Cattanach 8ft 5wt Bamboo

[Midwest Custom Fly Rods]

This is a rod for myself that I have had the blank for about 2 years now but just never had the chance to get it built up. Well lately I have been bustin my butt to get caught up on customer rods and finally was to the point of being able to sneak some of my own rods into the mix. So this one is fresh off the bench and I plan to put it to the test in about a week on the Au Sable. Blank is a Wayne Cattanach taper 8ft 5wt blank hand spilt cane made by my good fried and fishing buddy Bob Farrand of Splitcaneblanks.com and it casts&looks beautiful. Bob did an excellent job on this blank and I couldn't be more pleased with it.

Reel seat is Hawaiian Koa wood set in Struble D1 hardware behind a Fenwick style grip. I used a smooth polished aluminum winding check & chrome double foot guides, and Agate stripper guide. Wraps are Garnet with med brown trim and I also did a "half & Half" style wrapping on the ferules. Wraps I finished in Minwax spar varnish. I matched it up with a S-handle reel and some Orvis 5wt DT Floating line.

I'm very pleased with the rod, the look as well as the feel are exactly what I was wanting so this rod is gonna be a lot of fun playin with some trout this year.

Steve

[LadyFisher]

Sure looks great! I'm not a big fan of Wayne's tapers, they seem to have a glitch which makes them feel "hingy' and not as smooth as I like...hope your experience is better *S* On the other hand, you may have ruined your fishing by getting hooked on bamboo?

[Midwest Custom Fly Rods]

This is actually my 4th or 5th cane rod (shhh don't tell anybodylol) I've actually always liked Wayne's tapers best myself. I like the smoothness as well as still just enough power in them. My leonard taper was just a bit too soft for my taste, and my Payne wasn't too much to my liking for action. This one suits my tastes perfectly though. Now if the weather just cooperates enough to get the flow of the Au Sable down by Friday so I can try her out. This is the wettest spring I have seen in years which is putting a damper on getting out to actually use some of these rods

[mnklagoon]

your best work.....classic.

[dave potts]

Beautiful rod. You said you finished the wraps with spar varnish. What did you finish the blank itself with?

Dave

[Midwest Custom Fly Rods]

The blank was also done in a spar but it was dip tube finished before the guides were put on. So the blank is dipped and the wraps are brushed, but both with spar.

Steve