Gear I love! Old, new.. what are your favorites that you won't part with?

flybill

Legend and Spey Jedi!
Forum Supporter
Here are some of mine and a few pictures!

Rods:
9' Rainshadow RX8+, 6wt 4pc (custom)
12'7" Buelah 7/8 4pc (custom)
14'3" CND Solstice 4pc (custom)

All built by me with help of course, I started building rods almost 20 years ago.. at All About the Fly!!

Various reels, but the old Lamson V2 I bought years ago, has a streamer line on it with a 4' integrated sink tip!
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A MacRowdy fly wallet!!
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I'll post my bamboo rods and reels another time!!
 
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My old ceramic bobbins with brass centers, I can’t bring myself to spend $30 on a new one with a shrink wrap center…
Sage MOD 7130 - love the feel in hand.
Echo OHS 6 & 8 weights.
Tibor Everglades
Various Hardy clickers
 
Loomis IM6 1141S spinning rod
SF
 
Orvis "Salmon" 10 ft 9 wt and the Hardy St John I bought to put on it. 350 dollars.. my father thought I was nuts spending that kind of money on a rod and reel.
I made my best cast ever with that rod 120 feet with a lead eyed leech on the north Umpqua.
10 foot leader, 110 foot Sci Anglers steelhead taper backing knot out of the reel. I couldn't do that today with any rod and reel.. for years my right arm was significantly bigger and stronger than my left thanks to frequent use of that rod. Year around with a double taper. This is especially true after I started fishing the Deschutes several days a week with most casts going to the backing knot.
That rod taught me to cast.. swing weight is BS when your rod has guts..
 
Not fishing related but I have an early model Delta tilting arbor table saw-the first one ever first produced in 1938. I think mine is a 1941 model. It is still smooth and quiet despite decades of use. The motor alone must weigh over 80 pounds and the cast iron base adds to it's heft. It was designed to last forever and early models are still sought for restoration. I also have a cast iron drill press and a cast iron jointer of about the same vintage. Not much sign of wear on either yet, they will outlast me by decades.
 
Not fishing related but I have an early model Delta tilting arbor table saw-the first one ever first produced in 1938. I think mine is a 1941 model. It is still smooth and quiet despite decades of use. The motor alone must weigh over 80 pounds and the cast iron base adds to it's heft. It was designed to last forever and early models are still sought for restoration. I also have a cast iron drill press and a cast iron jointer of about the same vintage. Not much sign of wear on either yet, they will outlast me by decades.
It doesn't have to be fishing or fly fishing related! Could be a car or motorcycle!! Whatever you're into.. underwater basket weaving. .. things you value, despite the cost.. I have some books I value greatly.. many fly fishing related.. many on other equally important topics!!
 
My little hook hone, which is the second one I’ve had actually. I like my hooks sharp. My current one has the fine grit on one side and medium grit on the other, and—bonus—it spent some time in the possession of Capt. Nick so it surely had some extra mojo imbued during its sojourn. It had a Sojourn of Imbuement. Which, incidentally, I heard was the title of the never released Todd Rundgren record. Anyway, I can’t stand fishing with anything but a really sharp hook, so I like my little hook hone a whole lot.
 
My Buelah, mentioned in my original post.. one of my Happy Places too, where I caught this fish, the second of the day! Need to go back, it's close to where I live and try again, despite the fact the fish are fewer now then when I caught this one years ago!8-13-2009 11-09-13 AM_0010.jpg8-13-2009 11-10-13 AM_0013.jpg
 
Orvis "Salmon" 10 ft 9 wt and the Hardy St John I bought to put on it. 350 dollars.. my father thought I was nuts spending that kind of money on a rod and reel.
I made my best cast ever with that rod 120 feet with a lead eyed leech on the north Umpqua.
10 foot leader, 110 foot Sci Anglers steelhead taper backing knot out of the reel. I couldn't do that today with any rod and reel.. for years my right arm was significantly bigger and stronger than my left thanks to frequent use of that rod. Year around with a double taper. This is especially true after I started fishing the Deschutes several days a week with most casts going to the backing knot.
That rod taught me to cast.. swing weight is BS when your rod has guts..
I was given the same rod by a friend, never have cast it. If it were an 8 weight……
 
Rods:
Steffen Brothers 8' 5/6 and 8'6" 7/8 S-glass are two that you'll have to pry out of my cold dead heands.
Epic Bandit (the OG 7'9" 10wt)
NFC Iconoglass 8'6" 10wt

The only graphite that makes my list is my Orvis H3D 9' 8wt. It doesn't really get used all that often, but it's not one I'll be getting rid of any time soon.

Reels:
I don't really have any super attachment to any here. I mean, I think my stable of Danielsson Originals are pretty cool (6wt, 8wt, 10wt) but there's not that attachment that I have to certain rods, especially the Steffens. I also have an old Young Beaudex but I never use it...it's still pretty cool.
 
My 1972 Fenwick, 6#, 2 piece , fiberglass fly rod. Tough as nails rod, used the hell out of it and it still looks great. Shows in my cast, a long, slow drawn-out event..
 
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