Waiting a life time for a rod of a life time.

[scotty macfly]

Hi friends,
I have a quick simple question. Would you wait 5 yrs. for a custom made bamboo rod ? To help, the brand of rod is South Creek. They are made in Lyons Colo. and they are very highly in demand.

They are built by Mike Clark. South Creek Ltd.

 

[Unknownflyman]

Well I do know this-- That guys pay and wait years for custom electric guitars, pickups and handwired tube amps.

Is it worth it to you? It`s common in the guitar world.

 

[comeonavs]

I've drooled over those rods online , but the short answer is no.

I am to much of a instant gratification kind of guy. I would probably go to a Bush Creek Cane who is local to Colorado as well. He will actually for the price of the rod or really close take a corse from him....the course is building your rod.

I told Frank I can't draw a straight line and I am more a monkey with 6 thumbs vs a picasso and his reply was he is "very hands on"

So no for me, but they are beauties

 

[ia_trouter]

No, five years is way over the top. It won't catch any more fish than a custom rod you could have this year. Life is a little too short to be waiting that long.

 

[GrtLksMarlin]

$200 deposit? Though I'd not do it in that life can change a lot in 5 years, for that little why not? Though I'd also be looking at something else in the interim.

B.E.F.

 

[itchmesir]

It's not uncommon... Bamboo rods take time... Just think this is one guy in a shop making a rod at a time... With bamboo it's precision is measured in .001"... This is no machine pumping out graphite rods... This is an artisan taking his time to produce a rod you will enjoy and possibly your children and grandchildren will eventually enjoy... Mike makes amazing rods but there's no shortage of bamboo rod makers out there that likely have a much shorter waiting list but I'd still think you'd wait 12-24mo before you seen it...

But back to your question if I would wait 5 years? No. Like comeonavs response... I'm too instant gratification... I can barely wait weeks let alone years for something to arrive... 5 years and I'd forgotten about it lol

 

[scotty macfly]

Yeah, I think I'm with you guy's on this. But if I waited 5 yrs. and forgot about it, just think of the surprise I'd get when it's finished.

Comeonavs is right. Beautiful rods, but there are others out there just as good I'm sure with less wait.

 

[williamhj]

Personally no, but I also wouldn't spend that kind of money on a rod. I'd spend some of the money on the tools to try to make one myself and end up with an inferior product that I find great joy fishing since I built it with my own hands That said many people do and are willing to wait years. As others said it comes down to what you want and to your personality. What isn't a good value to me might be to you. They are beautiful rods for sure and probably a joy to fish.

 

[dean_mt]

This is a good question, fun to ponder, and interesting to hear the responses.

Really only you can answer the question. If this is the end-all rod for you, then it'll probably worth the wait. But if all you want is finely crafted bamboo rod there are other options. What are the wait times for the one Mike cited, or for a Sweetgrass Rod -- if you want something built by a legend -- ? Then there are other smaller, less legendary but highly competent builders, Petee is a member here who builds beautiful rods and works with bamboo.

But I'd fall in line with William. If I had that budget for that rod I'd outfit myself with the necessary tools and after five years of making my own I'd probably have one I was really proud of...and five or six others that fished OK.

 

[fyshstykr]

I'm considering a purchase that will take just over 2 years to be in my(our) hands, not a rod, but a reel. Thinking a pair of them would make for a "One of a kind" 15 Year Anniversary Gift for the wife and I.
The Classical Angler: Hand made fly reels by William Olson

 

[GrtLksMarlin]

With my birthday coming up I showed that site to my wife, and naturally as some of you are familiar with my birthday and those fly rods equated to something she just decided that she wanted and she then followed up with "but don't you think I'm worth it?"......so I thought yet accidentally said:

"WTH?! Heck no you're not worth it!......wait 5 years?!
......once a month need it or not was bad enough!"

Oddly, now I'm not getting a new fly rod.....:upset:

B.E.F. :shades:

 

[lkyboots]

At my age I don't even buy green bananas let alone waiting five years.lol

 

[fredaevans]

I'm considering a purchase that will take just over 2 years to be in my(our) hands, not a rod, but a reel. Thinking a pair of them would make for a "One of a kind" 15 Year Anniversary Gift for the wife and I.
hand-made-fly-reels-by-william-olson.html[/COLOR]]The Classical Angler: Hand made fly reels by William Olson

Years after the fact now, but the first time I saw one of William's reels was around a camp fire. One of the fellows had just gotten his, went from 'hand to hand;' it was 'mind blowing.' None of us had ever seen a reel like this.

I was pure 'eye candy.' :worthy::worthy::worthy:

fae

 

[red feather troutbum]

Hi friends,
I have a quick simple question. Would you wait 5 yrs. for a custom made bamboo rod ? To help, the brand of rod is South Creek. They are made in Lyons Colo. and they are very highly in demand.

They are built by Mike Clark. South Creek Ltd.

I grew up in Highland Mills NY, and stopping at the HL Leonard shop Saturday or Sundays to see the latest inventory of sticks was pretty common, moved to Colorado in the late ‘80’s about 10 minutes from South Creek and the pastime continued. I’ve spent a lot of time in Mike’s shop, he's great at what he does, repaired an antique click/pawl reel a bonefish shredded just from parts he had sitting in a random drawer in the back, and being a fairly accomplished carpenter know that I do not have the wherewithal to build those rods myself, they are works of art, heirloom quality, and he has the advantage of 30 years of IMO well earned publicity through Gierach’s writing.
But to answer the initial question, it is a product demand thing for me; I have a well built bamboo rod, albeit not even in the same ballpark as S Creek, it just isn’t effective in the wind and water I fish often, 99% of my fishing is on graphite, in a different world where those were so rare that Scott/Sage etc was a 5 year wait I’d have deposits down every couple years.

 

[photoguy]

For me personally; I wouldn't place an order for something that wouldn't be completed for 5 years after. I'm a little too impatient in that way and I know that circumstances can change drastically in that kind of time frame (on both ends of the deal).

<But I might look for something 'used' if I was seriously interested.>

 

[axle27]

Hmm..tough question.

John Gierach did a lot to "help" Mike Clark as far as getting his name recognized nationally (and internationally). That statement is NOT to say that his rods are not top level. If the guy has a five year waiting period, most people don't have that kind of patience, so they must be good.

With this said, Mr. Gierach brings up a few things concerning this sort of thing in his book "Fishing Bamboo". Namely (and I'm not quoting directly as I do not have the book in front of me) that you might pay to get on the list, but you may never see the rod. He might pass away before he gets to yours.

Aside from this, there is the possibility that you paid the money, was patient, got the rod and didn't like it...for whatever reason...the taper is not to your liking, whatever. That would be a bummer.

Casting the money aspect aside, it is like buying a Ferrari. Most guys get on the waiting list because they are patient and they pay less in the end. It's the guy who can't do this that pays the premium from the show room (or, in the case of the rod, a used one from a collector or a guy who can't fish anymore and knows what he has).

I'm not an instant gratification guy, but I don't know if I'd wait for too many things for five years. A lot can change in five years....

 

[triggw]

If you had done it five years ago, you'd have your rod today.

But Avs comments about Brush Creek Cane are right on. Frank's rods are beautiful, available, and about half the price of Mike Clark's. Read Erin Block's book, The View from Coal Creek, about her experience building a rod with Frank.

 

[lilredflyguy]

I believe you answered your question in your description "rod of a life time." Would I wait for what I considered to be a "rod of a life time ?" Absolutely, and do a hell of alot of fishing in the interim ! As Marlin pointed out, for a $200 deposit if things changed you are not out a considerable amount in the grand scheme of things. As you may or may not be aware, just looking thru Mike's used inventory it looks as if he has a few of his rods available, not sure which taper you are looking for however.

 

[rockriver]

I'm considering a purchase that will take just over 2 years to be in my(our) hands, not a rod, but a reel. Thinking a pair of them would make for a "One of a kind" 15 Year Anniversary Gift for the wife and I.
The Classical Angler: Hand made fly reels by William Olson

Looks similar to a Bozeman SC Reel. SC Series (Stream Creek or S-Handle Classic) - The Reels | Bozeman Reel

I love it for the classical look.

 

[scotty macfly]

You all make very valid points. And I am thankful for you all.

Mike is a top notch craftsman when it comes to fly rods. And a wonderful person as well, but I am not as patient as to wait 5yrs not knowing what could happen and knowing anything can happen.

Mikes rods are some of the finest I have ever seen, and because of that alone, I am afraid his rod could end up being just my "looking at" rod. No fishy fishy, just look at it.

Mike does have refurbished rods for sale. Than again, comeonavs had a good idea too. And anyone who fly fishes and being a fan of the Av's as well can't be all bad. LOL. Wish Patrick Roy would light a little more fire into them though.
I will look into Brush Creek rods.

I cut my teeth on boo when I was a small boy. Would like to gum boo as an old man.

Again, thank you all.

Terryll

And by the way, whats wrong with green bananas?