I'm a rod builder rather than lure collector, but going through this thread
was like time travel remembering all the old great lures that have been
swallowed up by high tech and bean counting sales managers!
I had spent years looking for a Fenwick SP721 blank to build a rod. I first
meet up with it on Taneycomo. They used it for float rips on trout. I thought
what a great crappie rod I could make on that blank. I bought 6 of them (at
$7.00 each) and built the rods. Over the years I given some away as gifts,
broke one beyond repair and had only one left (I call it my "honey rod".
Then on Rodbuilders forum a guy in California had one for sale. I immediately
mailed a check for 38.00 including shipping to him. I built this rod very carefully with my best diamond wrap, feather inlay, english walnut inserts on
the handle, the lightest guides I could find. When done I went outside and
made a few casts.......aaaaaaaahhhhhhhh perfection! A week later wifey and I went north to fish. I forgot to mention I put a different gooseneck on
the front seat to give me more room to run trolling motor. So, instead of just
the seat turning, the wholething swiveled a much wider arc. After finding
one of our honey holes. the wife grabbed THAT rod and started to climb up front. As she grabbed the seat, it swiveledmore than she was used to and
she lost her balance, I knew she was headed for the water. I tried to grab her, but she was too far away. Next thing I see is THE rod balancing on the
gunwhale and the wife in 28 feet of water bobbing up and down. I had a quick decision to make........I grabbed a long pole and put it where she could reach it to bring her to the boat........as THE rod slid over the side into
the shadowy depths below. With tears in my eyes, I eased her over to an island so she could get back in the boat. As she sat there sopping wet
and scared to death her life was in danger, she said " I'm really sorry, honey
but I didn't know the seat would swivel like that". I said that's Ok it was just
a rod, choking on my words. We tried to snag it, but no luck. She assures me
to this day, I made the right decision (her not THE rod). Sometimes I wonder!!!!!!!!