Chip Shot

Back when I played a lot of golf, and had a green side chip shot, I would pinch the ball against the turf and send it low with lots of spin across the green, to quickly stop the ball by the hole. It didn't require much of a back swing and was a crucial little shot for scoring well. You know, I do something similar in streams, with tight canopy, where a side-arm cast is necessary with a short fly rod. A short back and forward movement of the rod tip shoots a line into tight quarters, where trout seem to always hide. These Leetle Fellers prefer to make it difficult, for me and other predatory creatures, and so they hold discreetly in those dark and protected areas within our mountain streams.

Having the right tool is essential in tight fishing quarters. Especially when a small dry fly on 7x tippet is the necessary rig. Experienced anglers will use anything from 6' to 7' fly rods when fishing in these trout environments, and it is a type of fishing that I really enjoy. It takes some work to get a fly into the target area for a trout to see it, and attack it, from their snugged-in holding spot. These "hidy holes" are often under an overhang of limbs and leaves. And, when there is no room behind and above you for a back cast, you have to get creative. The options are two: use the length of the stream for a side arm cast; or, use a bow and arrow cast.

I have a 6ft 3wt bamboo rod that I've been using for the past several years that is pretty much perfect for this type of fishing. The only drawback with this rod is when I miss a hook-set attempt. It's so springy that I often fling the fly back into a tree when I miss setting a hook. Yeah, it's frustrating taking time to go and retrieve a fly from a tree branch when the trout is still there laughing at me. Well, my neighbor solved the problem for me.

Brian gifted me a 6' 3wt graphite rod that I know will do a nice job in these tight trout environments. After some time casting it in a local park, I find it loads the line easily for close in work. And, the tip should be less likely to shoot the fly back into trouble, from a missed attempt for a hook set. Better than the bamboo rod, anyway.

This rod is an older Scott rod from back in the '90s. An SVS 603 model. Yeah, try to find a 6ft graphite rod on a fly shop's rod rack these days. You won't see one. No rod maker from the big, mainstream rod companies in the US makes and sells this graphite model anymore, including Scott. So, this rod is pretty special and I'm looking forward to giving it time on the mountain Rios this year. My ongoing rant on this blog has been rod companies just don't care about anglers who roam the blue lines in search of those Leetle Fellers anymore. They can deny it, but the rod models they make say it's true.

Thank you, Brian for this little specialty rod...it goes back into play this year.

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