Okay, question for those of you who know rod history. I have heard of the modern day rods where the line goes up through the blank and out the tip and had always assumed that this was a modern invention. But, I heard a story (and maybe it was just that - Snipe Hunt sort of thing), from a fifty-something year old guy. He said growing up in Tennessee, a common local tecnique was to use a long rod where the line went up through the blank and was most often used for bass fishing. Sort of like cane pole fishing but these rods had reels - not sure if they were casting or spinning reels. Does this ring any bells or have I been played. I had to ask, even at the risk of being humiliated. I am curious.

He's telling the truth. In later years, the 70's or perhaps even earlier, B&M built telescoping bream poles with simple reels on the end and the line ran through the pole and out the tip. And I doubt they were the first to do this.

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Thanks Tom. And these were inexpensive rods kids could afford, right? Same B&M company that makes the Crappie Buster? That's probably exactly what he was describing.

Similar telescoping rods were used for winter whitefish angling in the Rocky Mountain States. The long length allowed you to drop your bobber and bait, ( usually maggots) beyond the shelf of ice connected to the shore. The reel was seldom used once the line necessary for the drift was determined. Once fish were hooked they were simply hoisted over the ice and on to the shore.

Stan Grace
Helena, MT
"Our best is none too good"

Stan, you are much too young to remember such things-you must have seen a picture of one... LOL!

Putter
Williston, ND

They certainly weren't expensive rods and I believe the inside line path was created out of necessity - you can't mount ringed guides on the outside of a "pole" that is designed to collapse in sections, one inside another. Thus, you do away with the guides and run the line right up through the middle.

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