A new small stream rod...on the cheap.

[Ron Eagle Elk]

So I've been fishing a couple of really smallish streams, lots of brush on the banks, no back cast room, so roll casting or bow and arrow casts are the ticket. I was thinking about a short 3 or 4 weight rod with a mono running line (probably Amnesia) and a Skagit head in the 150 grain range. Should be perfect in those streams.

So today I was in one of the local stores that buys out other stores merchandise and sells it for cheap. I spotted an Eagle Claw rod, 6 feet 6 inches in length and as marked, a 4/5 weight. Heavier than I wanted, but at a whopping $15 plus tax I couldn't say no.

Got it home, ripped the tag off the bright yellow rod and figured with a 4/5 weight I'd line it up with a 5 weight line and test it out. It cast great. With a double haul, 45 to 50 feet was fairly easy and very accurate.

Went back in the house and glanced at the tag I'd ripped off and it says the rod is a three weight. Checked the rod and yes, it's a 3 weight. Didn't have one, so I lined it up with a 4 double taper and it still casts very nicely with about the same distance and accuracy.

I've got about $17 in the rod including tax, there's a couple Orvis Battenkill Reels sitting around doing nothing, I've got a spool of 15 pound Amnesia laying around for running line, next stop is Annika Rod and Fly for a Skagit head and floating tip. Then those 12 to 15 inch river smallies had better be aware, there's a new game in town

[DOUGSDEN]

Ron,
This is what makes America great! I loved following your story progression until you reached a good rod/reel combo.....and dirt cheap! Way to go friend! Let's take a look at it! Pictures please, hopefully with a trout or smallie attached to the business end!
I am loving posts like this!
Dougsden

[chugbug]

Bold move! I'm rooting for a great result. Those micro-skagits sure are neat.

[jcwillow777]

Nice score, congrats. The smallest rod I have is a 7'6" 3W. Enjoy your new toy!

[Tom Smithwick]

That story brought on a smile. I started building rods from blanks sometime in the 1970's. At the time, I could buy a 6 foot 4 weight Fenwick fiberglass blank for about $10.00. I built a few of them, usually keeping them for a while, then passing them along to a kid or a friend getting started. I still wish I had saved one of them for myself. They were actually great little rods. I am still not so sure that I can build a better short bamboo rod these days than those things were, for what was pretty small money, even back then.

[Ron Eagle Elk]

No pictures, but the rod, with the OPST 150 grain Commando Head and 120 grain floating tip cast very nicely out to about 50 feet with a single spey.

Practicing my casting at a local pond with no back cast room I managed to bring 4 fairly nice bluegill to hand using a brown hackle peacock. It was a hoot on that 3 weight.

[Fishnkilts]

I remember when I was a child if you had an Eagle Claw rod you were on top of it all. For what they are, they still are great rods for the price. I'd like to buy one and keep it in the truck for those days I get the itch to fish after work.

Good for you on finding that 3wt rod. That's a great find.

[Ron Eagle Elk]

I remember when I was a child if you had an Eagle Claw rod you were on top of it all. For what they are, they still are great rods for the price. I'd like to buy one and keep it in the truck for those days I get the itch to fish after work.

Good for you on finding that 3wt rod. That's a great find.

I recently sold our Fish Cat float tubes to a young couple just starting out. He's the one who told me about the outlet store getting in some Eagle Claw rods from time to time, at a real steep discount. I just saw the same rod on Amazon for about $40, so I paid less than half.

Yeah, I remember when Eagle Claw was the hallmark of fishing gear. Seems like a long time ago.

[letumgo]

Ron - I have one of the bright yellow 5/6 weight Eagle Claw rods in the garage. After reading your message, I plan to try it out with my OPST setup. Should be a fun rig for smallmouth.

The 3wt sounds like a blast!

PS - My very first fly rod was a green Eagle Claw fiberglass rod. Caught my first trout on that rod. Been “hooked”every since…

[Ron Eagle Elk]

Ron - I have one of the bright yellow 5/6 weight Eagle Claw rods in the garage. After reading your message, I plan to try it out with my OPST setup. Should be a fun rig for smallmouth.

The 3wt sounds like a blast!

PS - My very first fly rod was a green Eagle Claw fiberglass rod. Caught my first trout on that rod. Been “hooked”every since…

Bright yellow fiberglass it is. For a cheap rod, I'm impressed with it's casting performance. Fit and finish...not so much, but for $15?

The local fly tying materials dealer has been after me to start building my own rods. I'm searching the interweb for a 6' to 6'6" fiberglass blank to build out as a Skagit set up. Hmmm, a 6'6" two hand rod? No, never mind.