Thursday, April 02, 2020

Heading Out Fly Fishing With My Horrocks Ibbotson Rod And Rainbow Reel After A 40 Year Pause

I first bought my H-I gear as a high school kid — a Model 1107 Rainbow Reel


and a Model 1348 fiberglass rod —


circa 1964. I caught lots of trout in w. NY then drifting salted minnows weighted with split shot downstream into deep holes as I’d been taught by my mentor Alois “Louie” R.

Upon graduating from college and starting the work force, I put fishing on a back burner for a long time. But after marrying in 1978, I got interested again after seeing the beautiful streams near my wife’s family home a bit north of the Adirondack Park. But this time around, I used the outfit to learn how to fish with dry flies.

I enjoyed enough success that I soon shelled out for an 8.5 ft. 5-weight boron fly rod custom made by a local TU member. That was my go-to rod until about seven years ago when I picked up a nifty 7.5 ft. 3-weight Scott. Both of these rods remain technically strong on the waters I fish them on.

But after I noticed that fiberglass rods were making a comeback of sorts with young hipsters who’ve grown up on the latest tech, I decided to get the H-I rig ready to go this spring simply so that I can show the whippersnappers how we were already rolling 55 years ago.

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