My Precious Itty-Bitty
When I read the OBN photo prompt asking us to share our favorite piece of outdoor gear I didn’t have to think twice about what I would choose. The one item I take with me on every fishing outing is my Itty-Bitty.
Itty-Bitty is the name I gave to the rod and reel combo that taught me to fish. The rod is a 5’6″ light action Shakespeare Intrepid and the reel is a Shimano Slade 1000FB. I have long since given-up trying t0 understand my desire to name inanimate objects – my car is known as ‘Penny’ and I used to have a purse named ‘Tommy’ – but I suppose I started naming the Itty-Bitty because I enjoyed its small size and the small tackle I used with it.
My first fishing rod was a 7′ medium action Abu Garcia Impact I received for Christmas 2009. Although I now love this rod it proved very difficult for me in the beginning. It was too long for the tiny streams and heavily wooded areas Darrell taught me to fish in. I was forever catching it on trees and casting across the stream, losing my lures in the grass. After a particularly frustrating outing where I’d lost a couple of spinners Darrell handed me the Itty-Bitty and from that day on my passion for fishing grew.
One of the smallies I caught with the Itty-Bitty last summer
Whether we are fishing for brookies in the stream out back or out in the boat hunting for bass the Itty-Bitty is always with us. I have caught crappie, brook trout and 4lb smallies with that set-up and no matter how tough the bite is it always lands me a fish.
One day late last year I decided to leave the Itty-Bitty at home when we headed up to Meaford in search of some rainbow trout. We were taking heavier gear and doing a lot of walking so I told myself that this once, the Itty-Bitty was best left at home. As the day wore on I got tired, my feet got sore, I started to get a chill, and worst of all, nothing was biting. I got downright cranky and whined about not having my Itty-Bitty available to go have some fun. Darrell has never let us leave the Itty-Bitty behind after that day.
Now truth be told, the Itty-Bitty belongs to Darrell and I know he missed fishing with it last year. This past Christmas I received a Bass Pro Shops 4’6″ ultralight combo that is meant to be my replacement for the Itty-Bitty. Since the rod has yet to be used it has not been given a name. I look forward to using the new combo but you can be sure the Itty-Bitty will still be traveling with us on each outing and I can’t wait to feel it double-over once again with a fish on the line.
argosgirl
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[…] joys of using an ultralight rod. After many unsuccessful days at the river I was finally given an ultralight rod that allowed me to cast easier and feel the bites. It made all the difference in the world. The […]