Christmas in January

I went shopping yesterday.

Now I don't want it to seem like this is an unusual occurence for me. I go frequently to Walmart, Hobby Lobby, and the yarn stores with my wife and you can catch me in Lowe's or Home Depot from time to time but this trip was designed around one thing - fishing equipment!

I was on the hunt for a new fly rod & reel. The research was done and I knew just what I wanted - now the challenge was to get it for the best price.

We started out with lunch at Whataburger which for the un-initiated is only the best burger chain in Texas.

Next stop Bass Pro Shop at the Katy Mills Mall. (see I even go to mall from time to time)

I had decided to get a Temple Fork Outfitters TiCr series rod in a 4wt four piece for taking on the road.

My existing rods are both medium action, two piece White River rods. (Bass Pro signature brand)

I started out with a 6wt Hobbs Creek outfit that I received for my birthday several years ago and it has been a great rod for learning how to cast and for getting into fly fishing.

Last year Paul and I found a deal on a White River two piece 5wt for 50 bucks and we each got one prior to our trip to the Green River.

I was ready to get a faster action rod and thought the TFO 4wt was what I wanted.

I was also ready to spend $120 on a new reel - the Orvis Battenkill Mid Arbor III.

This beauty is a lifetime reel and with the centerline drag system, should handle any type of fish I'm likely to get hold of.

Bass Pro didn't have the rod and they only had the BKMA III in black. Of course I wanted the titanium model so I settled for a couple of other items instead.

They were having a sale on waders so I was able to pick up a pair of Simms Freestone Stockingfoot waders for a good price.

I also bought a wader bag that had been on my list for some time. The FishPond Yellowstone model will hold all the gear you would ever need for a fishing trip. It also has a fold-out wader-mat and a ventilated bottom compartment for wet waders and boots.

After leaving Bass Pro it was a straight shot down I-10 to the yarn store and T. still had a gift certificate to spend so off we went.

As it turns out I must confess there was alternate motive involved. This was also the general direction that would put both iFly The Angler's Edge and the Orvis store in our path for the ride home.

I had seen the TFO 4wt rod at the iFly shop a couple of weeks before and thought I would be able to get-it-n-go. I was also aware that they had my second choice the Echo 2 which is a nice rod that comes with two tips - one for power & one for accuracy.

I had a brief letdown when I found that the 4wt TFO TiCr rod was gone. They did have the TiCrX model which costs a little more but is not made in anything less than a 5wt.

I've always liked the looks and the specs of this rod. It is a 9 footer finished in a rich blue color, high grade cork, titanium oxide stripping guides, and an aluminum reel seat. The 5 weight has a reversed half wells grip, single up locking rings and a matte black graphite insert. Each section has color coded alignment dots.

I decided to put some line on the TiCrX and try it out. I intended on casting the Echo 2 to compare but after questioning my salesman about which rod was faster he said definitely the TiCrX was the fastest of the three that I was considering. Fast action was the main driver for my new rod purchase and after a few casts I was hooked. This rod is so smooth and powerful I felt like I had just what I was looking for.

By purchasing a 5wt rod I would be able to swap reels and lines between all three of my rods.

I ended up putting a 6wt 3M Scientific Anglers Wet Cel sinking line on the 6wt Hobbs Creek Reel.


I put a 5wt Orvis Wonderline Generation 3 Double Taper on the new reel.


I'm ready for some fishing!