Tom Morgan rod

[arawa]

Trying to make amends for a lack of contribution to the forum.....

I will not apologise (again) for being a tackle tart; it is just a cross I have to bear :roll:.
I have plenty of very decent rods but I was intrigued by the praise the Yellowstone Anglers heaped on a Tom Morgan rod in one of their exhaustive reviews of top rods. So, based on the review and a cast I had had years ago of a different rod, I ordered an 8'6" #5. Delivery stretched out to 9 months but it arrived at the start of last season.
The presentation is impeccable. In all seriousness, the tube could be placed on display as an ornament. The rod bag is finished better than my wife's dresses. The rod itself just glows.  Before anyone else says it, I know none of this impresses the fish (nor, honestly, me).
I did not immediately fall in love with the rod when I tried it. Being a fan of Sage Click reels on my #3 and #4 rods, I had bought a larger Click suitable for #5 lines to use with my new rod. The balance just did not feel right and I was slightly disappointed – although my expectations had been sky high. However, when I fitted a heavier Sage 3250 reel the feel of the outfit was transformed and became a joy. The action is buttery buttery smooth and casting utterly effortless. It is not an ultra long-range rod although it casts plenty far enough for me but it is incredibly accurate and perfect for my preferred style of fishing for individual rising trout with a single dry fly. This rod deserves all the praise Yellowstone Anglers gave it and I think it is brilliant.
But, but, unless I make a conscious effort to pick out the TM when I am heading to the hills the rod I automatically take is my Hardy Smuggler 8' #4!

[Sean Freeman]

That sounds awesome! I'm a self confessed tackle tart too :worried
I fancy a TMR glass rod at some point but I'm planning on picking up another C.Barclay next year for fishing small streams. I do have a very nice red ijuin arriving in January that I can't wait for, Yamame fly rods Facebook or Instagram has pictures of the build progress.
The single dry fly sounds like my kind of fishing, my club waters are the Derbyshire Wye, Lathkill, Bradford and Derwent so I'm well used to the single dry fly rule!

[Bobfly]

I have slipped back to being a downmarket tart .... I bought four reels earlier this year, one with a spare spool, and all can be dropped without worry .... all are old Leeda Rimfly click check jobs and £45 for the lot of them !  They all work jim dandy and give just the right balance so just the job. What a cheapskate !!

[arawa]

I have slipped back to being a downmarket tart .... I bought four reels earlier this year, one with a spare spool, and all can be dropped without worry .... all are old Leeda Rimfly click check jobs and £45 for the lot of them !  They all work jim dandy and give just the right balance so just the job. What a cheapskate !!

I still have my Leeda reels from probably 30 years ago and used them last year for some salt water fishing. Still worked perfectly  [attachimg=1]

[Bobfly]

I did also go back to my 9ft two piece Edgar Sealey Old Gold cane rod a few times the last two seasons. I have no line marking on the rod, now 58 years old, but it handles a 4 or 5 or 6 very well and I  just adjust the slow timing. It all sems to just happen with no hurry.

[arawa]

I did also go back to my 9ft two piece Edgar Sealey Old Gold cane rod a few times the last two seasons. I have no line marking on the rod, now 58 years old, but it handles a 4 or 5 or 6 very well and I  just adjust the slow timing. It all sems to just happen with no hurry.

I can make about 3 casts with the first fly rod I bought and still have (no name and metal ferrules). Then my arm is too tired to continue :roll:. The first 2 casts are excellent though .
I am glad I no longer have my first fly rod - a truly ancient greenheart rod - that weighed a ton. I probably could not lift it now let alone cast with it.

[fergie]

I still have my Leeda reels from probably 30 years ago and used them last year for some salt water fishing. Still worked perfectly  [attachimg=1]

I still use one of those. It's on my 30+ years old Shakespeare alpha rod. 

[ianmck]

Used a leeda rimfly for many years. A brilliant reel. 

[Sean Freeman]

I found a 100 odd year old reel lately in my uncles shed, apparently one of four known to still exist and it was about to be chucked out! It is in an awful state though.

https://imgur.com/a/ElXvkyK

My first rod and reel was a lovely 7ft Snowbee classic and a fladen reel. Wish I'd hung on to it as I gave it to my cousin when he was old enough to learn and he broke it over his sisters head! I cast it last year before I gave it to him and it was as nice as I'd remembered and all for £40-50.