Step back in time….

So a few nights ago I was helping my dad spool up his rods and reels and getting ready for “his” season to start…he pulled out one of his favorite rods. This thing is darn near older than me…

Anything “old” has a story to tell. Something neat about it.

I asked where he got it from and when. He replied as, I bought it after Dave Genz gave a seminar at Thorne Bros and that it was one of the rods that they made. Be cool to find out who made it, etc.

I sent the picture to Pat Smith and how scary is it when a guy can tell you exactly what the rod and reel is? Its a TB micro lite with the cigar handle and an ul4 reel.

One of my earliest fishing memories was when my dad took me out to Bald Eagle ice fishing after getting a report that there were big gills being caught out there. He was putting a whooping on everyone out there. He had a flasher and a TB rod vs us others with the old hand over hand and floats. About halfway through the trip he lost the handle down the hole.

My dad was also huge in getting me into fishing and being patient with me growing up. (He still is) I could always root through his tackle boxes, use his rods, etc. This one rod was I can honestly say I have never gotten to use.

I have the ice fishing secrets part I and II memorized from when I was in elementary school and I am pretty sure this is the same rod that Doug Stange was using when he was fishing crappies after dark. This was his jigging rod and the other rod he still had to hand over hand…plain hook and a minnow. Some kids growing up watched cartoons. I watched ice fishing videos.

So if anyone has any issues on how well a rod holds up to the abuses of ice fishing. Dad puts in over 35 days a winter using that rod. I have bought him and given him other rods, but this one is still his number one rod. Rod case? Unheard of for him.

Nice little story, maybe some day he’ll hand it down but dont count too early, we northern folks fish till were in the grave.

FISHINFOOL

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Nice little story, maybe some day he’ll hand it down but dont count too early, we northern folks fish till were in the grave.

FISHINFOOL

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And he will fish til he is in the grave! And when it becomes mine, I will take it out, catch one fish with it. Have a moment remembering my dad and then hang it on the wall!

cool beans Chris….knowing both you and your father, im sure that rod has caught hundreds of fish and been part of millions of memories….Definitely one for the wall some day….

Great story man. I have something similar to that but mine is a Cleo Wobler spoon that my grandfather used to throw. Growing up he caught more steelhead on that thing that i can remember. It had been used so much that the blue stripe down the side is almost gone. I have it now in my box and when he decides to go home, it is going on his casket so he can bring that favorite lure right on with him. Keep the good stories comin guys, who knows, maybe we all write a book of IDO fishing memories!

Thats why I like fishing with you so much partner you and I are not that different… I grew up the same way and I love my papa for it…. to many more great years with our partnership and fishing with our biggest hero’s.. our Dads…

I had the pleasure of meeting Chris’ family late this fall and I can see where Chris gets his moxie for the out of doors. Really, really nice people here.

You take good care of that rod Chris. Do as you say you are going to with the rod and your Dad will never be far fromyou, I promise.