Thread: First & Last

Late in '74 upon leaving the service, I decided I wanted a nice ultralight setup. Back then, for me that meant a Garcia Conolon 5 star five footer set up with a Garcia Mitchell 308. Sweet little setup for sure! A few weeks back, for some unknow reason, I decided on a upgraded version. Nowadays, that meant a Majorcraft Finetail Glass 4'10" and a little Daiwa QZ750 Ultralight I had sitting around that looks right at home on her. Sweet little setup for sure!

I have only been on this site a few years, but most know that sometimes I like using those old vintage rods/reels that I grew up with. I think my first ever post was of a nice Pumpkinseed and Gill caught on a old 6' Fenwick set up with a Dam Quick 265 Microlite.

I am a private type of person that doesn't share much of my personal life with others. However, in the few posts that I have made this season, I mentioned how I was struggling getting in and out of lakes back in the woods.These trips were kind of tests to see if I could still fish using a portable oxygen concentrator (hopefully temporary). Last fished on Thursday and awoke the next morning with a fever, low oxygen sat. levels and was told to go to ER and finally got home yesterday, Monday. Still not sure if problems are due to treatment side effects of Rad., Chemo./Immunotherapy drugs, Pneumonia, etc. Inflammation on latest scan is worse than previous one even with steroid/antibiotics use so more procedures are being scheduled trying to get a better idea of cause.

Members have expressed their well wishes and prayers on those previous posts and they are appreciated. If I should not answer a question or reply to a post just want to let you know there is a reason. I went thru the most recent posts last night and you guys are catchin some beautiful panfish. Congrats. to all! When my wife picked me up at the hospital yesterday she mentioned that there was a box from Amazon Japan by the garage door. Pretty sure this is the same glass rod Alphahawk has and spoke of so I'm sure it has what it takes.

I’m sure you know that I’ve been down the road of I’ll health myself the last five years. Gods will, I’m still here and fishing and working. I’ve always looked forward to the folks here on CDC and this forum especially. I had rough weeks and this was always a smile. I’ve said before that I think of folks here as my second family. Most of us will never meet but I have met a few making this an odd family dynamic.my prayers will continue for your improvement so that you can enjoy what you love to do.

About the rods, very cool!! I had a Fenwick like the one with the quick and for the life of me I can’t remember where it got off to. And the conolon, I found and reconditioned one. A seven footer two piece that has a beautiful light medium action. Nino was just beginning to fall in love with light tackle and had none so long story short, I gave it to him. Someone said that they wore out a combo and I’ve done that also. A Daiwa mini mite that may have been a 500 or maybe smaller. Those in the pics take me to days past and catches with them. And we thought we were cutting edge at the time. Enjoy those and thanks for the pics. Hope you’re back to yourself one day soon.

That new rod looks sweet, let us know what you think when you can.