DonAndersen Posted November 28, 2015 Posted November 28, 2015 For near 25 years I’ve donated a bamboo fly rod towards the activities of Trout Unlimited. First to the Red Deer Chapter, then to Calgary TU and for the past 5 years to the Lloyd Shea Fund run by the Edmonton TU group. Presently the Edmonton TU guys are using the monies for Grayling Research. Over the years I’ve selected what I thought would do the best as a fund raiser and then it occurred to me that the folks who buy tickets or wish a bamboo rods might like to design the rod themselves. So here are the design parameters. 1] The rod has to be between 6’>8’ long and carry a 2>6 weight line. 2] The rod has to be of two pieces. 3] The rod will carry a downlocking reel seat or either my design or Bellingers. In the case of my own design, I have a large selection of hardwoods available. 4] The handle must be no less than 5.5” long or great then 6.5” long and will not include weird rings of compressed or coloured cork. 5] The handle shape can be of any design and your choice should be described in a picture or good drawing. Dimensions are important with the typical handle approx. 1” OD @ the widest point. 6] The thread warps colours are your choice providing they pass a “good taste test”. The wraps can be accented with trim wraps of 2>5 turns of thread. Below is a typical thread wrap 7] The hookkeeper can be of several designs including strap and ring, loop or Hopkins and Holloway folder. 8] The stripped will be a Midrum carboly and chrome plated snakes. You can spec. Perfection, Pac Bay or Hopkins and Holloway. 9] The rod can be of either my tapers or from taper archives of rod companies. I have a relatively large collection of historic tapers. The rod will be constructed of Tonkin Bamboo and is provided with two tips, a cloth bag and an aluminum case. The rod designed above will be available for the 2017 fund raiser. The rod for the 2016 raffle is already complete and tickets will be available through the Edmonton TU/Northern Lites Fly Tying Club. The 2016 rod is a 7’9” 5 wt. rod with the first taper constructed about 1988. I’ve probably made near 50 of them. Any questions? Please ask them on this site. If you wish to view my work, head to http://bamboorods.ca/new4a.xhtml For an education on building bamboo fly rods, try these: * http://classicflyrodforum.com/forum/ * http://www.bamboorod....com/index.html Regards, Don Andersen 3 Quote
bigbowtrout Posted November 30, 2015 Posted November 30, 2015 Awesome. The winner will love the process Quote
DonAndersen Posted November 30, 2015 Author Posted November 30, 2015 Hi, The rod parameters selected by the posters to this site or several others will determine the rod constructed for the 2017 raffle. Hope I didn't mislead anyone. Regards, Don 1 Quote
bigbowtrout Posted December 2, 2015 Posted December 2, 2015 I would like to see some wraps that pop. A nice royal blue or a burnt orange. Maybe a little more bling on the reel seat. Quote
SilverDoctor Posted December 2, 2015 Posted December 2, 2015 I would be partial to a 7.6" rod in a 2 piece. Perhaps a Payne 102 taper. Ring hook keeper, all hardware in dark Bronze. I've always been partial to the blue wraps on the Wulff midge rods with an burnt orange accent wrap. A honey flamed look would be nice. Just some thoughts Quote
danhunt Posted December 2, 2015 Posted December 2, 2015 7' 4wt with a spalted maple spacer in the reel seat, a cigar grip, ring style hook keeper, hopkins and holloway guides with a copper/black verigated thread for the wraps. I don't know from tapers, but I'd like the rod to have a moderate action (as measured by plastic rod standards). Quote
DonAndersen Posted December 5, 2015 Author Posted December 5, 2015 I would be partial to a 7.6" rod in a 2 piece. Perhaps a Payne 102 taper. Ring hook keeper, all hardware in dark Bronze. I've always been partial to the blue wraps on the Wulff midge rods with an burnt orange accent wrap. A honey flamed look would be nice. Just some thoughts SD, The Payne 102 is an 8' 5 wt. Did you mean the 101 which is 7'6"? Regards, Don 1 Quote
SilverDoctor Posted December 5, 2015 Posted December 5, 2015 SD, The Payne 102 is an 8' 5 wt. Did you mean the 101 which is 7'6"? Regards, Don Oops, yep you are right 101, the old noodle doesn't always work with the keystrokes. Quote
DonAndersen Posted December 6, 2015 Author Posted December 6, 2015 Folks, I'm in the midst of compiling the responses from various forums and facebook about the rod. To date, the line weights vary from 3>5 with the rod length 7'6", 7'9" and 8'0" with the most popular 7'9". The responses indicated dry fly presentations which indicates a quicker taper. The thread colour varied from purple > reds > claret. Handle shape wasn't an issue. Not a lot of input on reel seats although one poster wanted more "Bling". Not sure what that means. So, I'm getting close to the selection. If there is a stanch runner up, I may do that rod for the 2018 fund-raiser. regards, Don Quote
SilverDoctor Posted December 6, 2015 Posted December 6, 2015 Thanks Don, be sure to post pictures of the rod. Love looking at your designs. Quote
DonAndersen Posted January 31, 2016 Author Posted January 31, 2016 Well guys, the rod is a 7'6" four weight. Using durobronze reel seat fittings and bronze snakes and tip tops. Two coats of varnish is on the rod, Then it's a light sanding with 600 wet/dry and 0000 steel wool. Then it's one more varnish dip prior to final polish. After that comes the guides. Regards, Don Quote
SilverDoctor Posted January 31, 2016 Posted January 31, 2016 Pictures,,, I am sitting here with my tickets clutched in my hand. Quote
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