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What Would You Like In A Bamboo Rod


DennisS

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Well gents Don has made a request and he would like some feed back on it.

He is getting ready to do another cane rod and he would like help from the club to design the next one.

length, action, handle design. fittings & reel seat.

This could be fun.

 

I like Vince would like to see something in 3wt & just a bit faster action. Length in the 7.9 to 8ft. range

 

Tight Lines Always

Dennis S :fishing::fish_jump:

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Before I respond to Don's request I just want to say how much we all appreciate his yearly, kind donation of a bamboo rod, a beautiful work of art that has to be fished.....Don, thank you.

 

Now for the fun part.

 

From a clearly selfish point of view my thought would run to a 7 foot 9 inch, 3 weight in an action on the faster side of bamboo range similar to the action found in the rod that Don donated to us this year. Cigar handle with the Andersen style cap & ring. Guide's would be Don's choice with thread being in the very dark side of tan or that beautiful deep red color. In terms of rod finish...varnish looks very cool as does the hand rubbed oil but then again, any finish that Don feels is right is good enough for me.

 

On the other end of the wish list and speaking from an unselfish point of view, a duplicte of this years rod would be a wonderful thing...so many of us wanted to win that rod that we were all calling it our bamboo rod.

 

Now for the most unselfish point of view...any rod that Don builds and kindly donates to our club is truly appreciated.

 

I really have to buy that 3 weight before the season starts.

 

Vince

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Guys,

 

This quest is purely selfish. As many of you are aware, I build rods for sale. But, to do that successfully, I need to know what the market place would like.

So, here's my chance to get input from my very own focus group.

 

To help your ideas along:

 

 

Here are some things to consider:

 

1] 2 or 3 piece

2] length

3] guide selections - I stock Hopkins and Holloway, Perfections and Pac Bay. Pac Bay's chrome guides don't last well.

4] Thread wrapping colour

5] Thread wrapping covering - while I personally detest epoxy, I've used it and it works fine. I usually use spar varnish

6] Rod shaft coatings are several: dipped varnish, hand rubbed Tru-Oil, dipped Urethane, Tung Oil c/w wax

7] Action - tippy, mid-flex or stiff

8] Line weight

9] Handle shape

10] Handle length

11] Hookkeeper type - D ring, ring /strap & ring/folding ring

12] Strip Guide - Mildrum carboloy or Silica Carbide

13] Guide colors - I usually do the rods c/w chrome guides - black guides I use are Titanium coated and pricy @ $2.50 ea.

14] And just so we understand each other, I don't use the cork burl rings or prepared handles. Each handle is made of good cork w/o filings of this and that to hide the imperfections.

 

And I'm away for a while. We got time to do this. No panic.

 

regards,

 

 

Don

 

PS - just so you know. Your work on habitat is what gets you a donation. The South Raven is a great project.

 

And to all, no fancy words should be directed @ me. Your organization has a host of people who donate not only their time but a lot of their resources working for your fishery. They donate a lot more than I. Thank yous should be directed to them.

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Don

 

Further to your request I've jotted down what I think would be a rod that I would buy and I underline the word "I" as this is my opinion and my opinion only.

 

1] 2 or 3 piece. I would prefer a 3 piece over a 2 piece

 

2] length. A length of 7'9 would be cool for a 3 weight and an 8'3 to 8'6 for the 5 weight.

 

3] guide selections - I stock Hopkins and Holloway, Perfections and Pac Bay. I'm not up on the quality level of each brand so choice would be yours.

 

4] Thread wrapping colour. I think a dark tan or a burgandy color looks very cool.

 

5] Thread wrapping covering - while I personally detest epoxy, I've used it and it works fine. I usually use spar varnish. Spar varnish looks cool.

 

6] Rod shaft coatings are several: dipped varnish, hand rubbed Tru-Oil, dipped Urethane, Tung Oil c/w wax. I really do like the dipped varnish.

 

7] Action - tippy, mid-flex or stiff. Mid flex to a moderate fast action would be cool

 

8] Line weight. 3 weight or a 5 weight would be cool

 

9] Handle shape. Cigar

 

10] Handle length. No idea

 

11] Hookkeeper type - D ring, ring /strap & ring/folding ring. Folding ring looks cool

 

12] Strip Guide - Mildrum carboloy or Silica Carbide. No idea

 

13] Guide colors - I usually do the rods c/w chrome guides - black guides I use are Titanium coated and pricy @ $2.50 ea. Chrome quides are the only ones I've seen.

 

The above is the best I can come up with...hope it helps.

 

Vince

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I agree with all the cool stuff, and when your finished , Don could you just put my name on it, thats " DipperDan. "

Thanks thats all I got to say .

You build it ,we will sell. And a BIG THANKS TO YOU DON FOR YOUR CONTINUAL SUPPORT !!! Bravo

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  • 2 weeks later...

Guys,

 

Forgot the wood insert type and most importantly color.

 

My stock insert is Zebra wood due to it's heavy figure. Light figured woods just do not show enough grain. I tend to match the thread wrap colors to the wood insert to "blend' things together.

 

So what is your druthers. I have about 60 reel seat inserts in stock presently. To display them all would be a hassle and generally clog up the server.

 

So, light wood, medium figure, heavy figure?

 

 

regards,

 

 

Don

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I'm in agreement with Vince.

For cane rods, part of the mistique is the connection with history and age.

Rich dark colors imply the product has had time to age gracefully.

Light colors tend to make things look like they're just out of the box.

Of course there's a limit to that. You don't want colors so dark thay look almost back.

But a rich brown with darker markings would look rich and old.

(And no, I'm not referring to Vince himself, we all know he's just a young buck)

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Junior

 

Thanks for asking and frankly the knee is not good, not good at all. Seems that every little twist turns into major pain for a weak or so but while I may not be able to climb a stream bank like a goat, I still am able to get around as long as I use my up-loader knee brace. The biggest help I get in walking to and from a stream and while on a stream are my Simms Guide boots with the Vibram soles. Saved my arse last year and I suspect they will help me out this year.

 

Walk a stream this year...for sure but lets walk and fish instead of just walking.

 

Vince

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vince:

It's good to admit to the frailties brought on by the natural aging of a "young buck".

So don't be proud, invest in a good wading staff and use it for general walking support

Now I'm not talking cane here (walking as opposed to rod),

but a fishing specific device similar to those ski pole things that you see hikers now using.

I swallowed my pride a couple of years back and use one regularly now.

It's saved my bacon more than once when I stepped in a rut or rolled on a rock.

If all it does is help your balance and thus put less stress on your knee, then it's well worth it.

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Dave

 

I've used a wading staff for the last 5 years or so and frankly no matter the depth of the stream I'm fishing the staff is always on my hip belt (along with my water, bear spray, GPS and knife) and used when required and even when its not required. So, great boots along with my Simms wading staff provide me with the ability to continue to fish streams. Speaking of my knife...the knife I lost and you found on a seperate trip has now been replaced by a new one so if I loose this new one I'd appreciate you finding it and returning it to me.

 

Vince

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Roninson Retrievals at your service

Just make sure to give me proper directions to the special spots fished.

Edited by dave robinson
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  • 4 months later...

Hey Don

 

I, for one, stand by my comments as contained in my post dated April 26. I love fishing small streams so for me a 3 weight in a length of 7'9 to about 8'1 in a 3 piece (if possible) would be a rod that I would love to own.

 

That's my two cents worth. Thanks Don

 

Vince

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Don, my preferences would be as follows:

 

1) 3 or (better yet) 4 piece

2) 9 foot

3) Perfections guides - How do Hopkins and Holloway compare?

4) Wine or Red thread wraps

5) What about Acrylic, maybe some type of flexible acrylic cover material

6) Is the dipped urethane any better than the other methods mentioned ?

7) Medium or medium-fast action

8) 4 wt, 6 wt, 8 wt, 12 wt (one in each weight, maybe the 8 wt for the salmon in BC, the 12 wt definitly)

9) Tapered tip end cylinder handle

10) 10 inch or thereabouts handle length

11) D-ring hookkeeper

12) I suspect the Silica Carbide, which is better (durability, strength, etc.)

13) For the kind of money these rods usually go for, I would insist on the titanium guides

14) What about cherrywood finish ?

 

Greg

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  • 1 month later...

Greg,

 

It would be my pleasure to build you a rod like that. Give me a shout. A check of <>$700 should signal good faith with another $1200 or so prior to delivery.. I'm in building mode now that the water is getting close to hard. Would love to squeeze in a rod like you describe except for the Cherrywood finish. Would flame the cane just for you.

 

And for all you others - the strips are planed. Glue up this week. Rod will be:

Rod length: 7'6"

Line weight: 3

# of pieces: 3 c/w extra tip

Rod wrappings: tan c/w olive tippings

 

Rod comes c/w rod bag and aluminum case.

 

regards,

 

 

Don

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