to buy a new printer for my computer. I make all my own greeting cards and my Ebson 740 frustrates me 10% of the time. It tricks me into thinking it is printing out a card for me but sometimes I find the card stock isn’t going through. This puts a gob of ink on the rollers and I’ll have to run three sheets of paper through it to get the excess ink off. Next, it will signal me it’s out of paper but I can see there is plenty of paper in the waiting rack. Last, not sure if it’s the printer or computer, but I’ll want 10 copies of an invitation card, for some unknown reason it will decide, on it’s own, eight will be enough and quits printing!
On the other hand my Roman numeral trout clock, above my fly tying desk, tells me to use the $200.00 for other means. I listen to it tic-tic-tic and then toc me into a new fly rod!!
I look into the corner at my dozen or so fly rods. Grandfather’s rod is more like a relic and I don’t use it. I have a bamboo rod that one top section is splintered and the other looks like a recurve bow. My Wonderod has thread hanging just below the cork handle. I use this occasionally but would like to replace it.
I figure 10% of my fly rods are unfunctional like my printer. Now this becomes a toss up, 90%-90% usefulness of printer verses fly rods. I took out a 2005 Kansas quarter, Washington’s head on one side and a Buffalo head on the other. I flipped the coin into the air and called heads for a new fly rod.

I ordered a new Diamondglass 7’ 3wt, 3pc, rod through FishUSA.com after getting some helpful info from a fly tackle forum from guys I don’t even know with names like: thedrake, Fisherboy86 and mgolf92. The only negative response was from an alias, ‘duncsdad’, commenting about getting hung up on backcasts.
The rod was a little more than $200.00. (About $100.00 + more). This extra cost can be compensated by my tax return. Brian, at FishUSA.com, tells me the fly rod will be shipped right from the factory. It’s the beginning of February so there’s no rush. A week and a half later I get a long triangular box from Cortland, New York. Inside is an aluminum rod tube that looks like it was dragged through a city park for about a half-hour tied to a leash attached to a loose, hyper, dog. I might have expected this if I bought the rod off of e-bay or for a discount at some run down fly shop, but I paid top dollar and expected it to arrive in top form. I opened the tube and pulled out the cloth bag. I took out the three sections and assembled them together. What a fine fishing tool, I thought. Pointing the rod in front of me I tested the "flex". I found that a progressive medium action flexes from the rod tip all the way down to the cork grip, but smoothly.
Now this is when the domino effect of spending comes into the mix.
Now that I got a brand NEW rod how can I justify putting a dinged up, abused, but still functional, 3 year old Battenkill reel on this? Even a Clearwater reel might not be justified, though I feared to try it on. It just so happened the same day I got my new rod I got a $10.00 gift card from L.L.Bean. I checked out the lightest, best looking, inexpensive reel and called Freeport, Maine.
"Oh by the way, throw in a brim lighted baseball cap with my Quest II fly reel"
Add another $56.00 (The dominoes start to tumble)
1 weeks later I received my new L.L.Bean reel. Pretty sweet and I think I’ll like the center drag knob. I turn the reel with my right fingers and the reel turns smoothly without wobble. I turn the drag knob tighter and again spun the reel and again it turned just as smooth, too smooth, no drag. Upon turning the spool in reverse I found the reel was set up for left-handed retrieve. No directions in the box and after taking off the spool I seen nothing that was interchangeable. After calling Maine I was instructed to remove the hex sided hidden needle bearing and flip it around. Oh well, I was just checking how their customer service handled such situations.
O.K.,NEW rod, NEW reel, 3wt? I have no 3wt. Fly line. (The domino cost effect tumbles again). I’ve read about the new Cortland Sylk fly line and was interested in trying this out on my NEW rod and NEW reel. Checking the internet for the least amount of cash I’ll have to part with I came across a fly shop that offers free shipping and, being out of state, no sales tax. It also was the cheapest price at $48.00 instead of $52.00, good savings!
On Saturday, at noon, I called the 1-866# and got a recording that the shop doesn’t open until 11:00am on ‘Saturdays’. I scratch my head and called again, again I got the same message. (I’m a slow learner sometimes). Hmm, somewhere out West there is a fly shop that doesn’t keep the same time as we do over here in the East. I waited until 1:05pm and called the number again. This time someone answered and I explained that I wanted to order a Cortland Sylk fly line. He took down the info, insured me no shipping charge and no sales tax. I asked him where their shop is located?
It is strange I can save quite a bit of money by ordering something that is coming from across the United States, California, than buying it in my own state of Pa. in which the product is made in a neighboring state, New York. Go figure, thank goodness for the Internet.
Oh, add an additional $48.00 to the $56.00 L.L.Bean purchase and the $300.00 rod.

So there it stands my NEW Diamondglass fly rod up against the gun cabinet. The light reflex off the black gloss blank through the translucent finish. The NEW Quest reel compliments the nickel/plated reel seat and dark rosewood insert that extends below the Flor+ grade cork grip. A NEW 7½’ 6x knottless leader, ($6.95 for a two pack), is ready to attach to my NEW Cortland Sylk line whenever it gets here from California. I even have a NEW, $8.00 double nubby tack, fly box with nymphs, midges and mystery flies tied by FishUSA members. My anticipation of using all these NEW items is growing impatient.
I should be making my mom a greeting card thanking her for the Christmas donation for my NEW $400.00 + fly fishing outfit but my darn printer isn’t working!!


I want to thank FishUSA.com for having free shipping at the time I ordered my rod. Though I haven’t used it yet, I want to thank the few members in helping me in my decision to purchase the Diamondglass rod and those whom flies I’ve received in anticipation of using them. I would send you all a thank you card but like I said before, my darn printers broke…
                                                                ~jerry (alias doubletaper)
post edited by doubletaper - 2008/03/16 22:20:46

http://streamsidetales.bl...015/05/helles-yea.html
it's not luck
if success is consistent 





#1

6 Replies Related Threads

    S-10
    Pro Angler
    • Total Posts : 5185
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2005/01/21 21:22:55
    • Status: offline
    RE: The Domino Effect 2008/03/16 12:36:52 (permalink)
     My $300 downfall was a $25 gift card from Gander Mountain.
    #2
    nut
    Expert Angler
    • Total Posts : 295
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2007/10/05 07:26:11
    • Location: Philipsburg PA
    • Status: offline
    RE: The Domino Effect 2008/03/18 07:33:27 (permalink)
    my downfall was cabelas lets you charge an order to your credit card. -$620... and counting.

    the early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.

    www.theonshorefisherman.bravehost.com
    #3
    mikeg
    Pro Angler
    • Total Posts : 2533
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2004/05/11 11:58:32
    • Location: Erie, PA
    • Status: offline
    RE: The Domino Effect 2008/03/18 16:17:05 (permalink)
    Fantastic post!
     
    Very well written and very entertaining.
    I think we've all been there, and done that!

    For my fishing reports, product reviews, stories, and other nonsense...
    http://bassjunky76.blogspot.com/
    #4
    doubletaper
    Pro Angler
    • Total Posts : 3977
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2007/10/15 20:00:48
    • Location: clarion, pa
    • Status: offline
    RE: The Domino Effect 2008/03/25 13:14:42 (permalink)
    update,
     i received a new rod tube on 3/21/08 from cortland for my diamondglass rod. brian, from fishUSA.com, took it upon himself to call cortland after reading my story about the rod tube. 
    i want to say thanks to brian and fishUSA.com.
                                                   ~jerry
                                                     buy American!! 

    http://streamsidetales.bl...015/05/helles-yea.html
    it's not luck
    if success is consistent 





    #5
    Skip16503
    Pro Angler
    • Total Posts : 4028
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2001/04/04 23:06:24
    • Location: Erie Pa
    • Status: offline
    RE: The Domino Effect 2008/03/25 13:27:35 (permalink)
    ORIGINAL: doubletaper

    update,
    i received a new rod tube on 3/21/08 from cortland for my diamondglass rod. brian, from fishUSA.com, took it upon himself to call cortland after reading my story about the rod tube. 
    i want to say thanks to brian and fishUSA.com.
                                                  ~jerry
                                                    buy American!! 

     
     
     
    Brian is one of the good guys there,  come to think of it I haven't met a bad one there yet

     



    #6
    woodnickle
    Pro Angler
    • Total Posts : 8500
    • Reward points: 0
    • Status: offline
    RE: The Domino Effect 2008/03/28 10:25:47 (permalink)
    Ya Brian is a cool dude , but stay clear of his bottle! It will hurt ya! Lol

    #7
    Jump to: