Hi Folks,
We were excited about fishing. Two of my best pals had made the trip up to our cabin for a fishing trip tomorrow. The boat was gassed, rods and reels were at the ready, tackle boxes were tucked away in the rear, and the net was in the holder. All we really needed was some daylight, which for now was about 12 hours away.
Dinner was great and soon the three of us were catching up on family, friends, and the latest news on big fish recently caught – and missed. We all told some jokes and stories, some we had all heard before (old guys do that). Soon enough the cigars were done and the beer gone. As is my custom, I made a final round to check the doors and windows and make sure all was OK outside. As I stepped out the door I realized the wind had picked up and the night sounds were now deeper and more pronounced. A sure sign of a low front coming in. Just hope the guys brought their rain suits and don’t mind a few sprinkles.
In what seemed like a blink the alarm clock went off promptly at 5 AM. Three passes and I finally managed to knock it off the nightstand, but the damn thing keep on buzzing away. I crawled out of bed and of course it was behind the nightstand. I got up, roused my two buddies, and quickly dressed for fishing success.
After a quick breakfast we loaded the shore lunch box and were in the boat just before 6. The weather had definitely cooled down, but now last evening’s breeze was not to be found. Hmmm. Not sure what this means, but for now we were dry and on our way. The plan was to head out about 20 miles to the big part of the lake to see if we could pick up some walleye for shore lunch. As soon as we accomplished this we would all cast for bigger northern pike and perhaps some smallies on the rock shoals for the rest of the day.
Armed with several thermoses of coffee and our gear we arrived at the first spot about 45 minutes later. We rigged up and within just a few minutes started hitting some nice fish. We figured we needed about 5 or 6 for shore lunch. The bite was definitely on and we accumulated our target catch in less than 30 minutes. Boy, this was going to be one great day!
By about 9 AM we had put the walleye rods up and broke out the big gear. Mepps 4’s and 5’s, Megabass 110’s, Rapala’s, and some obscure bucktails sporting some pretty weird colors were all deemed appropriate. Our rods were all 7 to 8 ft and the reels were quite possibly one or two sizes larger than was absolutely necessary, but such is the optimism of fishermen. Far better to overdo than underdo.
I glanced at the ever darkening clouds and mentioned we needed to keep an eye on the weather. My two pals gave me a cursory nod, but kept on casting feverishly at the weed lines and rocky points. Bam! Keith hooked up with a fish. He let out a very loud “got one” as Lorrie and I quickly reeled our lines in. Keith fought the good fight for at least another 20 minutes. We saw the fish at least a couple of times and confirmed this was at least a 45″ to 50″ fish. Lorrie stood ready with the net and I had the fish cradle at hand on deck. Keith had this brute was coming our way. Lorrie plunged the net into the water, but suddenly the fish shook its head violently and boom, it was gone.
Damn! Did the line break or did the fish throw the hook? Keith did an inspection. Lo and behold one barb of the treble hook was almost straight! That fish had mustered its last drop of energy and straightened the hook! She earned her freedom. Keith and Lorrie agreed and soon rationalized it saved all of us the slimy mess we would have had to invariably deal with. I guess.
Once again I glanced up at the clouds and now they were seriously dark. Just as suddenly as the big northern hit Keith’s Mepps, the wind came up. A lot. And now we had some serious lightning in the west as well. I’m a pretty cautious guy when there’s lightning, especially in an aluminum boat. Making a run back to the cabin was out of the question. We were at least 45 minutes out, and that was if the lake stayed down. With this wind we all knew that wasn’t going to happen. We put on our rain suits and made a decision to try and find some shelter.
Lorrie remembered an old trapper’s cabin across the bay, so we fired up the Yamaha and made a bee line for that point. As much as I had fished this area I had never really paid much attention to this old cabin. As we approached what was left of the dock and cribbing it was obvious this hadn’t been used for a long, long time. The dock as rickety at best. We did a quick assessment to make sure wherever we tied the boat it would hold against the fast approaching storm. One crib was still fairly intact, so this was our tie up point. We tied a slightly slack line and gingerly made our way from what was left of the dock to the cabin.
It was a small cabin with a few window openings and one door which was now missing. The roof was still there with a few gaps here and there. Not much of a shelter, but it was all we had. As we entered we were amazed that the floor was still intact. Inside it smelled of mould and age in every corner. We found a stack of magazines, most dating from the 1960’s, now bonded together by years of damp. One corner held a pile of rusting tin cans and in another an old bed frame and mattress now taken over by small animals, none of us wanting to venture on the species. The walls still held a couple of posters for what appeared to be some long forgotten brands of ammunition. The old cast iron stove was still there, but the stove pipe was long gone as evidenced by the hole in the wall just above the stove.
We found some logs and propped them up to use as seats. We sat there as the storm unleashed it’s energy. The rain came down in sheets. The lightning seemed to pop in all directions with ferocious booms and cracks. The roof leaked profusely, but at least we were safe and out of harm’s way. As we sat there chatting I ventured just what stories this old cabin could tell. Who built this cabin? When was it built? Was this something a trapper years back had built by hand? Had some event or circumstance caused it to be abandoned? Had a family at one time enjoyed this as their home?
As the storm raged so did my imagination. Who was the master of this place? Had he (or she) immigrated from another land? Had this been the site where a monster northern pike or walleye or bass had at one time been caught? Had hunters bagged a trophy moose here and celebrated late into the night with some music played on a fiddle brought in to camp? Yes, I’m sure this place had some tales to tell. But for now only our collective imagination would tell any tales.
Like all storms, this one passed. Dark turned to light. The clouds moved on. The lightening that moments earlier had driven us to this mystical place was now just a distant rumble. We went back to the boat and soon were back on the lake with the bilge pump working overtime. It was barely past noon, so shore lunch was still in the plans. As we headed for a point where we could make camp for shore lunch I couldn’t help but look back, the old cabin now just a small speck, and wonder again about the stories it could tell.
The next day I made some inquiries around town. Seems many of my friends did know of the cabin and its location, but other than that their recollections were vague.
One friend who’s family had been on the lake for over 70 years said he believed the cabin was built by a fellow from Norway, but that was about all he could tell me. He was sure his father most likely knew the fellow, but he passed away 10 years ago. And he reminded me that, after all, there are many abandoned cabins on Lake of the Woods. Most were just used as shelter for fur trappers in the winter. But most of those didn’t have a dock. No, I was sure this cabin had some stories.
Even today, many years later, I still occasionally think about that place. And I still wonder about the stories it could tell. I’m not sure why I have such a fascination with it. Maybe it’s because it provided all three of us with safety and perhaps saved us form a far more unfavorable fate than we imagined. I’m sure all three of us would have wanted to say “thanks” to the cabin’s owner, but that just wasn’t possible. I did say “thanks” to Someone, just not to the person who built this cabin.
Dixie and I are headed to Apalachicola, Florida to do some serious tackle testing as well as some R & R. We’ll be reporting on the new Shimano Terez rods along with lots of other rods, reels, and lures. We’re both excited to have the selection we are taking and promise to report on it all in the next few issues. This issue we have some news on the Shimano Terez rods, one heck of a deal on G. Loomis fly rods, and lots more we hope you will enjoy. Until our next issue we wish all of you….
Tight Lines,
Tom Ashby
Shimano TEREZ Saltwater Rods Are Here………………
Folks, these are a Big WOW! Named the BEST Saltwater Rod at this year’s ICAST Show this is one heck of a rod. In both spinning and casting models, this whole series really compliments the new Shimano Waxwing and Butterfly jigs and is the perfect rod to match up with a Shimano Talica, Trinidad A, Stella, or the new Thunnus CI4 reels.
You know, it’s one thing to read about a new product and very different when you actually can touch and feel that same item. Although I had a chance to (very quickly) look over the new Shimano Terez rods at ICAST, only after these arrived here at American Legacy did I come to truly appreciate just what a heck of a rod this is. First, these rods just look awesome! They ooze quality through and through. The grips are spectacular, the finish work some of the best we have seen. The overall design is really a home run. Even the little things are well done. The reel seat bands are anti-glare. The heavier models have gimble butts covered by a really nice, comfortable EVA cap. All spinning rod models have the brand new Fuji tangle free guides. Best of all, every Terez rod has a limited lifetime warranty. All-in-all one fantastic rod.
Here’s the best news: We have EVERY Shimano Terez rod in EVERY color IN STOCK. That’s 165 different rods! There are 5 colors: Pearl white, aqua, emerald green, fighting lady yellow, and sunset red. Geez, who thinks up these color names? There must be some folks at Shimano with way too much time on their hands. Here’s our take on the colors: Red, Green, Light Blue, White, and Pale yellow. Yea, I know fighting lady yellow is a color named after some boat from way back, but it still sounds weird to me. Sunset red? Huh? Why not fire engine red or Ferrari red or red snapper red or…….ooops, I’m off track again.
Anyway, we have all of these marvelous Terez rods in stock at prices between $199.99 and $279.99 Our take is some serious bang-for-the-buck here for sure! We’re all convinced that once you try one or two of these rods you’ll be back for more. Very, very soon! Trust us, this will be one of the best saltwater rods you’ll ever buy.
ALL G. Loomis NRX Rods are In Stock, Including ALL Fly Rods……………
You’ve all heard the story of “the best laid plans…etc., etc.” That’s sort of what happened with the new G. Loomis NRX fly rods. All but the spey models were delayed when the factory identified a potential problem with the reel seat when used with certain reels. No, none of these “problem rods” were ever sold, but they were also not available at the NRX launch on August 13, 2010. And so we have been waiting…and waiting…and waiting. Finally they are all here! We now have all 16 NRX fly rod models in stock and ready to ship.
I can tell you these are truly very special fly rods, the likes of which you have never used. It’s not just power, but accuracy and effortlessness (is that really a word) that make these fly rods so special. You can cast any other brand, even any other G. Loomis series and never experience what this amazing rod can do. It’s sort of like Zen meets Electric Man! Wow!
OK, they’re expensive. But we DO have the best rod and reel trade-in program in the world, so there’s a real good chance your out-of-pocket can be reduced so you can get into one of these unbelievable rods. And, like we said, they’re here!
Free Worldwide Shipping for ANY New G. Loomis Fly Rod…………..
In the last year or so Loomis has introduced some pretty nifty fly rods. The new RoaringRiver Switch rods are designed for two or single handed fishing and are a shorter 11 ft to facilitate this more universal use. The ShoreStalker is a shorter fly rod ideal for short cast where lots of back cover could be problematic. The RoaringRiver Spey Stingers were updated as was the StreamDance GLX Max. Finally, there’s the NRX fly rods which are best described as incredible!
Add to the selection the fact that most currencies are extremely strong against the US dollar lately and it’s obvious that Now Is The Time to buy a G. Loomis fly rod. And we’re going to help you do just that! For the Next TWO WEEKS we will ship Any New G. Loomis fly rod anywhere in the world Free – no shipping charges whatsoever (does not apply to auctions)! This represents a savings of between $60 to over $100 depending on the shipping destination! Just order on-line, or call us at 1-812-402-6350 and we will make sure your new rod ships the Same Day. As with all new G. Loomis rod purchases, we’ll include a genuine G. Loomis hat as well gratis.
This offer is only good for the next two weeks, so order now to get free shipping!
Australian Dollar Hits All-Time High Against the US Dollar……………….
Look, all you folks in OZ are bright and know a good deal when you see one, so let’s keep this article short. The AUD is almost at par with the USD. It’s NEVER been this high! Remember the last time it got to about 95 cents USD and then suddenly tanked? OK, fair warning. G. Loomis, Shimano, Daiwa, Megabass, and every other item we sell will never be cheaper for you folks from OZ than right now. Prices from us are far lower than dealers in Australia at the current rate of exchange. Doesn’t it make sense to do some early Christmas shopping? Even the British pound and Euro are creeping back up, so now’s the time! See, I told you it would be a short article!
Power Pro Ultra-Lite “Micro Line” Has Arrived…………………..
Earlier this year G. Loomis introduced 11 new one piece TSR (trout spin) series rods. This brought the series to 19 different rods. At the same time these were introduced Shimano created a new Stradic CI41000FML. Then Power Pro created what they term “Micro Line” to be used on most of these rods with the Stradic CI41000FML reel. Now if you are an ultra-light fisherman like me this should get you pretty excited.
The new Power Pro Micro Line comes in 3 lb and 4 lb test in 4 colors – mossy green, yellow, red, and white. The spool sizes are 100 yd, 150 yd, and 300 yd. Folks, I can tell you this stuff is tiny, but can you imagine how much fun this will be? We have all sizes, colors, and spool lengths in stock. We also have every G. Loomis TSR rod in stock along with this marvelous Shimano Stradic CI41000FML reel. Like I said, if you’re an ultra-light fisherman you just gotta’ have this stuff!
Shimano Thunnus CI4 Spinning Reels Arrive…………..
Just In! And let me tell you these are fantastic reels! This year Shimano redesigned the Thunnus saltwater reel and in our opinion, they outdid themselves! The reels are as much as 7 ounces lighter than the previous model. They still have the Baitrunner feature that has always been the big attraction. The “bearing count” is now up to 7 vs. the previous model’s 6. Maximum drag has increased by about 15%, but the real news is how much smoother this reel’s drag is over the previous model’s. The grips are better, the handle better, and the gears and drive train are improved.
If you are a saltwater fisherman this is your reel! There are 4 models: 4000CI4, 6000CI4, 8000CI4, and 12000CI4. Right now we have all models in stock. Prices are between $259.99 and $299.99 which we consider a real bargain! This reel, like the new Stella FE, has to be experienced to be truly appreciated!
Our SHOWROOM will be Closed for Inventory October 7 through 10, 2010…………
Our accountants have hinted that we need to do a physical inventory. Matter of fact, they have insisted we do a physical inventory. When I asked “when?” I was told “now”. Well, that’s impossible so it will take a bit longer. The real deal with inventory is you have to turn the entire store upside down in order to find every single piece that needs to be counted.
So, our retail showroom will be closed starting at the close of business October 6 ,2010 (that would be 6 PM) until Monday morning at 8 Am October 11, 2010. BUT, our web site will still be open. We just may take an extra day or so to ship once your order has been received.
Obviously we hate doing inventory, but it’s (according to our accountant) necessary. If you have any emergency needs just let us know and we’ll do our absolute best to accommodate you. After all, you’re the reason we’re doing this in the first place!
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