I need a winter project....

[black_co]

I haven't posted much lately, life seems to have gotten in the way.

Now I find myself a bachelor by geography. I just started a new job and will have 9ish months of bore dome to cope with 5 days a week. The weekends are a 4 hr drive home and then packing and getting stuff in storage, then 4hrs back to work Monday morning.

I have been thinking of getting into a bamboo rod, but I haven't found one I could afford.

So I've decided to build one, either from a vintage that needs help or a new blank. The only problem I have come across are that most of the new blanks I can afford are Imported, not saying that's good or bad, I'm just not certain. I would almost rather have a vintage, cheap and fix it up, but I hate dealing with ebay for something like this....

I guess I'm just looking for opinions at the moment.....

Thanks,

Black Co

[ol' blue]

Sent you a PM. I might have a deal for you to consider.

[TampaJim]

What length(s) and weight(s) would you consider?

[black_co]

Tampa,

Not sure on lengths....my graphite rods(that i regularly fish with) are 6' to 7'6" so really hadn't thought about length on a boo....

Weights I'm looking at are 3-6. Looking to fish for stocker trout and bluegill, maybe the occasional bass when fishing for gill....

[dave potts]

You might want to look into making a Banty. Find a three piece 9 foot rod and make a new 6 to 7 foot rod from the middle and tip sections. You can use the ferrule from the butt section and part of the butt section to build a new handle.

I've made a couple of these and they make a nice rod. I've found they usually cast well with a 5 or 6 weight line.

You might want to check out clarkclassicrodforum as those guys live and breathe boo rods.

Dave

[TampaJim]

Cabela's has their five-piece "Stowaway" blanks on sale for $19.88 ... they meet your requirements.

[waltryan]

If you go on the big auction site you will find a great many bamboo fly rods listed. Some will be junk and others will be O.K. If you concentrate on Montague, Horrocks-Ibbotson, or South Bend you should be able to pick up a 9 foot rod for not too much money that you can rework into a 6 foot banty rod. Just make sure that the mid section and the tips are full length.

The address for Clark's is http://clarksclassicflyrodforum.yuku.com/directory

[Betty Hiner]

<bwa ha ha ha! He's inching ever so close to that door of no return ... to the dark side ! Bwahahaha! Come near my little cutie!!>

[black_co]

Tampa, The stowaway blanks at Cabela's would work fine, but I really want to try my hand at a 'boo rod.

A banty is a good idea, I hadn't thought about that. I'll start looking into that now. Thanks for the suggestions waltryan and dave

Betty, I've been thinking about a bamboo rod since I started fly fishing. I just couldn't afford the cost of a new rod... now I have several ideas for cost effective Boo, and LOTS of free time, so I decided to take the plunge.


Keep the suggestions coming.

[waltryan]

Welcome to the dark side.