Antique Fishing Equipment

Over the years I've become more interested in fly-fishing than fish catching, not that the two are mutually exclusive.

 I've spent a lot of time reading about the traditions of the sport and collecting old equipment as opportunity presented.

There is something about handling an old bamboo fly rod that is not only evocative of distant times and places but the whole aesthetic of form meeting function somehow resonates with me.

 Occasionally I'll go fishing with an old rod and reel set-up.

I'll use traditional flies like the Parmachene Belle or Leadwing Coachman and head out to a favourite spot to fish the evening rise.

The old rods have a slow action that requires a certain discipline to make a good presentation. There was a time when novices were taught to cast by placing a book between their elbow and body. The trick was to learn to cast without dropping the book.

Modern fly rods are much more forgiving of casting form and actually require a looser, more extended elbow and wrist action to achieve their potential.

Focusing on the proper casting posture, arm action and timing required to use an old-fashioned bamboo rod keeps you very much in the moment. I think it might even improve your fishing.

I tend to get sloppy with my regular gear knowing that I can use power to overcome a poor pick-up or bad timing.

 Antique equipment requires a whole different level of attention and care, not just to make it work but to preserve it from damage, concerns today's equipment allows us to be mostly oblivious to.

Don't get me wrong; I wouldn't easily abandon my new Sage 5 weight, but using the old methods and equipment has a wonderful way of putting things in context.

 When you read about Roderick Haig-Brown fishing the Campbell River for steelhead or Lee Wulff's early salmon fishing adventures in Newfoundland this is the sort of equipment they were using.

 I'll admit, a few pan-sized brookies is a far cry from a fresh Steelhead but still, it does fire the imagination.

This post's picture is from http://www.royalwulff.com/legacy.html