Saltwater Flies

I don’t recall much about December 7, 1969. It was my 11th birthday and I’m sure we had the usual party, my parents and their friends. (I didn’t even have a party with my friends until about my 15th birthday) I can’t say I know why, it was just that way. Aunts and uncles, secretaries and siblings, that was the guest list.

do recall getting a very nice spinning rod and reel. It was one of my dads old ones he salvaged from the hurricane rubble. He pain-stakingly disassembled each reel we recovered, rinsed and soaked them, then put them back together. Better than new.

As if it were surgery, he laid out each pin and spindle, bearings and cogs, then meticulously reassembled and oiled each reel. Fishing was personal. He had an arsenal that would make Bill Dance jealous. Freshwater, saltwater, fly, offshore. Even cane poles. Separate tackle boxes for each type, too. So yeah, it was a real nice fishing rig he gave me.
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