Finally,??

[frankrutledge]

Well Yesterday was a big day,
I pulled the trigger and finally got a Spey set up. Well, actually I order one set up from Cabela's and changed that order to a different spey set up, but neither mattered because they where out of both spey combinations. My new defination of frustration :mad: is trying to receive customer service over the phone, it's when the "order taker" is just an "order taker", it seems they had everything the entire time, just not placed together as a package, which is what I ordered. Anyway, I decieded to cancel the order and go to a local shop, so I went into Creekside and talk about what to get and decieded to go with a cheeper set up, They really know there stuff and took the time to walk me through what I need, that took some time because I really didn't want to spend a lot of money. In the end, a Redington Red Fly 14' 9 wt., Cortland Endurance ~9.? oz. 4.25 dia. w/ a good drag and a Rio Versi tip. Just a hundred more than the online price and I felt good about Creekside even though I didn't know them very well.
So I tood the rod down to Lincoln Park and took it for a practice run. About cast 20 the furrell cracked :beathead: , not to bad, but a crack. I called the shop and they said just bring it in and we will give you a loaner while your rod is being repaired. I don't think a lot of shops do that:confused: ?? Do they? Well, when I got to thinking about it I didn't really want a repaired rod, I just bought it! I did make sure the conection was on there well and didn't jam them on either, I got really bummed out, I just spent $XXX, that's actually a hundred over my cancelled order. Well I decieded to take the rod in today and tell them I didn't want the rod repaired, that I really wanted a refund for the rod. I was going in there to tell them I wanted a refund and if the said no, then I would get Redington to relace it and never go back to that store again, but I said I really didn't want this rod, not repaired or relaced and the owner said, no problem, I'll give you your money back.
Good, now this may seem strange but I think I should spend a little more and get a little more quality rod, so if it's still here I'll take that FLI 8140 (Sage) over there. Great he said.
Now That is F'n service :thumb: . I would have been screwed had this happened to me through Cabela's. I ended up spending more, but what a set up. I am totally stoked! Usually I try and cut a corner and after some time I realize it costs more to cut a corner than to just get something better now! This time I learned that lesson in a day.
So the new set up is an 8140, Cortland endurance, Rio Versi tip! Could't be happier.
Thanks Creekside!
Frank.
Other Funny thing, I returned a vise to a friend a couple of days ago and bought a new one walking out the door with my new rod, I bought a cheap clamp one.....I got to Bellevue and realized I just don't get it! I turned around and went back and got the Renzetti, the one I should have bought the first time.
My friends don't call me frankfarb Rutledgestien for nothing!

[flybill]

Sounds like a nice setup! It's always fun to get some new gear. I got a new SA Skagit line recently and it is sweet!! I assume your setup will cast similarily to the 9140, which I'm farmiliar with. Enjoy!! :cool:

[frankrutledge]

Thanks Bill.

[Mulligan]

Nice Frank! Cool meeting ya out at the beach yesterday. Your cast looked pretty dang good for your first rod.

[Zen Piscator]

Fly shop owners wet dream...

Taping your furrells may help them from not cracking, I always use tape now. Good luck.

[Christian Brewer]

What a great set up and it sounds like Creekside really took care of you. Now if you break that Sage rod, you can just catch a ferry over to Bainbridge to exchange rod and be back fishing all in the same day! Spey casting/fishing is definitionly an addiction, so get ready for wanting to start experimenting with different casting styles for different situations...which leads to mulitple lines...which leads to multiple reels...which leads to multiple rods.

My in-laws live in Nebraska and I had the opportunity to go to Cabelas this January while visiting them. Not one sales person in there new one thing about what little fly gear that they had in stock so I could only imagine how little the customer service phone reps know about fly stuff. They didn't have any spey gear in the store and when I asked the fly fishing sales rep (who's name badge claimed he was some guide from Montana) about where was their spey gear...he said something towards "Isn't that those long rods where you need two arms to cast them? I'd sure like to see someone do that." But hey if you ever have a question about ice fishing in the Dakotas or what camo to use while deer hunting in the Ozark Mountains of Missouri...then you know who to call. But fly fishing (let alone Spey casting)...not a clue.

Christian

[KerryS]

My in-laws live in Nebraska and I had the opportunity to go to Cabelas this January while visiting them. Not one sales person in there new one thing about what little fly gear that they had in stock so I could only imagine how little the customer service phone reps know about fly stuff. They didn't have any spey gear in the store and when I asked the fly fishing sales rep (who's name badge claimed he was some guide from Montana) about where was their spey gear...he said something towards "Isn't that those long rods where you need two arms to cast them? I'd sure like to see someone do that." But hey if you ever have a question about ice fishing in the Dakotas or what camo to use while deer hunting in the Ozark Mountains of Missouri...then you know who to call. But fly fishing (let alone Spey casting)...not a clue.

Christian

You went to the wrong store. You should have visited the Cabelas in Mitchel S.D. They have one of the best steelhead fishermen and spey caster in the states working there. I would imagine there is not a lot of spey fishing going on in Nebraska.

[Christian Brewer]

You should have visited the Cabelas in Mitchel S.D. They have one of the best steelhead fishermen and spey caster in the states working there.

:confused: Who would of thought??? :confused:

:rofl:
Christian

[Salmo_g]

Frank,

Congratulations on the new setup. I'm not sure if Zen had it right with you being a shop owner's wet dream or nightmare, all in one package. It sounds as though you were more certain that you wanted a new Spey outfit, and that you were still pretty close to clueless about what specific gear you want or need for your fishing. When those discretionary funds are burning a hole in your pocket, no doubt you're a shop's best friend. It looks as though you got some good gear. I hope you have a blast learning to put it to use. Have you been attending the Saturday Spey days regularly?

I keep thinking I should buy a high falutin' fly vise someday, too. But my old Thompson A still holds the hooks. Does the Renzetti hold them better? Or does it look better holding the hook, as in, one of the models in the Victoria Secret catalog would look better holding hooks than the Thompson does?

Sincerely,

Salmo g.

[Sloan Craven]

Congrats on the new rod.
You're gonna like that better than the RedFly, ALOT.

[wolverine]

Salmo, I thought that I was the only holdout that still used a Thompson A vice!

[Salmo_g]

Wolverine,

I almost thought about buying a new and much more expensive vise last year. Vanity or something. But hell, nobody would see it. My logical self got back in control, and I put it out of my mind. If it wears out, I'll replace it.

I agree with Sloan, you're most likely gonna' like that Sage a lot better than the Red.

Sg

[frankrutledge]

Salmo g,
What's up? Nightmare? Wet dream? Flaunti'n? Clueless? Or does it look better holding the hook?

"Please be nice when responding to my post." Or don't respond.
Thanks,
Frank.

[Salmo_g]

Sorry Frank. You were being such a good target. Wet dream = customer walks in shop with disposable income burning hole in pocket. Nightmare = customer wants this, then no, wants that. High falutin' = the expensive gear we always lust after, repressing all logic from our brains, if necessary.

And being nice in cyberspace is always a bit of a crapshoot.

So, have you had it out to lawn cast yet?

Sg

[Steelie Mike]

You went to the wrong store. You should have visited the Cabelas in Mitchel S.D. They have one of the best steelhead fishermen and spey caster in the states working there. I would imagine there is not a lot of spey fishing going on in Nebraska.

Oh yes, the new generation of Walleye fisherman using Skagit lines and t-14. There is nothing better than catching that tasty 14 inch Sauger on a 14ft rod. Now that is a true sporting venture. I spent a couple of hours in that store a few years back. It was a lot of fun in more ways than one. I ended up walking out with a couple dozen bass bugs that I never used and a Fly Fishing in Iowa book. I would have laughed if I saw a spey rod there.

Good luck with the spey venture Frank. It is a lot of fun and very addicting.

[John Hicks]

congrats on the new set-up. Sage makes a great spey outfit and their service is second to none.

[frankrutledge]

No I actually took it to Lincoln park yesterday and i'm taking it to the Canal tomorrow. It was really hard to get it out for some "decent" distance with the wind yesterday. I think they (RIO) need to come up with the "White Cap Wind Cutter."
F.

[pescador do mosca]

I applaud the movetothe local shop. Working in one myself, I know the challenge the smaller guys have. But we do have a competitive advantage in service and knowledge that the BPS and Cabela's we compete with can't match, this has been voiced by many a customer to our delight.

Good luck with your outfit and as one of the other posters mentioned, it is very addictive!

:thumb:

[KerryS]

Oh yes, the new generation of Walleye fisherman using Skagit lines and t-14. There is nothing better than catching that tasty 14 inch Sauger on a 14ft rod. Now that is a true sporting venture. I spent a couple of hours in that store a few years back. It was a lot of fun in more ways than one. I ended up walking out with a couple dozen bass bugs that I never used and a Fly Fishing in Iowa book. I would have laughed if I saw a spey rod there.

Good luck with the spey venture Frank. It is a lot of fun and very addicting.

Perhaps you didn't talke to the right guy. Running the gun vault in the Mitchel, SD store is one of the pioneers of Skagit casting. He bought the first Sage 9140 ever sold in Skagit County. Perhaps you don't know as much as you think you do.

[Steelie Mike]

Perhaps you didn't talke to the right guy. Running the gun vault in the Mitchel, SD store is one of the pioneers of Skagit casting. He bought the first Sage 9140 ever sold in Skagit County. Perhaps you don't know as much as you think you do.

Kerry I was not picking fun at you rather fishing the spey in South Dakota. Regardless good luck on the Skagit.

[Scott Behn]

Funny thing is that Cabelas was started, if my memory serves me right, by 2 brothers who were selling their flies thru mail order...

:cool:

[frankrutledge]

Funny thing is that Cabelas was started, if my memory serves me right, by 2 brothers who were selling their flies thru mail order...

:cool:


I think those two brothers would roll over in there grave (if passed on) if they found out how lame the service is. They (Cabela's) sent me an email detailing out they number of combinations (4) I ordered. After each one it said OUT OF STOCK Finally they said I hope you expereince was good with us and let us know if you need anything ellse. HUH, I don't think I am, but thanks! I Think somday I'll buy something againig from them, I just will go with my eyes wide open.
f

[SteelieD]

Cabelas from Wikipedia-

"The company began in 1961 when Dick Cabela came up with a plan to resell fishing flies he purchased while at a furniture show in Chicago, Illinois. Upon returning to his home in Chappell, Nebraska, Dick ran a classified ad in the Casper, Wyoming, newspaper reading: "12 hand-tied flies for $1." In 1961, he ran an ad in the back of Sports Afield magazine, offering, "FREE Introductory offer! 5 hand tied Flies...25 cents Postage..."

In typical direct-mail style, each order was mailed with a mimeographed catalog of outdoor items Dick and his wife, Mary, added to their product line. In the beginning, Dick and Mary worked at the kitchen table of their home in Chappell. Continued success made the company a full-time operation by the fall of 1962."

Support your local shops!

I must be bored.