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I figured on writing this after posting some comments on river fishing small mouth. A real fun fish to take on a fly rod. Fishing with a fly rod can be a real hoot, for everything from bluegill to largemouth, as well as trout or salmon..., and it AIN'T that awful hard to learn. For to many years the scotch drinkers have kept the average guy from using a fly rod because it's touted as an ART..., HOOEY! (not the scotch, I like that) I started fishing with a stainless steel rod, and direct drive reels. Your choice in line was black nylon, or black nylon. Dare Devil spoons, Pike Minnows, and Bass-A-Reno's were standard with maybe a Hawaiian Wiggler thrown in for good measure. The tool for fishing bass in heavy cover was the fly rod. You could toss a big deer hair bug across the pads or in the reeds dance it around a bit, and tease a bass or two into striking. It was fun. "What was that?" FUN!..,It was, and is fun, it worked, and still does. Did you get that part "The Tool" that is exactly what it is.., a tool. Just like you wouldn't use a putter for a driver, a 30-06 to shoot a squirrel, or a 410 on turkey, you don't fish 30 feet of water with a fly rod. It's not a tournament tool either. I watched a Television show, and the guy said the hardest time to catch bass or any fish was when there was a big fly hatch going on. Five will get you ten it wouldn't be for me. I'd put down the old cast, and crank, go into my rod storage, break out the old Fenwick heavy weight 9 foot wand and do some battle. When it comes to bluegill, not even live bait can compare when a hatch is on. I have caught fish dropping my fly NEXT to another guys bobber, while he got nothing (I'll only do that to mess with a friend though). Anyone who can chew gum, and stand upright (although I have seen guys in wheel chairs use them) can learn to use a fly rod in a couple of hours practice. You can get started on the cheap, Berkley has a fine Cherry Wood rod that is economically priced. Fly reels are just line holders (Not in the case of salt water) so you can go on the cheap there. Line should be the best you can afford (Weight forward for you when starting, and general use), but you can get started on economy line, a handful of Chinese flies will get you in the game. If you know someone who fly fishes all the better, but with all the videos on the Internet you'll figure it out. I got started using a fly rod before todays snooty cadre' of upscale poetry reading purists were born. I learned first because it was an effective tool, then kept at it because it was fun (I still can't give you the Latin names for the flies, but I can catch trout with them). I started by teaching myself without any help when I was 12, that's some 54 years ago, and it's still fun. Give it a try.

After 50 years, I know my girl. I bought her a new spinning rod, and reel. Last year she broke the tip off her good rod, one I bought her a couple of years ago for Valentine's day. She broke the tip, and looked devastated when it happened. I trimmed it back from it's full seven foot to roughly six foot six. Actually I don't think it hurt much, and in fact gave it a bit more starch to set the hook and drag bass out of the slop we generally fish in. Still it was her good rod, and it was broken. Yesterday when the package showed up, I am sure she thought I bought the rod for myself. When she saw her name on it, she broke out smiling. When she opened it, she really beamed. It may not have been a top line rod, but it was the best rod we could afford, and is in the class of my best rod. Wait until the reel shows up in a couple of days.

Some guys collect coins, stamps or sports cars they never drive! Other guys collect fishing equipment.

How much have you fished with spinning gear????? I would say why limit yourself? Just another tool in the arsenal. I enjoy fishing with spinning gear now, and find that fighting a fish on spinning gear, especially with light line, to be a challenge and at least as enjoyable as winching them in with a baitcaster. When I first started fishing I did not like spinning gear and tried not to use it. Now there are times when it makes more sense and makes fishing just as enjoyable to use the spinning outfits...maybe more.

Heck I fish tiny ice flies down to 40 feet in the winter. No blasphemy there. No blasphemy using a full sinking fly line to get down there, along with a passel of sinkers to help drag it down. It's just difficult to do. I speak from personal experience. For me it's just too much work. If it trips your trigger do it.

Red Earth said he does not fish tournaments, just fishes for fun, same with me and to be honest if I miss a fish.........BIG DEAL, I'll just catch another. The attitudes of some of amateur fisherman than fish low level tournaments are condescending towards recreational fishermen, that don't participate in tournaments. I highly doubt they're any better than a serious recreational fisherman.

Which is always preceded with "Here, hold my beer"

No, he hates hugs.

Keep your pecker in your pants.- My Mom

Off topic, but take a look at the butt dragger heads baits: http://www.confidencebaits.net/index.html. They were designed by my friend Jeff Little for fishing the Susquehanna River. They overcome many of the pitfalls of bait eating rivers.

Truth!