I've got issues! (cane rods)

[Danny]

Well, graduate school is about ready to come to an end for me and I can tell I am really going to need a project. I've built canoes, I've built a drift boat, I am currently bending ash into circles with the boys from church to make snow shoes, I've built rods (graphite), and now I want to try something new!

I love working with my hands and get an amazing sense of self satisfaction from all of my crazy projects.

I am thinking about building a bamboo rod. However, I have no clue where to start. I know that there are folks on this board (Norm) who have done this and I am just looking for some advice on how to get started.

Thanks

[Norm]

I would be happy to help you any way I can. If you are interested I am giving a quick demonstration at the Cache Anglers Meeting in Logan on Nov 17th. Most winter nights I am tinkering in my shop building rods or building new jigs to make it easier for me to build rods so if you’re ever up this way I love to have visitors. I would suggest you start out with reading a book or two. The best thing is to call your local library and see if they have one of these 3 books: “Fundamentals of Building A Bamboo Fly-Rod”- by George Maurer & Bernard Elser, “Handcrafting Bamboo Fly Rods” (revised) - by Wayne Cattanach, “The Lovely Reed” - by Jack Howell. I know the Weber County library has the first I mentioned so I would imagine you could find one of them around the SLC area, these books will help de-mystify the process and using the library will help you save a few bucks right off the bat. I have the Lovely Reed and think it does an awesome job of taking the reader thru the process. I can also be of help to you in finding pieces and parts so you can build your own tools, I built all my own tools because there was no way I could afford buying new tools, and they were easy to build. Below I have put a list of web sites that have a ton of info and a ton of links to a ton more info. Go thru them in the order I have put them, the process will be a little more clear to you. On that last site checkout the rods he puts out, works of art. Watch out, it might bite you, then your consumed with it.
Email me anytime.

mikem@cve.com

Norm

http://www.thomaspenrose.com/bamboo.htm
http://www.bamboorodmaking.com/html/tips.html
http://www.canerod.com/rodmakers/
http://www.wagnerrods.com/limited.html

[Danny]

Thanks Norm,

I just live down the road a bit in the Ogden area, so I think I will take you up the invite and come harass you some time. I don't finish school for about two more months, but in the mean time I'll check out the book and do some reading. when and where is the Cache Anglers meeting? I may want to come up for that.

Danny

[Norm]

The meeting is at 7:00pm Nov. 17th. I think they hold them at the Utah State University Water Research Lab right below 1 dam on Canyon Rd. (1600 Canyon Rd.), but I need to double check that with Steph. If your ever up this way let me know, your welcome any time.

Norm

[maxxsmoke]

Do you guy sell or know of someone locally who sells bamboo blanks ? Thanks

[Norm]

Email Me.

Norm

[ROOSTER]

I checked out Wagnerrods.com as Norm suggested. I just wanted to see the pics of the finished products. Holy S##t those rods are beautiful! I would be afraid to fish with any one of them. Do you guys fish with yours? Maybe that is a lame question, but with the time, effort and beauty those things have in them I might find it difficult. Just curious.

[Norm]

His finish work is second to none, if I had one of his rods, check that, if I could afford one of his rods I would fish the hell out of it, I would be mindful of protecting it, but make no mistake I would fish it to death. To nice to be forgotten on some wall or in a case. Some of the inscription and artwork on the ferrules and butt caps is very pricey. Figure an extra $400- $500 for that alone. And the wrapping he does, unreal. I hope to come close someday. Figure it this way, I spend 40-50 hour on a rod, 15-20hr on building the blank, 20-30 on finishing. I figure it would take me 60+ to finish a rod like his. I'm sure he's got a lot fast process than mine but still it is amazing work.

Norm

[ROOSTER]

Norm-Do you have any pics of your rods? I would love to see one. I would imagine that if you take the time to build one that it would be nice. On another note, how do they feel. I have never had the opportunity to throw one, and would be interested in your take on it.

[Norm]

I don't have any good close-ups of my rods. I'm going to pick up a digital camera as soon as I can find a crow bar big enough to pry open my wallet. My finish work is pretty plain Jane when compared to that guys stuff, I'm very proud of my rods and they are very nice but I am still in the steep part of the learning curve when it comes to the finish work. I have a rod on the turner right now that I hope to add some nicer touches to and have been experimenting with different finish techniques. On the question of feel, first, you can't compare them to graphite because they are two different materials with totally different actions. People mention speed of action a lot when talking rods, and there is no doubt graphite has a much quicker recovery but that does not always equate to a better cast. The 3 finished rods I have are much different from one another in action but all are very comfortable in casting stokes, good accuracy, excellent for a soft presentation, and the delicate tips lose a lot less fish on delicate tippets. Remember I am biased and can is defiantly for everyone. If a persons idea of fly-fishing is to hit the river running, yelling fish on to his buddy every time he hooks up, making everything about fly-fishing (size, number, fly size) a competition, I'm pretty sure cane is not for you. If you can relax on a river and freeze that moment in time in your mind and not worry about the fish count, maybe. I can't see fishing anything else, but that’s me, very biased.

Check out this link below. Look at the articles that have titles like
"Why Cane?" They list other reasons but keep in mind they are biased also.


http://www.flyanglersonline.com/features/bamboo/archive.html


Norm

[stef]

You got it Norm. 1600 Canyon Rd
Anyone is welcome. Directions: Turn right onto Hwy 89 in Downtown Logan. The road will take you to Logan Canyon. At the mouth of the canyon you will turn right onto Canyon Rd. The lab is located on the left below the dam.
I can't wait! Should be awesome.

[ROOSTER]

Thanks Norm. I appreciate your response. I have never entertained the idea of a bamboo rod before. There is something classic in nature though that is alluring to me about them. After seeing how amazing the rods were on the site you pointed out I became even more curious. Plain Jane or not, I would imagine any custom built cane rod has to be pretty cool. So if you ever get around to it, I hope to see some pic's. I have no idea yet if a cane rod is for me. However, my interest has been peaked a little further and I appreciate the info.