Happy Friday…..a few hours early…

I’m almost never early to anything and it drives my wife crazy. So, to make up for that near-fatal flaw, here’s an early Happy Friday kinda post. After all, wouldn’t life be pretty “meh” if it wasn’t for Fridays?

Tonight I bring you a pretty ok deal from Cabela’s. While I encourage you to shop your local fly shop (if they are deserving of your business) in these tough times when you run across a good deal, take it. Like a new fast-action fly rod for $39.88. The Traditional II’s are on sale again at Cabela’s and are a good deal. It’s a $100+ retail price rod for less than 1/2 that.

Why is it not a “great” deal or a “super” deal you ask? Because I recently snagged a few when they were $25 – and also because of the review I’m about to give you below. Most of the rods are at $50 or so, but the 7’6 4 wt. is at the $39.88 price. The way Cabela’s usually works on these sale items is that once people find them and they start flying out the door, the price inches up. ( Or that’s the way it seems to work out for me…) So if you want one of these puppies, now is the time to jump on it.

 

That's right. I bought 4 of them @ $25 ea. free shipping. booyah.

THAT SAID:

I cast the 4wt. for a bit last week and although it appears to be everything a fly rod should be, it’s not. It’s called the “Traditional II” but in Cabela’s world “traditional” must mean “lumber.” It’s “fast-action” rating does not begin to describe how stiff this rod is (insert The Office Joke here if you must) for an under 8 foot 4 wt. It IS fast-action. It is also a 2 X 4 from the mid-point on down. I think you could probably get away with using a 5 wt on this rod – maybe even a 6 wt. Why you’d want a seven-foot-something 6 weight though, I’ll never know? And maybe that is what’s led to the massive price reduction on this particular model.

Is it a bad fly rod? Heavens no. It’s as light as some rods that cost twice as much (of the retail price) and it seems to be very well made. Nice wraps, guides almost perfectly straight (I mean, this thing is mass produced in China, mind you) and it’s a very good casting rod. It just feels like they forgot to consider that a 7’6 4 wt rod shouldn’t be usable for fishing AND playing 8-ball. One reviewer on Cabela’s site described the rod as “clubby.” However, for $39.88, a little clubby-ness can probably be overlooked.

I’d suggest it as a back-up or a first fly rod to anyone, but if you’re used to a Sage, Winston or even St. Croix…well…you know…

If you want to try one, the link is: http://tinyurl.com/4mawp74

AND NOW, PART Teeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeuwh….

You snooze…you….well, you know.

About two weeks ago I posted a link on my old blogger blog page about Cabela’s having a great deal on some pretty decent fly rods. I think I read about one fellow blogger taking advantage of the sale, but there really wasn’t too much buzz about it. A shame, if you ask me – because it was a “Buy FOUR for the price of ONE” kinda deal. Well, unfortunately if you snooze ya lose because as of Sunday someone at Cabela’s finally came to their senses ( Holy Smokes! We’re selling those for how much?) and they bumped the price up to $50 for the $100 rods. Now, sure – $50 is a good deal still on a pretty nice Cabela’s “house brand” rod – but it’s not 4 for 1.

These $100 rods were, for a short time...$24.50. Oh yes. Really.

I’m not really very good with math, but I can tell you for sure it was four for one because after much anxiety over buying rods that I don’t need, I plopped four of them into my cart and hit the Check Out button. One’s going to a friend who never fishes, one will become a second “back-up” rod, another will go as a prize in a contest either for this blog or BlueRidgeTroutBums.com and the last one…(that is four, right? Told you I stink at math)….I don’t know what we’ll do with that last one. Maybe just keep it until I break enough rods that I’m out of back-ups and really need it.

So, just so you know – I’m never in the mood to “window shop” (unlike my wife who is always in the mood to window shop) but I do keep up with Cabela’s bargain cave deals and other fly fishing sales. So when I see something that’s too good to pass up, I’ll let you know. Just don’t dilly-dally around or whoever has that thingamajig on sale that we all can’t live without just might come to their senses before  you get around to making the commitment to buy one. Or two…….or four.

PS, dear reader: Right now, the best deal they have going might just be this:

Cabela’s Three Forks Rod – $29.99

I have a good friend who has been using a Three Forks rod for almost a decade now. Not the finest finish and hardware – and a fairly plain brown color…..these rods are pretty well built – and for this price, a steal for small stream angling. So take some of that Christmas money and put it to good use!

* I have no affiliation with Cabela’s beyond being a satisfied customer.