ELKHORN BAMBOO

[ohiotuber]

Leo & Warren...my 2 Tennessee buddies have hit the nail on the head, IMHO. As you know, Dot Man recently gave me a South Bend 291 4 pc 6 wt vintage 1940's boo....my first. Regardless where it stacks up in a "quality" range or "collectability/value" range, I LOVE the thing! I am fishing with a very special tool, a piece of history, & I can now better understand the love affairs you experienced bamboo fishers have with the rods. Sort of like buying a car...if I feel like I made a great buy, then damnit, I made a great buy! "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder".
Mike

[Jed]

Mike,

FYI, Elkhorn has offered this special for several years running at their shows and I hope that they might do so again. I have boght their graphite rods and like them and their company quite a bit. Would not hesitiate to recommend Elkhorn as a company. As for their 'boo, I know nothing, did not cast it, in fact have rarely ever cast 'boo so I fall into the category of no opinion.

jed

[Jim Flamming]

Just to close the loop here, I did take my 7.5' 4wt Elkhorn bamboo out last night and lawn cast it side by side with my 7 ft 4 wt Orvis TLS and swapped lines back and forth. My initial conscerns about different lines appears largely unfounded. The biggest thing is that the two rods cast at different speeds (duh!) and you just have to pay attention to your casting. The graphite rod seemed to lay out line just SLIGHTLY better in the 15-25 ft range than the Elkhorn, but not so much better that it is even worth worrying about. At this point, I think I have fully taken the Elkhorn rod through the paces (fished it several times under varying conditions, landed several fish and have lawn cast it several times in side by side comparisons with a similar size and wt graphite). I can wholeheartedly recommend these rods as a very good fishing rod and for the price I paid, an outstanding value. It handles itself very well. How does it cast as compared with other bamboo rods? I don't know, because I have never cast any other bamboo rods. But as a customer of Elkhorn I am very happy and would recommend them without reservation. A great entry level rod.

[Catch 22]

There is no way that an Elkhorn, or any mass produced rod, can compare to a well made custom rod

As far as aesthetics, no they don't compare. But as far as casting, they certainly can. I can't speak for a modern-day mass produced rod such as the Elkhorn, but if you've ever casted some of the old "production" rods such as an old Granger, you might be pleasantly surprised. I casted a 7.5' Granger Special at a show this past winter, and was shocked at how sweet that thing threw a 4 weight line. I didn't expect a mass produced rod to be so nice.

Jeff

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I work only so that I can afford to fish

[url=http://nwcttu.tripod.com:c1006]http://nwcttu.tripod.com[/url:c1006]
Northwest CT TU web site

[LadyFisher]

One more thing - do you folks think the wonderful Leonard rods were made one at a time by the little Keibler elves in the hollow tree? They were mass produced. Duh.

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LadyFisher, Publisher of
FAOL

[Rolemodel]

LF,I respect that you have 57 years of Fly Fishing Experience but you somethimes so things that cause people to attack you which I'm not going to do!However,your comment on Allen Thramer made me ask myself if you knew anything about Modern Rod Builders!Your Comment made me think maybe you are a Sponsor for Elkhorn Rods making sense to why you'd a a comment like that about Thramer. Mantis"Rolemaker"??Please I'm not Childess to start something based on my own Opinion!I stated why I don't like Chinese Built Rods and left it at that!!!I never took at shot at anyone nor did I offend anyone!I'm not a firend to Thramer but Respect his Work!His Handplaning work that is,just like Weiler,Taylor,Kusse,Mcdowell,Perrigo,Venneri,Duck etc.

Now Comments on Mass Production!
Granger Rods-What is the Difference between Grangers and Chinese Built Rods??Quality,Cosmetics,need I say more?

Lf another one of your comments that would have people take cheap shots at you!
Leonard!Who was the Vice President of HL Leonard Rods(& Builder)Ron Kusse!Need I say more?YouR trying to compare apples to grapes!

You cant compare Grangers-Leonards to Teastick Rods or Elkhorns!

This is old!If you own a Elkhorn and love it great!Thats all that matters.You can only spend what your Pocket allows!There were a few people here who own Elkhorns that replied saying they Loved them,were they attacked for their Opinion?No!Bamboo can be addicting!Once those who have Bamboo Rods decide to purchase more Rods from known Builders.Then they will understand.

Serius though lets end this Thread on a good note!

[LadyFisher]

Sorry, wrong again. Why would you think Ron Kusse hand-plans his rods? You might want to read this:
[url=http://www.flyanglersonline.com/features/bamboo/part125.html:27a42]http://www.flyanglersonline.com/features/bamboo/part125.html[/url:27a42]

Again, since you have not admittedly cast an Elkhorn cane, perhaps you should have just stayed out of the discussion. Your comments are much like the person who has never cast a cane rod saying "I hate cane rods, they are all slow and wimpy."

I will close out my comments here by saying this was Al Campbells' very pet peave - someone who just had to get their 2 cents worth by putting something in to answer a question which had nothing to do with the question.

If you have not cast or owned an Elkhorn cane rod you should not have answered the original question at all, much less bashed them or other rods in favor of your buddies rods.

That said, discussion is closed.



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LadyFisher, Publisher of
FAOL