There is a great mystery that surrounds the bamboo rod world and I must say, as maker, and a very anal retentive one at that, a lot of it is bunk. It's a fishing stick. A very pretty one, and one with class and style, but it's still a fishing stick. The tapers which seem to be such a secret are only a set of numbers. No patents can be applied, they are simply a set of numbers. I'll have customers ask me if I can build them a rod with the numbers they provide. I'll gladly do that, but once I run the " moments " mathmatically on that rod, see stress curves, etc, sometimes I'll advise against that particular taper. Often they want it anyway. I can see from the taper it's just not going to work. Usually the butt is too small to handle the tip dimensions. As much as I hate to say it, I find that situation in some pretty well known production rods, I'm not naming names.
I bought a Hardy 7'3" off Bob Summers, the thing has been used a bunch on brookies. I also cast silk lines, I just can run a poly line through a cane rod, plus, I love the sound & feel of silk coursing its way through a set of snake guides. Jerry
PS. My wait time is 6 months. I'd stack my rods against anyone's in the country. Not tooting my own horn, I'm just a careful builder that understands the value of craftmanship. Not really any talent, just gotta be hardheaded! Plus, I hand plane, do all the work myself, know my product when it's finished, as I've handled it from culm to finished rod. Hmmmm, sounds like a Bear Achery advertisement Kroll wrote for Fred in the 60's!
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