Dream Bamboo?

[fishnpreacher]

What is your dream bamboo rod? If you could choose 2 rods, one for fishing and one for collecting, what would they be? Or would your dream collector rod also be a fishing rod?
Dream collector rod for me would be the last Winston the Boo Boys produced. Does anyone know what happened in that auction, who bought the rod?

As far as a dream fishing rod... I don't know, yet

[Buck Henry]

Great question Reverend! I would think my dream cane fishing rod would be an original Dickerson, probably his 8013 model. I have never fished this taper, but I have heard it is one of the best ever devised by mortal man.

Dream collector rod, now that is a tough one. If we are talking about one from the classic era, I would have to go with any rod built by Pinky Gillum. His stuff is legendary and there are not many out there which makes them dang near priceless. BTW, Pinky did a short stint as an Orvis rod builder.

Concerning a more modern collectible; since you already have dibs on the Boo Boys last Winston rod (nice choice my friend), I will go with one of the special edition Orvis Flea's that they just started advertising. Orvis only made 10 of them and they are absolutely stunning.

[Gatorbyte]

I'll have to think about this one, but since I'm no longer permitted to have nice things, I'll just dream. I'd say that Something along the lines of a rod of Historical reference, such as a rod owned by Teddy Roosevelt.

[rbaileydav]

dream collectable Paul Young martha marie

Fishing dream :

A summers or the jennings i have on order

DD

[Tentwing]

As for a rod just for fishing?? Chris Raine of the Dunsmuir Rod Company makes a wonderful stick. He calls it his Spring Creek Special. Its an 8 foot 4 inch Hollow built 4 weight.

Just for collecting?? Well since the rest of you have already paid respects to Young. Gillium and Dickerson. I will say something maybe by Garrison, or maybe one of E. C Powell's shorter Hollowbuilts.

................Tentwing

[rbaileydav]

you know tow rods for collecting that i think would be fun would the cream of the crop of the blue collar production rods .......... a short granger registered and a heddon 1000 .......... those two would be pretty cool as well


DD

[oyster]

I would like to have a rod from the "Master" himself, Everett Garrison - I think an 8'5wt would be nice. Probably the most important rodmaker historically to push a hand plane.

For fishing... well I guess its obvious what I fish with.

Bill O.


_______________
www.oysterbamboo.com

[rbaileydav]

Bill:

Having seen your work i can tell you for sure that would be a dream rod for just about any of us............ your work is truly outstanding

DD

[S.Trutta]

Hmmmm, cool thread.

My dream rod from the golden era would be a Paul Young Perfectionist (Boy do I kick myself sometimes for selling that Martha Marie that I won).

My dream rod from a current maker is about to come true....I'm getting ready to put down my deposit for Bill's 7'9 4wt!!!!!

Rich

[duluthgator]

My dream rods are my 7-9 4 wt Oyster Bill finished for me last summer, and the Sweetgrass 7-3 Penta that is due to be finished in March.

[cucarachafly]

There is no question my dream rod is the one I builit under the direction of Mr. Oyster and finished back in July. It turned out to be a little power house at 7' with a 5 wt. line. If you EVER get a chance to do this with Bill, follow the Nike slogan and, "just do it!" You won't be disappointed. I'll be building #2 with Bill in April and will then will have 2 dream rods. Here is a video that I posted before of that experience showing the rod from start to finish with a couple of recent additions showing some of its work.

http://www.mydeo.com/videorequest.asp?XID=12196&CID=151430

[Counslrman]

Neat video (as usual) Jeff. It really makes something special to me when I build it myself. It looks great and also looks like you had fun making it!
tight lines!
Jimmy

[Tricky]

Ha, I have thought so much about this that I have a list on Word with exactly what I want and I amend it when I feel necessary....

But when I have the money, Mr. Oyster has my rod specs and will have my business....maybe after I get out of grad school

[Tentwing]

rbaileydav;

Dick I think you would be very impressed with some of the old production rods. I have a Heddon #50 in a #2 fer. and a #2 & 1/2 fer. Both are among the smoothest casting rods I have ever picked up even smoother than my Leonards.

I have a 9 foot 4 weight Goodwin Granger Aristocrat that is amazing, and an 8 foot 6 inch 5 weight Wright and McGill Granger Special that is the perfect tailwater rod.

The old F.E. Thomas Dirago's and Specials, and Browntones are all very nice medium fast cannons.

I have a 1948 Orvis Battenkill ( Wes Jordan). Cast it a half a dozen times and you will understand why his name is mentioned with and belongs up there with Garrison , Payne,Leonard,Dickerson etc...

I agree with you on owning some of the old production rods. Many of them to come out of the neo-classic era are still among the smoothest casting rod out there.

....................Tentwing

[fishnpreacher]

in response to owning some of the older production rods....didn't a lot of the masters start out with production companies? Wasn't Jordan with South Bend?

The masters had to learn the art somewhere.

[Buck Henry]

in response to owning some of the older production rods....didn't a lot of the masters start out with production companies? Wasn't Jordan with South Bend?

The masters had to learn the art somewhere.

Very Zen and I concur! Although I sold off most of my lower priced production boos, I hung onto my South Bend 346 for the very reason you have stated. I like to beleive that it carries a bit of the Wes Jordan spirit in it. Oh, I also kept it cause it is a great casting bamboo fly rod.

[fishnpreacher]

I've got a 9ft 346 that I'm holding on to as well. It doesn't get used very much, but it sure fishes good...well...whatever the correct word is....


Need more coffee, just made a pot of Southern Pecan, gotta get some

[sasquatch]

my dream rod would be one of vince marinaro,s cane rods, i met the man, an lived in pennsylvania a few years, i went over to his house an he gave me a few casting lessons, i didnt need them as he found out, but he showed me a couple of tricks way back in about 1982, he took his rods out of his golf bag, an we cast an messed around in his back yard, the man was smooth an his rods he made were his own taper, and incredible with a big fat kinda cigar swelled handle.vince was good , kinda moody at times, but he was my friend.

[Riffle water]

Personaly I would like a 8' 5wt built by Bill Oyster,this is truly the best boo I have ever had the pleasure to cast.Bill's taper speakes to me as no other.As a collector piece I would like a Dickerson or several Dickerson's.
You can never have enough Bamboo,every rod is special in it's own way.
Regards Graeme

[jerry]

You might be interested in the book published last year written by Bill Harms and Tom Whittle the title is Split & Glued by Vincent C. Marinaro.
People can have their opinions, but today's best makers are many, not just one person and the same is true for the past. Anyone who has ever seen a Tony Spezio rod or had the pleasure to see or cast a Al Medved rod might say they just touched and cast the best rods made today. These guys are humble and will glady share and/or help anyone, but they never claim to be the best because they are focused on rod making with hundreds of makers as friends, not just a few. The quality of a Al Medved rod is so far above any I have seen it's unreal. These makers do not try to sell, but are always behind and turning down request. They have openly shared everything they have learned or found during their years of making. People have admired a "famous" high end rod and then picked up a Medved and said Al's made the other look and cast like junk. These guys do the best they can and it isn't to boast or sell more rods it's because they have pride driven attitudes, not profit driven attitudes, but most importantly like to make rods. These are today's true rod makers of the finest tradition along with many others. The one you haven't heard of might just be the best. but one day you might see or try their work.
There is research going on right now about who and why Garrison, Cattanach, Powell, etc wrote their books and how and why the rod making turned to production. The guys we think originated rod making learned and followed someone before them. That research will be interesting because these guys didn't write books and build rods without knowing there was an audience for their work. Herter's supplied to them all so the makers were already out there but never credited by their followers or students. Garrison and others were followers to some one, not total ground breakers, but who led them and why did they think an audience was there. Some one was spliting bamboo long before them and they saw a way to capitalize. I would say Cattanch did it more to put it on the coffee table and share with everyone interested than to "capatilize". Exploring this history might find dead ends, but it might also be eye opening.
I would be proud to own a Al Medved rod above any other, but he only makes as he wants and for whom he wants. I already have a 1 weight Tony Spezio in its finishing coat and another special rod on order from him. The Medved would make my dream rod/rods complete.