16ga.com ~ View topic - Lose your Benelli's, sell your Citori's, break your graphite

Member Joined: 09 Dec 2005 Posts: 989 Location: Las Vegas

Waxing nostalgic this morning! Here's a couple of tools that still get her done today as good as they did 50-60 years ago.

1950 Browning Sweet 16
1948 Phillipson 3/2 5wt. Bamboo Fly Rod

Matt

Member Joined: 25 Jul 2006 Posts: 781

How long is the rod and tell me about the reel.

I have, and have fished the rod and reel in this photo:

http://new.photos.yahoo.com/jeffmulliken/photo/294928803899666799/1

Jeff

Very nice combination. I don't own a sweet 16 but I have a number of fine fly rods. That leads me to wonder just how many 16 ga shooters are also fly fisherman. In my area of the world, fly fishing isn't that popular and neither is the 16 gauge. I know three people that fly fish and they also use 16 gauges. I wonder if their is a common thread here.
By the way, in the last issue of the American Hunter, there is a little article about the Sweet 16 and the value of the guns. Take a look. Looks like you own two collector peices.

Jeff,

Linky thingy no worky. Got the "Uh,oh, something bad happened" mesage.

Scolari,

Same in my area regardinging 16's and fly fishing; this is 12ga mag and bass boat country Laughing

! I was out yesterday with my 3wt fishing for bluegills (Kansas brookies, as we call 'em). Sorry, though: it is graphite!

Fin

LATER: AH, there is is! Nice pic!

Member Joined: 09 Dec 2005 Posts: 989 Location: Las Vegas

Jeff: PM sent.

Matt

Member Joined: 14 Feb 2007 Posts: 110

Beautiful equipment...

I'll start fly fishing when my setters start pointing rainbows...

*Last edited by britgun on Wed May 23, 2007 5:48 pm; edited 1 time in total*

....well, I'm another 16 gauger that loves fly fishing, and I used to trade cane rods prolifically... only down to a couple I really like to use for small stream work during hopper season.... but I had to give up the vintage Hardy reels because twice about 3-4 summers ago, I got spindled by river pigs which in both cases were in really small streams where you would no way expect to find them, so I switched to Abels.... it really chapped my behind when the feeble (though lovely) Hardy Perfects left me hangin'..... I dumped 'em on ebay in spite.... Mad

brit

PS I'm a Sage guy for the graphite stuff, how about any of you guys? I still use my first Sage 690 (circa 1984 ?, new tip 10 years ago) especially when it's windy... otherwise, I love my old 4 weight Sage III overloaded with a 5WF 444....

*Last edited by fin2feather on Wed May 30, 2007 6:46 pm; edited 1 time in total*

My fly gear is hardly state of the art; that 3 wt I mentioned...Korean made Martin Mohawk River; I don't have much over $200 in the whole outfit, including an Orvis Wonderline. It casts better than I can. Catches fish, too. Go figure.

Member Joined: 24 Jan 2007 Posts: 467 Location: SC PA

My everyday outfit is a St. Croix Legend Ultra 865 (8'6" 5wt.) / Lamson Velocity spooled with wf 5wt. Rio. My home fly shop is Clouser's (owners Bob and Joan Clouser) Fly Shop in Middletown,PA- Home of the original Clouser Minnow. Bob is one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet. He convinced me to start using St. Croix rods when I got into flyfishing.

I'm really interested in getting into a cane rod, just not sure where to start. Seems like quality and price are all over the place.

Cheers,
Marcus

Member Joined: 09 Dec 2005 Posts: 989 Location: Las Vegas

Hey Marcus! Cane rods are just like 16ga's! Old ones and new ones, expensive ones and cheap ones, good casters and bad casters, and not a rhyme nor reason to most of it! Lots of misconceptions. The best advice is the same for a cane rod as it is for a gun. Try before you buy! I think it's really cool to catch fish on a high mountain stream using a rod that was built by somebody 50-60 years ago or more. If they could only talk!

Matt

Interesting thread. I too enjoy flyfishing, and tying my own, although not nearly as much since I got heavily involved in upland hunting and shooting in the offseason. I also shoot a longbow, and would make my own arrows if I had time, so yes, I guess I'm a purist at heart. If it isn't difficult, or a bit different, I lose interest. You can have all the plastic benelli and compound bow technical mumbo jumbo. I like it pure and simple, and also beautiful and elegant if possible.

Member Joined: 24 Jan 2007 Posts: 467 Location: SC PA

Matt,

Just trying to keep from getting hosed! My interest definitely lies in the older cane rods. Lots to learn. James Babb's "Crosscurrents" had a great chapter on collecting cane. If you haven't read it, I'd recommend picking up a copy.

Marc

Member Joined: 23 May 2007 Posts: 7 Location: Michigan

Old rods and old guns are like an old friend. The wife would never understand but, I get all warm and fuzzy feeling handling them. Most folks want new and shinny. Here in Michigan deer, turkey and, salmon are all the rage. My passion is Grouse, woodcock and Bass. When you mention Grouse or woodcock a lot of people don't know what your talking about. I've got a few bamboo fly rods one that I refinished and, a couple more that will be a winter project some day. Never mind the fact that the 16ga. is the quintessential upland gun it reeks nostalgia. Most guys think it is long gone or have never heard of it. Someone mentioned fish pointing setters. I had a Gorden that thought he could. He would perch on the front of the boat, leaning out over the bow as far as he could ear's and jowls flapping in the breeze and tear's pouring from his eye's. Looked good but never produced. Old things are good unless of course we are talking about our tired old body's tramping through the woods.

Bill

Joined: 25 Feb 2006 Posts: 50 Location: john day, or

Four 16s and two Headwaters cane rods, 6' 9" 4wt and 7' 6" 5wt.

Maybe 16ers are a little old fashioned; if born and reared in northern climes. Its the adventure not the bag that builds memories.