So...

I go to the upper Sky today (not Reiter, so don't ask)...hit some of the deeper spots with my float rod and eggs.

Instant success! Several coho, maybe ten, and a summer run (released)...only one chum (ugly).

No winter runs, so off to another spot.

Instead of my float rod, or my GL3 1024, I grab the rod that I'm supposed to be testing to decide whether or not I want to buy it. It's an 1141c.

Start casting with eggs...and hookups are coming...

First hookup is only ten feet in front of me...bright fish comes up to surface, two slashes, and off.

Winter runs 1, Todd 0.

Ten minutes later, same exact thing happens.

Winter runs 2, Todd 0.

Move downstream a bit...two casts later...

And fish on! This one stays hooked for a pretty long, aerial fight. Looks to be about a ten or twelve pound 3-salt buck...chrome.

Comes off while beaching it...if I had a partner today, I'd be BBQ'g it tonight.

Winter runs 3, Todd 0.

Move down a couple holes, take a few casts, and another slashing rip on the surface...fish off.

Final Tally:

Winter runs 4, Todd 0.

Now, I'm no stranger to bad luck fishing...but this was ridiculous. I've never lost four straight in an hour, with none to the beach.

Here's my excuse...I couldn't get a good hookset with that whippy rod.

Now the one that came off on the beach, that's bad luck...but three that come off within five seconds of being hooked...and I rammed the hook home, lemme tell ya...anyone who's fished with me knows that I can really cross their eyes.

I use Owner cutting points, size 4, no corky, just eggs. These hooks practically set themselves...

On the hookset, the rod feels like I'm fishing with a rubber band...a really long one.

I really like the way the rod casts, and how it feels on the drift, but obviously hooking 1 out of 4 is unacceptable.

If this was way out in the river, I could understand, but these were all less than thirty feet away.

I think I'll just stick with my 1024 for now...to the guy who loaned me the rod to see if I'd like to buy it...

Thanks, but no thanks!

Fish on...

Todd