[Jeff Higgins]

As most of you might already know, I retired a few years ago. I have had no trouble filling my time with my various projects and hobbies, but I have now decided it might be time to revisit one of my old favorites, one I kind of abandoned when my two boys got old enough to fish with me - fly fishing.

I still have all of my gear that I was using when I was active in the sport - an old Pflueger Medalist #1495 reel with two extra spools, a little bit newer Orvis Battenkill Disc 7/8 reel, a fiberglass 9 1/2 foot Fenwick 7 weight pole, hundreds of flies, and all of the small esotera required. I was worried, however, about my old fly lines - all top quality Scientific Anglers lines, a full floater, full intermediate sinker, and a sink tip, all weight forward 7 weights. I was afraid they were all permanently formed into "slinkies" from being on the spools for so long. So I started shopping for new replacements...

My God - one can now easily spend $200.00 or more on a stinking' fly line. You've got to be freakin' kidding me. And rods and reels - don't even get me started on rods and reels. A thousand bucks for a fly rod???!!! "Cheese and rice", as Chuck used to say... What has happened here, while I wasn't watching? This is insane.

In shock, I decided to really take a good look at my old stuff. Not that I "need" a new reel or a new pole, but if the lines are dried out, brittle, and hopelessly coiled, I will need new lines. At least three of them. Gulp... So, I unfurled all of them across the front yard and let them lay out and warm up in the sun for awhile. They were actually pretty supple, and laid out straight and flat. So I re-spooled them, and set about casting with them. The tippets and leaders all snapped, but I expected that, and that stuff is still cheap. Imagine my relief when all of the lines cast just fine, and continued to play out and lay straight after repeated rewinding. Whew - I think I can use my old lines.

I would like a new pole, though. My old Fenwick is fantastic, but it's only a two piece. I want something to pack on my motorcycle so I can ride way up some of our local rivers, on the logging roads that follow them. I would like a six piece rod for that. It looks like there are many that will fill the bill, but conspicuously absent from most selections is the ubiquitous 7 weight. It's weird - 7 weight used to be the most common "all around" for trout on rivers and lakes. And, like I said, my lines are all 7's. There area few available, and some are pretty reasonable, but maybe some of you fly fishermen can recommend one for me. 7 Weight, 9 to 9 1/2 foot, six piece. Any suggestions?