New to Boo

[TerryB]

Fellows,

Would you mind offering some guidence to a newbie?

I'm interested in getting myself a bamboo fly rod, probably a used one off ebay as I don't have sources locally.

Aside from admiration for the beauty of a bamboo rod I don't really know what to be looking for, what makers to look for, which to avoid, things to look out for when buying a bamboo rod.

I'm thinking about something like a 9 ft. 6 or 5 weight but open to suggestions for a good general purpose rig.

If this were a shotgun I'd have it under control. Just a bit out of my element here.

Thanks for any help you can offer.

Terry

[Jim Hatch]

Hi Terry,

I checked your profile but it's blank.
Not sure what fishery you might be targeting
and in what part of the country. I will say
that in my opinion, the longer canes are not
near as much fun due to their weight. A
shorter, lighter rod, I might fish all day
with much pleasure where as a heavier cane
might quickly tire me and make the outing a
bit less pleasant. Again, just my opinion
and something that would be on the top of
my list. Warm regards, Jim

I agree with Hatch. If you are use to graphite you will notice the increased weight even in the shorter cane rods.
A cane rod of over 8' is pretty heavy to be swinging all day.
I don't know what your budget is but Ray has a nice little 7'er on the for sale board right now.

TerryB;
I'm in agreement with Jim and Buzz also. I have just suffered the "Bamboo Flu" and it is contagious!!
I recently had a great day in southern TN with an Elkhorn 7' 6" 5 wt. on the Duck (See my story in Readers Casts over in Features)River. But not knowing where you are from makes it hard to make recomendations.
I have recently purchased a 9' 5 wt. and I know it will be top heavy so it must be matched with the proper reel and line or it will ruin this old arm!
What is your budget? That can be a big factor.
Stop by the Chat Room and meet some great people that may be able to help you.

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Don't forget the Michigan Fish-In August 14th to the 20th. The Holy Water's of the Au Sable await you!!

Cactus

[cholcomb13]

I echo the others.....I've got two....an older 8 ft 5 wt and a newer (built in the late 90's) 7-6 5wt and I much prefer to throw the lighter newer rod than the older much heavier one.

[nighthawk]

My rule of thumb is the bigger the water or fish, the longer the rod. I work in a warehouse loading trucks so weight really doesn't bother me that much. You can get a good rod off of ebay but buyer beware. Ask lots of questions. Send several emails. Anyone that is slow to answer emails or gets annoyed by them should be avoided. Ask about delamination, missing guides, cracked or missing ferrules, fraying of any wraps, broken or missing reel seats and grips, nicks and dings in the rod and condition of the finish. All of these indicated a rod that needs a partial or complete restoration and is probably not fish-able. That gets expensive. It is just as vital to try to find out who the rod builder or manufacturer is. Set a dollar limit within your budget and do not exceed it.

It is usually better to go to yard sales so you can get your hands on the rod.

For someone new to the boo, or anyone for that matter, the safest bet is to buy from someone on this board. These are great folks and will not rip you off.

------------------
Eric "nighthawk"

American veteran and proud of it!

[J Castwell]

I once went 24 skeet, damn that high house! I can't think of a worse way to buy a cane rod. STOP NOW!

Stick around for details...

TerryB
Check out the For Sale Forum. Akalooker has a nice 'boo for sale.
P.S. The Mitre-Hardy is mine!!

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Don't forget the Michigan Fish-In August 14th to the 20th. The Holy Water's of the Au Sable await you!!

Cactus

[TerryB]

Thanks guys for the advice!

I live on Oklahoma so would mostly be fishing tailwaters for trout and ponds for bass and gills.

My thought was that the longer rod would help me but I'd also want a rod that would be comfortable casting for the day.

My budget is a bit modest but I've always been a believer that money well spent won't have to be spent twice, so I'd rather spend a little more for the quality than go low and then have nothing to show for it but frustration.

Thanks again to everyone!

I've said it before in another post but I really do appreciate all the effort that Mr. Castwell and the other folks who are responsible for making this site possible have gone through to make it available to us.

I've learned so much in the short time I've been hear and most everyone seems friendly and eager to help.

Thanks again to everyone!

Regards,
Terry

[J Castwell]

Terry, we would be able to help more if you would pry out a few more details. Like, how much do you want to invest in a rod? What reel? What fly line? The size of flies you will be casting? What 'exactly' (rods, reels, lines) gear you have now? How long have you been fly fishing? Have you ever cast a fly rod?