the merits of the spin rod

the fly rod is a very beautiful creation. it feels good. casting the line, infusing a mechanical system with energy in such a way that it will carry itself over a distance and deposit itself and its stinger(s) lightly upon the water. delicate and precise, the fly rod is an amazing tool with which to fish.

the spin rod is a straight up fish catching machine. spots previously explored with the fly rod shrink within the scope of these things. depths become readily probeable. distance becomes easily covered. current speaks many new languages with the spin rod. readily accessible pockets of potential abound.

from the various types of plugs to the various types of jigs to the dropper fly and beyond, the spin rod has much to offer the curious fisherman. using the spin rod i have found fish in places i did not previously know they were. i have caught fish in ways i did not know they could be caught.

and i can honestly say that this season i have caught far more 20+pound stripers than i have less than keeper size fish. i can't really fathom it myself, but this is true. in my experience, when you hook a fish with the spin rod, it could more than likely grace your table that night. and i am not even a very good fisherman. but i am learning, and my understanding of the ways and means of these fish has grown considerably since consistantly fishing the spin rod.

the spin rod did not always tickly my fancy. it appeared not to hold much gratification. they seemed bland and clumsy and just so regular...i felt as though i was fishing with my feet.

but at that point in my development as a fisherman i was in fact fishing with my feet. not literally of course, but looking back at my previous fishing self i was trying to pluck fish from the water with my toes or throw a ball with my left hand. the fly rod offered me an opposable thumb on a dominant hand with which to pick through the ways and means of the waters with method and precision. it opened an avenue for me to exercise my will on the water.

the spin rod took that state of mind and had it chug a sparx...

for the past month and a half i have consistantly been catching the biggets fish i ever caught. it happened again last night.

the spin rod is an amazing fishing tool that quickly covers many bases. but the fly rod is still a superior presentation instrument. and i feel that soon i will take what i have learned from the spin rod and put it back into the fly rod and then we shall see what happens...

in any event, i would highly recomment the spin rod and its many manners of lure to any angler who wishes to expand their understanding of the ways and means of, in my case, the striped bass. the jig is an absolutely amazing method for finding the exact location of holding fish and now i know where some very large fish gather. now after them with the fly rod...