APtravelnews-April 19th, Crossville, TN.-–We have been in travel mode from FL to TN and finally settled in and turned on the “box with keys!”

When I received my sample Berkley package of line and lures at a SEOPA (Southeastern Outdoor press Associaition) Conference. I had stashed it away for a look-see,  it had gotten packed and buried until now that we have begun our house-cleaning chores in our summer and fall home on the Cumberland Plateau in TN.

Having been around for quite awhile and seen the evolution in fishing gear, I was particularly taken (once again) how much strength, durability and thickness of modern lines has come into being from here-to-fore lines of the thick- milled past. To me limpness, ease of casting, small footprint for a fish to think about whether to swim away or attack the baits, attached to nearly invisible thread between angler and fish, is paramount in placing said line on my reel!

Well, there are many companies that can boast of having such modern lines, but Berkley truly stands out for me as one of the very best! When I first met Berkley Bedell, I felt that he was more than a business man and entrepreneur in the fishing industry, I saw his passion and believed that he loved fishing as much as anyone could-perhaps even more than I did and do?  In any event, the Berkley name is on almost all of the products found today in every tackle shop across the USA ( I do prefer to buy my gear from mom and pop stores that are disappearing as quickly as wisdom teeth, lately} but thanks to the giant box stores being able to sell a million items more cheaply that a small tackle shop with the owners knowledge and advice of all things fishing for an angler to tap into over a box of hooks, lures, rods and reels and lines, fishing interest is proliferating, as well!  However,Americans today have tended to discount that advice, except perhaps in the fly fishing circles where matching everything and the hatch, to a wily trout, instead of a dumb bass (which I love with a passion as well) still is understood by the non-tournament bound anglers seeking competition for love or money! No matter! I use gear, from spin, conventional rolling pin reels, push-button I find at travel destinations on water when I forget to carry my tackle and my toothbrush too, and of course one or more of my nearly, 100 of my favorite fly outfits!