HAS ANYONE USED AN ELKHORN CANE ROD ? I HESITATED BUYING ONE THIS PAST WINTER AT THE SUMMERSET SHOW . DID I PASS UP A BARGIN OR SAVE MONEY ?????
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HAS ANYONE USED AN ELKHORN CANE ROD ? I HESITATED BUYING ONE THIS PAST WINTER AT THE SUMMERSET SHOW . DID I PASS UP A BARGIN OR SAVE MONEY ?????
I cast and 'fished' (cast at various short distances) it as best as I could on an indoor pond - very nice all the way around including cosmetics. I think what scares some folks off is the price is very modest.
At the Bellevue Show here in WA in Feb., I wanted to cast both the 7ft. and 7ft. 6in (4 wts) and they had already sold out all the 7 footers they had brought for the show on Sat.
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LadyFisher, Publisher of
FAOL
Mike,
Go to [url=http://p205.ezboard.com/bclarksclassicflyrodforum:85021]http://p205.ezboard.com/bclarksclassicflyrodforum[/url:85021]
The Link is to a Bamboo Fly Rod Site.
Someone just Listed a Thramer Rod for Sale at a good Price.That Rod will blow out any Elkhorn.Tea Stick Co-Cheap Bamboo Rod you'll could ever get.Aj Thramer is one of todays top American Bamboo Rod Builders and is well Respected.All Rods aren't created equal.Elkhorn is one of those not created equal.And the Thramer rod is not only better in Cosmetics but also in Craftsmanship.And to top it off,the Thramer Rod is Cheaper than the Elkhorn!!!I'd try to say away from Low Cost Bamboo.There are Builders out there that actually have Rods for bargain Prices.
And just where did you cast/fish the Elkhorn
Rolemodel? Sorry to disagree, I know AJ,
he does not compare to "one of todays top American Bamboo Rod Builders." There are a lot of cane rod builders in the US, most have not built very many rods. I suspect the if person posting the question wanted to know about American rod builders he would have asked. You think?
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LadyFisher, Publisher of
FAOL
I have cast several of AJ's rods, and loved them all, but a new Thramer is more expensive than an Elkhorn. His price is $800 I think, until the end of the month, when he is going to up them a little bit.
Despite being a little tactless and slamming EH, Rolemodel is right about the quality of AJ's work. It's fantastic. A.J. is a nice guy too. The one thing I really like about his cosmetics is that the rods look like they are meant to be fished with, and the price reflects that. My area (Colorado) is replete with makers charging 1500-3000 a rod. I'm sure they make a nice rod, and if I ever win the lotto, I plan to own a hell of a lot of em. Until then, I can aspire to AJ's rods.
I don't know anything about EH rods, but I have heard a lot of good things about their graphite, and I'd love to cast one of their cane rods. Nothing would please me more than to see cane rods come down in price, and I am always happy to see a company introduce less expensive products. What's the worst that could happen? You cast it and don't like it. That being said, if LF is satisfied with it, then it is probably a pretty nifty little stick.
Sorry for the ramble. Bottom line: don't bash companies that make inexpensive tackle; God knows I'd be happier if it was cheaper. Bottom line #2: Thramer makes a nice wand.
Okay, I'll step into the fray since I DO own an Elkhorn 7.5' 4wt bamboo. Bought it at the flyshow this spring in Detroit and have fished it several times throughout the spring under a wide array of conditions here in Michigan. So far, I can say I am very happy with it (especially given the rock bottom show price I paid for it). I do not own another bamboo rod, so I cannot compare it with others makers, but I did cast it side by side versus a 7ft 4wt Orvis TLS that is a cannon of a little rod. The Elkhorn can do anything that that rod can do, no sweat. It has a dry fly action, but I have also used it with strike indicators for nymphing on small streams and have enjoyed fishing it that way too. At first I thought the rod was a little hard to handle on shorter casts (less than 25') but the more I use it the more I think the problem may be in the line than in the rod. I am planning to test it out with another line soon, just to see. If that turns out the way I think it might, I can definitely say that I am a certified fan of these rods and would recommend them wholeheartedly.
I also had concerns about buying a foreign made rod at first. This was my first bamboo rod and I didn't want to have a bad experience. But I am also a workin' joe with two small kids to feed, so I was NEVER really able to enter the market for some of the American made models. Just cannot part with that kind of money. For the show price that they offered the rod to me, I was crazy not to try it and I can say so far that I am glad I did. Maybe someday I will be able to afford another one (or maybe build one myself), but till then I can enjoy this one. Once upon a time companies like South Bend and Monty made cane rods for the blue collar American. While those companies were dissed in their time, today many people have come to recognize some of the fine no nonsense rods that those companies made. For the 21st century, I think Elkhorn is doing the same thing, making it possible for a whole new generation of middle class Americans to fall in love with cane rods. Someday, I think we will look back at this contribution a little more favorably also.
Hi all,
I have cast the Elkhorn bamboo and it does ok. Nothing great, but what do you expect for that kind of money.
I think we need to look at this like were are talking about two different types of rods. The Elkhorn is an "Entry Level" bamboo. The custome rods, I have one Beasley and I'm picking up a new Mike Clark rod on Saturday, are the upper, or "custom" class.
There is no way that an Elkhorn, or any mass produced rod, can compare to a well made custom rod, but they each have their place.
Ken
I think what we have here is a typical malady which permeates fly fishing boards and the sport in general, and that's a bad case of sticker shock vs. sticker pride. Some folks think only high end gear of any type is suitable and all else is junk; other folks think high-end gear is a waste of money and moderately-priced gear is more sensible. Others (like me) are just plain po' folks and get what we can afford.
What is really mind-boggling though is when these personal opinions, likes, dislikes and preferences degenerate into "my dog can lick your dog" banter without regard for the simple fact that people, like rods, ain't made cookie-cutter style. Why can't folks understand that we have different hair color, height, weight, blood types, DNA, ring size, etc. so is it so hard to understand we'll have different likes and dislikes???
All this talk of high class, low class, high end, low end, better, best, worst is purely subjective and really rhetorical.
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[url=http://www.native-waters.com:efe23]http://www.native-waters.com[/url:efe23]
[This message has been edited by RStouff (edited 15 June 2005).]
Wow there's some "Interesting" Replies in which I started!Well here is a Idea to think about but Imma twist it alittle.On the Market of Graphite Rods are a bunch of Manufacturers that make different Rods that have different Actions making them not equal to one another.Some Manufacturers may use good Components while others use so so Components.Some Blanks my have higher Graphite Modules while others have less.Lets say I Buy a Sage XP because I fish Large Rivers and the Fast Action is what I need! About a year later a friend of mine purchases a Thomas & Thomas Horizon 2 and I get to Cast.Now after Casting the T&T I decide "wow I want this Rod"!It's alot smoother than my XP and feels better.I decide to go and Consign the XP Rod at a Local Fly Shop that offers Consignments.Better yet I put in on Ebay.I know because of the Sage's Rep that the Rod will more than likely Sell for about half or 3/4 of the Price of what I Paid!Why because alot of people like Sage for their Rep.It's the same thing with any good "Known" Rod Manufactur with a good Rep!
See well known Rod Manufacturs hold Value of their own to some degree.While less known manufacturs Value on there Rods decline in value.I know if I Buy a Rod I'd like to be able to sell it and gain something off it.In this world it's bound to happen!Your gonna run into a Rod you want and Sell a Rod you don't use anymore or one your willing to replace to get that "Dream Rod'!
See this is the problem with Chinese made Rods!Unless they have someone Famous"Pushing" the Rods then they will sell!Otherwise they wouldn't be looked at!For instance TFO Rods!!If it wasn't for Kreh advertising these Rods how many people would know what a TFO Rod is?
It's different with Bamboo!Builders get their Names out through word of mouth,Number of Rods Built,Cosmetics and most of all their ability to Build and Reproduce the Taper they Sell.Real Builders Split Culms and Handplane the Rods making it a long process!
Chinese Rods are Mass Produced using the same Tapers that many of the well known Builders use.However the Tapers aren't true.Cosmetics are Poor and Quality is poor!Elkhorn Bamboo Rods go for $595.00 I believe on their Site!You'd be lucky to sell it for $75.00!!There's no value to it at all!even 10 years from now it will have no Value!
Now on Thramer,he has over 1500 Rods Built under his Belt!He's one a few who Builds Rods Full Time!His Rod on Classic Forum is a steal!Anyone interested in Bamboo Fly Rods would be 100% better off with that Rod even if it's used!You know that it will not only hold it's Value but will also gain.