On a bamboo waiting list
- This topic has 3 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated Sep 6, 2008 at 7:15 pm by
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Well, I’m guessing it will be neither my first nor my last bamboo, but I’ve got myself on a maker’s wait list. I’m about a year out – I’m guessing I’ll be buying another rod before then, probably sometime after January.
I have looked at dozens of maker’s websites, read everything I could about 4 and 5 wt rods, and kept reading a few names over and over. Thramer was one, but he’s doing a new type of rod now. Another one I read a lot about was Dave Norling. Reading about him delivering rods to folks on-stream so he could fish with them and see them get to enjoy their new rods was really cool. His website is kinda home-made and campy, but still gets across that he really cares about his rods.
I e-mailed him back and forth a few times, and liked the guy. I dig the fact that he’s building rods in Minnesota (where I grew up) to fish brookies, and I’d be chasing those same fish 800 miles away. He’s invited me over the next time I get up to see my family, so I’ll get to cast some of his different rods. The clincher on the deal for me was when I asked him about deposits and he said he didn’t take deposits – and he warned me never to give money to a 78 year old man for the promise of work to be done in the future. ;D
I’m on the list tentatively for a 7′ 9″ hollowbuilt 4wt, but that may change. Dave said that when my time comes he will want to get to know me and my fishing a bit more, and then he’ll build the rod we decide I need. Very cool.
Welcome to the dark side Abe! Sounds like you picked a good maker and your choice of rods seems perfect for what you were looking for. I envy you on your choice. Take advantage of Dave’s offer to try some of his rods and he’ll tailor your new one just for you. Despite popular opinion, bamboo is not fragile and other than drying it off after you fish it, the best thing you can do for your rod is fish it! Keep us up to date with this and obviously we want pictures.
Rolf
I have also infected myself with the evil weed recently !
We have a builder here in Australia – Nick Taransky who makes beautiful rods that don’t cost the earth.
Not sure about fishing with one yet as mine is still 18 months away, but I love the idea that they’re hand made one at a time.
www.dsaphoto.com
A picture is thousand words that takes less than a second while a thousand words is a picture that takes a month.
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