One of the first rods, (if you want to call it that) was a 3 piece reel-less bamboo pole with a line tied to the tip. We used to bait scallops for mackerel (no, I ain't that old but that was my 1st rod)...back in the day when the locally called "King" mackerel would infest the docks at Fort Adams or the State Pier etc///...lotsa fun, used to squid with it too...I'll never forget the choggie catchin contests we used to have after the bite died down. He wouldn't let us use the scallops though...we'd have to use a diamond jig to catch the first choggie...then dice him up for bait, cannibalistic bastages!!
I never really owned my own rod until my first Garcia...the rods I was allowed to use were Dads, not mine...as I improved as a fisherman (meaning caught enough fish to gain a little respect
), he would let me use what he considered the better rods...I don't remember the blanks, (probably Blue-Light Specials)...but I remember the reels...Olympia's and Penns.
1st Rod - Garcia (gift)
2nd Rod - 9' Murat (hand-me down rod from an uncle, I had Joe over on Lindsey street re-wrap it for me)
3rd/4th/5th/lost count/etc - Ugly sticks in different sizes, Penn Slammer, Penn Meatstick
1st custom rod - 11.5 Lamiglass
2nd custom rod - 10' Ben Doer'
3rd custom rod - Alstar that goose built for me
Somewhere inbetween 2nd and 3rd, I won a 7' Amtok that PasNgas built....another
work of art....
4th - custom rod, yet to be determined, ...
