First Bamboo Rod

[ia_trouter]

I have been infatuated with cane rods since I took up the hobby but knew I should be patient and wait a few years so I might have some idea what niche I wanted the rod to fill. I enjoy rod building, or in this case assembling from a blank. Anyway, I will be receiving a blank and hardware for Christmas and will get around to a few questions shortly.

I decided I wanted a rod for small stream duty. Perhaps a few panfish out of the boat on the lake. Hopefully it will throw dries, #16 nymphs and very small streamers if I am lucky. I have carbon rods for windy days and real streamers. On the advice of the vendor I purchased a "named" blank. A Dickerson 7012 taper which is a 7FT 4WT 2PC rod. It's a flamed blank which I desire. Not looking for a replica build here. Didn't want a lowest bidder generic taper blank. Still, I am a hundred miles from an expensive cane rod. My expectations are modest. I chose a light down locking reel seat and decent quality nickel silver ferrules. Now on to my random questions. Mostly about aesthetics for now.

1. Only oldish looking reel I own is a Martin MG-3. It is light as a feather. Any chance it will be even close to balanced? I have small Orvis reels as other options.

2. Most original bamboo rods seem to be wrapped in drab colored thread? Is that traditional? I assume the thread would normally be silk?

3. Thinking about imbedding a feather on the blank. I've seen jungle cock used on glass rods. Not sure what that will look like going around the corner on a hexagonal blank.

4. Has anyone ever cast the Dickerson 7012 taper? If so your thoughts? By all descriptions I have read it has a bit more backbone than many rods of it's era, and perhaps closer to my casting style. I have never laid hands on anything bamboo that wasn't cheap and low quality so I have little to go by.

 

[Ard]

1. Only oldish looking reel I own is a Martin MG-3. It is light as a feather. Any chance it will be even close to balanced? I have small Orvis reels as other options.

MG-3 is a cool reel but probably a wee bit light for a 7' rod. Before you affix the reel seat and cap check for balance with line on the reel and ran up the shafts held with tape. Once you have the tip of the line right at the tip top see where the fulcrum point is at on your handle. You may end up with something like a Hardy LRH to get a little more weight. I have a 6'6" and a Featherweight is just right on that rod.

2. Most original bamboo rods seem to be wrapped in drab colored thread? Is that traditional? I assume the thread would normally be silk?

Silks are up to you, I can hook you up with a guy who has inventory of almost every Gudebrod silk ever made if you want the good stuff

3. Thinking about imbedding a feather on the blank. I've seen jungle cock used on glass rods. Not sure what that will look like going around the corner on a hexagonal blank.

Use small nails and it should fit, finish with genuine Spar varnish on a slow turner. I have one I could send that turns 3.5 / minute. I used it for bamboo rods in the 80's, it does a swell job with varnish. It'll take at least 4 coats to seal down a feather like a JC nail.

 

[ia_trouter]

Thanks Ard. I might take you up on the rod turner. I am handy enough to adapt my rod jig but I just haven't run across an appropriate motor to use. The two carbon rods I built came out nice, but you can fingernail the thread wrap epoxy so I need to scuff them down and get some new epoxy. So I have three rods to spin this winter. Unless I build a mini-spey and that would be four

I expect the MG-3 will be too light. It balances my 7FT 2WT graphite but I am guessing that rod is an ounce lighter. I expect a Medalist would work but they don't wind my watch.

I didn't know how small JC nails come. I have a small pack but they seem large. It's not like I have done a practice layout though. They can probably be trimmed a bit too if I'm careful. This will be a slow build. I think I want some thread with just a bit of "flash" to it. I think it would go well with the flamed blank.

Bet I build a flea rod someday, but I didn't want my first Boo to be the rod that needs perfect conditions. This is supposed to be mostly about actually fishing and not about fighting the wrong gear.

 

[Ard]

I'll round it up and send it down, some phone chat will help with the varnish thing. I'm hoping this is an impregnated set of blanks............... right?

 

[dean_mt]

Sounds like fun, Dewayne. I can't wait to follow your progress.

I've got a full rebuild and one repair rod sitting waiting to get started. I've got my eye on an old classic graphite blank that I think I'm going to buy too. Should be a fun, busy winter of rod building.

 

[Ard]

I can't stop myself from saying this.............

The reason I offered my rod turner is that I read threads all the time where guys are talking about turners that run at 15 - 18 RPM or more. I'm not saying mine is the right speed and 18 RPM is the wrong speed but...........

One year, I think 1981, I was coming home from fishing in the Rockies and when I was driving through Sidney Nebraska there was a billboard. It said, 'Cabelas' and some smaller print about hunting & fishing supplier. I had never heard of them and back then there was just that one store in Nebraska. So........ I took the Exit and went in. I bought a rod wrapping rack and all the stuff that goes with and had it UPS delivered to my house because I was on my motorcycle. It is still one of the nicer racks with a dual tension adjustable bobbin holders that I've seen. The motor stated that it was 3.5 RPM and that this had been (back then) determined to be the perfect speed for finish drying.

It's old like almost all my stuff but I used it to finish 3 bamboo and 2 graphite rods, it works swell

That's why I was pushing it, now you know.

 

[ia_trouter]

I'll round it up and send it down, some phone chat will help with the varnish thing. I'm hoping this is an impregnated set of blanks............... right?

I doubt it. Impregnated blanks is major rod builder stuff. This is a blank builders buy (cheaper than I do no doubt), and knock out a $500 rod. That is why the vendor knows which of his blanks cast pretty well. I am going to speculate here some just using common sense. Many of the defunct rod makers tapers are basically public domain now. Perhaps companies like Orvis get a royalty for use of theirs? I don't know. A split cane blank built with hand tools takes dozens of hours to construct. CNC mills are used now. I see it happening on youtube vids. You can dissect a rod taper with a vernier caliper with a good deal of accuracy. Set up a mill and get the strips cut. Minor hand work and the blank is ready to glue up in an hour. My research indicated that is what is going on. Could it be just as good as the old way? Yes it could IMO. Is it in reality? We shall see. This is a jumping off point for me. I didn't buy a $50 generic blank. Fit on those is not good. This has the potential to be a fun learning process for me with modest risk. And I will proceed from there. I could buy the same blank hand made for $500, but what if I don't prefer the taper?

And I'd love to chat on the finishing. I am competent on wood finishing from my woodworking hobby. But this isn't a wall clock or a walnut hall table that lives indoors. I'm inclined to dip it and get the varnish inside and out of the blank. Sealing wood on just one side is not usually desirable in my experience if stability is the goal.

 

[tcorfey]

Deep red wraps look good on a Bamboo rod.

Here is a pick of a Dickerson 7012 with red wraps.

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-CMEcp5P8nGw/T8UjhbLTFJI/AAAAAAAADOE/t1P8TNGljPk/s787/IMAG0718.jpg

 

[ia_trouter]

I can't stop myself from saying this.............

The reason I offered my rod turner is that I read threads all the time where guys are talking about turners that run at 15 - 18 RPM or more. I'm not saying mine is the right speed and 18 RPM is the wrong speed but...........

One year, I think 1981, I was coming home from fishing in the Rockies and when I was driving through Sidney Nebraska there was a billboard. It said, 'Cabelas' and some smaller print about hunting & fishing supplier. I had never heard of them and back then there was just that one store in Nebraska. So........ I took the Exit and went in. I bought a rod wrapping rack and all the stuff that goes with and had it UPS delivered to my house because I was on my motorcycle. It is still one of the nicer racks with a dual tension adjustable bobbin holders that I've seen. The motor stated that it was 3.5 RPM and that this had been (back then) determined to be the perfect speed for finish drying.

It's old like almost all my stuff but I used it to finish 3 bamboo and 2 graphite rods, it works swell

That's why I was pushing it, now you know.

I read on the internet you could turn them by hand. Then I bought some resin that takes 6 hours to even think about setting. Then I figured I must have mixed it wrong so I tried it again on another rod. That was dumb. I have successfully mixed epoxy and fiberglass resins for decades. I know what 50-50 is. It's not that complicated.

Rod turners are all over the place for speeds. My guess is 10rpms or less is the correct answer. It would seem it should rotate slowly so gravity can level it when it's on the top of the spin. I am guessing some companies found a deal on a motor and went to market. There is too much variance in speed to think anything different.

 

[jeep.ster]

Good luck on the build. I believe that taper is one of the most popular 4wt there is. A buddy of mine gifted me one. I would describe the rod as having a 3wt tip on a 5wt rod. I fished mine this oct and caught two 18" hatchery bows which put a very good bend in this rod.

 

[Rip Tide]

My fishing partner is a accomplished rod builder
Not only does he build cane rods from scratch, but he repairs dozens of rods a month for a large tackle shop.

I look at his personal cane rods and he doesn't even use tipping on his wrappings.
They're a plain as can be :teef:


This isn't my photo, but I have one of these (and it's in much better shape ). A 1938 South Bend #25
Bright orange silk with black tipping

 

[ia_trouter]

Deep red wraps look good on a Bamboo rod.

Here is a pick of a Dickerson 7012 with red wraps.

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-CMEcp5P8nGw/T8UjhbLTFJI/AAAAAAAADOE/t1P8TNGljPk/s787/IMAG0718.jpg

I am liking that red with the flamed blank. I think I will call that part solved.

---------- Post added at 09:12 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:09 AM ----------

Good luck on the build. I believe that taper is one of the most popular 4wt there is. A buddy of mine gifted me one. I would describe the rod as having a 3wt tip on a 5wt rod. I fished mine this oct and caught two 18" hatchery bows which put a very good bend in this rod.

Thanks, that is helpful. The light tip will be handy on the small water. I don't want a noodle all the way to the grip. Hopefully my blank is true to taper, or close enough.

---------- Post added at 09:14 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:12 AM ----------

My fishing partner is a accomplished rod builder
Not only does he build cane rods from scratch, but he repairs dozens of rods a month for a large tackle shop.

I look at his personal cane rods and he doesn't even use tipping on his wrappings.
They're a plain as can be :teef:


This isn't my photo, but I have one of these (and it's in much better shape ). A 1938 South Bend #25
Bright orange silk with black tipping

That is a beautiful rod. I would have been OK with a vintage factory rod, but I just don't see them around here, and buying from a distance seems very risky for what a good taper costs.

 

[ia_trouter]

Good luck on the build. I believe that taper is one of the most popular 4wt there is. A buddy of mine gifted me one. I would describe the rod as having a 3wt tip on a 5wt rod. I fished mine this oct and caught two 18" hatchery bows which put a very good bend in this rod.

The rod kit arrived today. I gave it a wiggle and checked the build quality. I don't get to see it again until Christmas. Good call on the taper description. It is as advertised, but I was still a little surprised. The butt section has a LOT of backbone. Not so much different than a fast graphite stick. Tip is very soft for about a foot, and progressively faster back to the ferrule. Hope I like it. I have a feeling it is going to handle a small streamer just fine. I think the soft tip may handle the delicate work since the streams are small.

 

[scotty macfly]

You will soon realize that once you go bamboo, nothing else matters. That's all I'm going to say.

 

[runningfish]

Can't wait for the outcome Dewayne.... up until today I still haven't built a cane rod since I can't find the right blank to build a cane switch rod other than the Angler Roost blank. keep us posted with the progress.

 

[flntknp17]

Congrats on starting the bamboo journey.......I fish 'boo >75% of the time here in our common state of Iowa and on our streams it's not any handicap at all. I see only things I like and nothing I don't about it on small streams and panfishing on lakes. I learned to cast on bamboo only because that's what the man that taught me used.....but I didn't get my own bamboo rod until ~20 years later.....I got a new spey rod this year and it's my first non-bamboo rod in about ten years so the fever is real ??

Best of luck!

Matt

 

[s fontinalis]

i recently picked up an old hardy cane - i paired it with an Ocean City reel which a local fly shop employee gave me. I then picked up another two of these reels on another forum for under $50. The Ocean City reels are heavy enough to balance the 8' rod.
heres a photo of the two i bought.

 

[itchmesir]

The OC35 is a nice, well made, cheap reel. I've owned one. Actually an OC36, the larger version, for a 8'5" bamboo rod I had at the time. You can turn off the click for "silent drag" which is a compression spring that adds resistance; enough to not over spool when pulling line off.

 

[mka]

We want to see pics when you finish your rod. Bamboo has soul and there are days when a person feels the need to fish slow and enjoy the surroundings. No doubt, you'll enjoy having a bamboo rod in the quiver

 

[ia_trouter]

We want to see pics when you finish your rod. Bamboo has soul and there are days when a person feels the need to fish slow and enjoy the surroundings. No doubt, you'll enjoy having a bamboo rod in the quiver

I'll take some pics as I go. I'll try to get at least a little more creative on the thread this build. I'd like to inlay a few feathers if I can find something small enough. I think it will work well on much of my Driftless water.