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Lateral view of a Female Hexagenia limbata (Ephemeridae) (Hex) Mayfly Dun from the Namekagon River in Wisconsin
Hex Mayflies
Hexagenia limbata

The famous nocturnal Hex hatch of the Midwest (and a few other lucky locations) stirs to the surface mythically large brown trout that only touch streamers for the rest of the year.

Lateral view of a Male Baetidae (Blue-Winged Olive) Mayfly Dun from Mystery Creek #308 in Washington
This dun emerged from a mature nymph on my desk. Unfortunately its wings didn't perfectly dry out.
27" brown trout, my largest ever. It was the sub-dominant fish in its pool. After this, I hooked the bigger one, but I couldn't land it.
Troutnut is a project started in 2003 by salmonid ecologist Jason "Troutnut" Neuswanger to help anglers and fly tyers unabashedly embrace the entomological side of the sport. Learn more about Troutnut or support the project for an enhanced experience here.

Flebow
NW Montana

Posts: 1
Flebow on Oct 21, 2011October 21st, 2011, 10:51 am EDT
A good but ditant friend and fishing partner sent me a Hardy 6 wt 3 piece rod plus an extra tripfor my 65th b'day
It says Palakona
http://www.westslopefly.com/rods/dsp_rodDetails.cfm?rodID=180
8" 6" #6

I am sure that mine is a copy as I can find NO serial # and I have inspected it w a magnifier already
There is also no provenance

I have other 5 and 6 wts w Lamson Evolution , Waterworks, Ross reels
& one Galvan reel

I am looking for a reel to fit this rod -Two suggestions so far are the Hardy Perfect - too much$$
and a Grey reel made by Hardy (looks good)
Does anyone have suggestions on reels and lines w/o breaking the bank

Thanks in advance Fred
Oldredbarn
Oldredbarn's profile picture
Novi, MI

Posts: 2600
Oldredbarn on Oct 21, 2011October 21st, 2011, 11:22 am EDT
http://oldtimeangler.tripod.com/index/hardyclassicpalakona.htm

Does your friend, by chance wrap his own rods? He may have purchased the blanks and put this rod together for you. Usually a guy would have added length/weight etc and any other info near the butt end of the rod blank down near its grip...A friend of mine added my name to a rod he built for me, but to see it you need to hold it in the right light...He said he did it so I'd never sell the rod...:)

How does that Ross look attached to this rod? If you have a reel that matches the rod already you can save yourself a few bucks right there...I know that's a crazy remark considering, "Who doesn't want new reels/toys?

The Hardy Lightweight series of reels are classics and look nice with the look of cane...They have the Flyweight- Featherweight- and LRH along with the Princess...For this rod maybe the LRH would be nice at around $250 from Dan Bailey's not too, too far from you...$69 gets you an extra spool. This is probably the gray reel you mentioned above.

Once you tie in to a nice fish the reel makes a wonderful sound, but hasn't a drag to speak of...

Tightlines!

Spence
"Even when my best efforts fail it's a satisfying challenge, and that, after all, is the essence of fly fishing." -Chauncy Lively

"Envy not the man who lives beside the river, but the man the river flows through." Joseph T Heywood
Gutcutter
Gutcutter's profile picture
Pennsylvania

Posts: 470
Gutcutter on Oct 21, 2011October 21st, 2011, 4:53 pm EDT
The "new" pfleuger medalists (made in asia) are still a nice reel and compliment a cane rod nicely. You could find a vintage medalist on the auction sites but there are many medalist "junkies" out there...
Good luck
All men who fish may in turn be divided into two parts: those who fish for trout and those who don't. Trout fishermen are a race apart: they are a dedicated crew- indolent, improvident, and quietly mad.

-Robert Traver, Trout Madness
Wbranch
Wbranch's profile picture
York & Starlight PA

Posts: 2635
Wbranch on Oct 22, 2011October 22nd, 2011, 6:19 pm EDT
In my opinion the only reels that belongs on a classic cane rod are either a Hardy Featherweight, a LRH, or a Princess depending on the length and line weight of the rod. Preferably reels made prior to where the line guard went from two screws and German silver to one screw and some less than classic metal. I have six older Hardy's four of which have the two screw line guards. When I bought my first LRH around 1965 it cost me $25 new with the red vinyl zipper case and the spool cost me the princely sum of $7.00.
Catskill fly fisher for fifty-five years.

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