Think about this gang.... the 2012 runoff will be starting soon. Here in Califorina the winter hasn't been too good to us. Granted I'm not Willard Scott, but the rain fall has been lower than average and the snowpack, up to now, has been a major dissapointment . Might bode for rough fishing in the late summer. But.... we might be able to get to our favorite spots earlier in the season. So it might be a trade off.
All this brings me to my point. If you have given any thought to getting a custom rod for the up coming season, you better jump on it ASAP. Many custom rod builders get busy during this time of year. That means if you wait too long, you might not have your rod for the beginning of the season. This is especially true if you are mulling over finally getting your own custom Bamboo rod. Remember, it take 60 to 80 hours to build a custom Bamboo and many of us don't build full time.
Procrastinators heed my warnings. Don't get all amped up for a new rod only to be let down when it isn't ready for the season opener. Just food for thought.
Until next time my friends,
Pete
Why fish Bamboo? Well if you have ever fished Bamboo you don't have to read any further, you know why. For the unfortunate few who haven't had the opportunity to fish Bamboo, all you can do is listen to a Bamboo addict's ravings. When you first pick up a Bamboo rod you will immediately notice its warmth. It's a feel that you just don't get with any other rod. There is a natural warmth with bamboo just as there is when you are running your hand over a fine piece of hand made furniture.
Besides the warmth there is a feel you just can't get with other materials. Bamboo will tell you exactly how it wants to be cast. Try to overload the rod or cast it faster than it wants to be and you will rewarded with a lousy cast. But, take a moment to slow down and listen and you will be graced with a fantastic sensation of laying down a beautiful cast with a delicate presentation. Plus I am willing to bet you will lose fewer fish when you set the hook just due to feel and the forgiving nature of bamboo.
In a nutshell there is nothing better than casting a bamboo rod with a dry fly to a native fish on a secluded stream. Personally, I am not one who feels the need to catch 60 fish a day, I prefer to enjoy the overall experience. So if you are a fly fisherman who feels the need to cast and fish at Mach 3 Bamboo probably isn't for you. I may be bias toward Bamboo rods, but I do challenge you to give Bamboo a try.
And another thing, don't be afraid of Bamboo. It isn't nearly as fragile is it would appear. There isn't any fear of the rod breaking after taking a shot by a weighted fly or a quick tumble down a hill. One Bamboo builder use to take a section of Bamboo rod and hammer it thru a board when he gave presentations about Bamboo rods. Try that with graphite!
When you do get the opportunity to fish a Bamboo rod, really take the time to feel what the rod is telling you. Trust this Bamboo addict, you will be rewarded with a fishing experience that is second to none.
Until next time my friends,
Pete
This is another in a series of Steffen Brothers fiberglass builds I am doing for a customer. It's built on a Steffen Brothers fiberglass 7 weight, 8'6", 2 piece blank. Stabilized Maple Burl was used to turn the seat insert for the down-locking hardware. I also machined the Nickel Silver winding check to emulate the old style winding check found on many older fiberglass rods. Difference is, the older winding checks were mainly made out of Aluminum. Used two Amber Agate stripping guides and wrapped everything with Orange/ Black classic twist thread. Trimmed the guides and signature wrap with two turn Metallic Gold.
If you have never cast a Steffen Brothers fiberglass rod, you owe it to yourself to do so. As they say: This ain't your Grandpa's old fiberglass. These rods are very light compared to the older generation glass. They are very smooth and patient with even the worst casting stroke.
Until next time my friends,
Pete
Here are a couple of Bamboo rods hot off the bench to feed your addiction.
First is a Blonde 7', 3-4 weight. This is my favorite taper. It is a great roll casting rod, but it will also lay out quite a bit of line without too much effort. Machined the seat out of aluminum and turned the insert out of a piece of Box Elder burl. Handle is a reverse half wells made to fit the smaller rod size. Wraps are Persall's Gossamer Antique Gold with black trim wraps. Stripping guide is a medium colored Agate.
Second Bamboo is a Blonde 8', 5 weight. Machined the reel seat insert out of Olive wood with some great color in it. Wraps are YLI silk with Persall's Gossamer black trim wraps. Stripping guide is a red banded Agate. Machined the winding check to flow with the handle. This rod feels really good in the hand and tells you exactly how it wants to be treated.
Hope you enjoyed looking at them as much as I did building them.
Until next time my friends,
Pete
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