Divers,

I agree with the "to each his own" philosophy. I don't buy bamboo rods to hang them on the wall and wait for their value to appreciate. I buy them because I appreciate casting and fishing them. That they appreciate rather than depreciate is a happy coincidence. Don't blame you on the Orvis; mine sits unused in the closet as well. Orvis bamboo really ain't that good IMO. Back on topic, I was expressing that I don't see the value in high end single hand graphite fly rods because the incremental increase in cost is way disproportionately high relative to the incremental increase in performance. It's just a personal frugality thing. In the case of two-handed rods, the good performers were all high end, and so I sprung for the ones I wanted. In the last few years, however, good performance is trickling down the price points with these rods as well, but has a ways to go, again IMO.

Parker,

Don't worry. Ascot or no, no matter how much you dress yourself up we'll still recognize you for the bait thug you are. However if you wander by the campfire with a bottle of 18 yr McCallam, I'll happily share a wee dram with you should you offer. As for the scoffing and scowling, around here what I see are a couple of bait and gearheads like you and Stam never passing up an opportunity to denigrate fly fishing. Ironic, eh, coming from the guy who can't fish without the services of a guide. Et tu, Brute.

Sg