Bamboo rods for flymphs

[Jerry G]

Thanks Eric. You need to get John back out there to do some more filming.

Regards, Jerry

[letumgo]

Great video! After spending the last week showering snow, watching that video was like a much needed tonic! NICE fish Eric!

[Mataura mayfly]

Bob's earlier photo of the P. Young catalogue was pretty cool and does feature a fly rod, but I always like to refer back to the Zane Grey & Captain Laurie Mitchell visit to NZ in 1926 to fish for big game fish using 6 strip split cane big game rods. Any material that can help land a 976lb Black Marlin (as Capt. Mitchell did on that trip) is capable of being made into a fly rod capable of landing most any Trout known to man as well as most of the Salmon species.
In reality, rod material matters less than the "nut behind the butt" holding on to it and the human factor in any fish fight.

As to Ray mentioning Boris and the rod with splice/scarf ferrules, the rod has been made and tested. Indeed it is nothing "new" the same method of joining rod sections is near as old as split cane rods themselves. Most do not bind the joints with string now though and prefer clear hockey tape or electrical tape.
I was hoping to have cast this rod before now, but owing to other circumstances Boris has not been back to NZ and I not to Aussie...... so I will have to jog his memory of flymphland to give his own report, save to say, such a rod is as close as you are going to get to casting a one piece rod that is able to be broken to smaller sections for transport.

[Eric Peper]

Re splice joint rods.

A good friend of mine fished a splice-joint Brandin 8'3" 4-weight just about daily for a four month season a year or so ago, and he rarely took the rod down; just kept the rod with taped joints in a long, lined PVC case in his Suburban all season. No deleterious effects, and he said it was unquestionably the finest rod he'd ever fished. (This after I shamed him for leaving his bamboo rods in their cases when they were meant to be fished .) It should be the finest as I would not even begin to estimate the current price/value except to say it's well north of $3000. as Mr. Brandin stopped taking new orders a couple of years ago.

Eric

[Smuggler]

Wow. Eric, I must admit, all this talking about bamboo has me in the market for one. Something to start out with.

[Eric Peper]

Wow. Eric, I must admit, all this talking about bamboo has me in the market for one. Something to start out with.

For central PA, if you're looking classic or used I'd keep my eyes open for an 8' or 8'6" Granger, Heddon or South Bend. The Grangers will be 5-weights, the others could vary depending on ferrule size, but a 5 should be easy to find. You should be able to find one in good shape for less than the price of a good, new plastic rod. IIRC my two Grangers (an 8' and an 8'6") cost me less than $600 -- combined, and both were in very good shape when they arrived. As to new, it wouldn't be hard to find a fine rod for well under $1000.

Eric

[Smuggler]

Again, I appreciate the info.

[raven4ns]

I see bamboo rods on Ebay from China that sell for around $120 or so, has anyone had any experience with them? Are they worth the trouble and expense to get one? Thank you.

[Smuggler]

I'd probably just use that 120 towards something else, lol.

[Eric Peper]

I see bamboo rods on Ebay from China that sell for around $120 or so, has anyone had any experience with them? Are they worth the trouble and expense to get one? Thank you.

The jury seems to be out on those. I've seen some positive reviews and comments and quite a few that were negative. Seems quality may vary a bit from piece to piece. Also the maker/advertiser really ticked off a lot of modern makers (worldwide) when he started advertising some rod models as duplicating their personal tapers. That's acceptable if you're duplicating a taper of a long gone maker like Payne, Garrison, Dickerson, etc. It is NOT acceptable if the guy who designed the taper is still with us and actively making and selling his own rods.

Personally, I wouldn't buy one -- too many good new and used rods with good reps around to risk money on one from that faraway. I've had a few (ahem) misadventures with a couple of my rods, and I've had no trouble getting repairs or replacement tips done quickly and economically. I don't think the same experience would occur with one from China.

Eric