Ouisconsin Raconteur

Tag: fly fishing

  • Souvenirs: Pflueger Sal-Trout No. 1554

    The Pflueger Sal-Trout 1554 is a click and pawl reel that was produced across two different time periods; 1934-1942 (pre-war) and 1946-1970 (post-war). So far as I can tell from my Internet forum digging, I believe mine is a post-war example based on the back cutaways, coloration of the spool, materials used in the spool handle, and shape of the spindles in the spool. The reel is very light, with the spool and most of the body being made of aluminum. The reel foot and body spindles appear to be brass.

    I couldn’t tell you when I picked up this reel, or frankly, where even. It has sat on a shelf in my garage for some time now and due to my ADHD brains recent fascination with vintage rods, I finally decided to clean it up. A little scrub with some dawn dish soap and hot water, and it looks nearly new. After a small drop of reel oil on the spool shaft it is spinning smoothly and freely.

    My mind now turns to its usefulness and I am lusty for a bamboo rod to hang this on. Daydreams of cool fall evenings walking driftless creeks dance in my head, and I can’t help but picture a beautiful sunset amongst the hills and valleys of home. I have never caught a trout in Wisconsin, which is embarrassing to admit, and something that must be remedied quickly. Somehow, I think I know exactly how I will be spending my days off in September.

  • A Musky Missed Connection

    Circa Fall of 2022, My old man and I were on our annual autumn fishing trip on our favorite stretch of a northern Wisconsin River. We struggled a bit due to the wind and weather that trip, but Dad still managed to catch his personal best smallie on a lure he had never fished before.

    This was also the trip we decided that as much fun as consistently putting smallmouth bass in the boat is, it was long past time to put some serious effort, and casts, in to catching a Musky.

    We didn’t have much luck in that effort, but I wrote the following missed connection during that trip for some fellow anglers who were also setting out to do just that.

    “You: Lime green Jeep with a Wisconsin “MR MUSKY” vanity plate parked at the state park boat landing of my favorite log and rock infested northern flowage. You had some sort of boat trouble when you tried to launch your boat the first time, and dad and I were only shit talking you a little bit as we were smashing fatty smallies on Heddon moss bosses along the opposite bank. We crossed paths later in the morning as we putted by each other in the narrows, and my old man told you about the fat 20” small jaw we hit that morning (in truth it was an 18” fish).

    It wasn’t until I was back at the landing and noticed the aforementioned jeep and vanity plate, as well as your collection of bambam fly guy musky fly stickers on the back, that I realized you were the same kind of masochist I wish to be, chasing muskies on flies on a body of water that I’ve never seen a musky move on with conventional tackle.

    If I had noticed your fly rods earlier as my dad had, I would have asked more questions or at least contributed more to the conversation than the awkward head nod and small wave as we motored by. 

    Hit me up, Mr. Miyagi, I must learn your ways.”

    Muck Fusky,
    w.c.junior