My wonderful wife just gave me the best birthday present ever. For my 50th birthday she gave me an beautiful Bamboo Flyrod. She had Wyatt Deitrich of Dreamcatcher Flyrods make me a special 7’6" 4wt flyrod that is just georgous. I took it out this morning to the Yellow Breeches and caught a few nice trout. What an awesome present from my wife.
A couple of questions for all you bamboo fans? Any recommendations on a reel and line. For now I will probably use my 3-4wt fenwick rell that seems to balance pretty nicely but may look to get something else. Also I was thinking of getting the Cortland Slyk line but what should I get WF or DT? I usually fish a WF but am not sure what will cast best on a boo rod.
Thanks for any help…
Wow, that is a good birthday present. Welcome to the dark side!
I like Cortland 444 Classic - the peach colored stuff- on my bamboo rods. I’ve tried the Cortland Sylk and liked it but I haven’t gotten around to actually buying it yet.
If you get a chance you might want to check out the following bulletin board. These guys are plannning to have a gathering down in your neck of the woods the weekend of September 23rd.
Congrats!! I have two of Wyatt’s rods and I love them!! Maybe when we hook up we can fish 'em!
First of all I tried a SYLK on my rods and HATED IT!! It squeaked through the guides, especially the agate stripper, it got sticky in the guides and it didn’t float long. Other people love them. I just don’t see why a SYLK line needs to be used on a bamboo rod other than old rods with small guides. I think it is just a nostalgia thing. I’d go with any quality line that looks good and casts good.
As far as DT versus WF: the subject has been beaten to death. I use DT’s on all my rods, cane, glass & graphite. I just like them better for normal distances and a 7’6" 4wt will probably be cast normal distances.
Reels - I’d put a Hardy Bougle on that puppy if you want to part with the cash required or a Featherweight or LRH Lightweight. It all depends on your budget.
First off, congratulations. Sounds as if you have a truly loving wife.
If $300+ is out of your price range, then forget the Hardy’s, Peerless, and Ballin’s as reel choices, and take a look at the Orvis CFO II. The CFO has the classic look of a Hardy Golden Princess for a lot less $$$.
As Bamboozle said, the issue of DT vs WF has been beaten to death, and really comes down to a matter of personal preference. I would try and find both lines and try casting each before making a final decision.
I’ve been fishing the Cortland Sylk lines for two years and have not experienced any of the problems Bamboozle mentioned, although I know of other people who have reported similar problems. I have them in 3, 4, and 5 Wt’s and like their suppleness and color. A lot of bamboo folks also go with the Cortland 444 Peach, and I’ve got a couple of those that I also like. The problem with the Peach is the color, but that can be rectified with a quick Ritz dye job; see http://www.iffa.org.uk/dyinglines.htm.
So first, does you wife have a sister? I’d like one out of that litter too.
Here is a novel reel idea. Go with a Hardy Marquis or the same reel sold as a Scientific Angler (model 5?) or LL Bean. I decided a couple of years ago that I liked the reel and have accumulated a few of the LL Bean versions over the years. They are relatively inexpensive ($150 if it says Hardy to $75 if it says Bean) - you have to get them used. I was surprised to read later that AK Best uses them for his standard reel (the SA branded one). I think these reels look great on bamboo.
I have also had problems with the Sylk lines and am now using them to tie up my tomato plants. Great texture and color but it would stick to itself and the rod and become impossible to shoot. I am back to the 444 peach. I have read that the same line is available from Hook and Hackle for about $28 as their house brand - is is green.
Try buying a real silk line, they are 200-300 bucks but work great with bamboo rods… other options would be the Cortland Sylk, but i strongly reccomend an Airflo Ridgeline, for a rod as good as Bamboo, you don’t really want to settle for anything less than the best, and I can personally vouch for Ridgeline as some of the best line i’ve ever casted.
I use a DT Cortland Sylk on a couple of 5 wt cane rods I have.
I realize cane is the most durable of rod materials but I just feel (perhaps wrongfully) I shouldn’t lean on one for a long cast so a DT works well for me.
I picked up a couple of Pflueger Medalist 1492 1/2 (wide spool) USA made reels off ebay…looks classy on cane.
CFO or Hardy LRh. As for line, I tried DT and didn’t care for it on my boo, the same with TT. They just wouldn’t load up right. I use Wonderline Superfine WF or Sylk WF. The ol man even switched to the Superfine WF. Very smooth and loads up great.
I have been using Sylk for Three years now, have never had ANY TROUBLE from sticky or what ever. Sylk is very supple even in the cold and very smooth. As far as sinking, it has a core in the middle which prevent me from putting a needle knot, so I bent the fly line over and use tying thread to secure it, plus read makes a nice indicator. A little Knot Sense and good to go.
For a nice reel to match look at www.elkhornflyrods.com
They have a classic reel that they sell to match their bamboo rods and it looks like a very nice reel. I use one of their other reels and am very satisfied with it.
You’ll like your Dietrich rod more every time you fish it. I’ve got a couple of Wyatt’s rods, and am more than pleased with them. Wyatt a great guy, too, which adds to the pleasure of using the rods.
My experience with the Sylk has been mixed. A couple got sticky, fast. But, if you clean them, they work fine. They do stay limp (as advertised) in cold weather, which is an important factor to me.
Have just started using an Airflo Ridge line. Like it so far. Lichen green color is inoffensive and it casts quite well. Will be interested to see how it works when cold. Suggest you get the DT “presentation” version.
Loads of good reels out there at reasonable prices, and some good suggestions have been made. If you’d like something REALLY traditional for your bamboo rod, I’ve got a couple old British reels for sale, one 2 3/4" ($75) and one 3" ($60). Both usable as RHW or LHW. I fish the YB a lot, so it’d be no problem to meet you there and show them to you. If any interest, just e-mail me at driver69911@yahoo.com.
I also have some other reels (not for sale) that I use on my bamboo rods.
Would be glad to show these to you, to give you an idea of what’s out there, how they look on bamboo, and how they balance on your rod.
Congrats Pa…that’s one fine gift your bride gave you.
I tried the Sylks and liked them at first. Really supple etc but for some reason after awhile they stuck to my rod, actually stuck right to the rod so I ditched. And they didn’t shoot nearly as good as my Sa lines!
I would highly suggest the SA XPS DT4F as a line to give optimum performance.
But…it’s subjective. This line I have on a couple of my 4wts though and it’s wonderful! My best line, by far!
Another questions for you Boo Rod folks. The rod I have came with two tips which I know many rods do. Do you folks that have rods with multiple tips…alternate tips or just use one and store the other?
Bill
There are several reasons for two tips. The most important reason is that you can alternate between them and spread out the wear and tear. You also have a 2nd tip in the event that you break or damage the 1st one.
Some rods are made having two tips with distinctly different actions, say one with a wet fly action and one with a dry fly action. I don’t know if that is the case with your rod.
You probably need to come with a method to differentiate between the tips so you can use them alternately. A simple method is to attach a twist tie to the tip top of the section you didn’t use. That way you know which section to use the next time out. Some rods do have identifying markings on each section like slightly different wraps or trim, but you still have to remember which tip you used. Marking the tip with a twist tie eliminates the need for that.
IF Wyatt did on your rod like he did on mine; there is a single wrap above the ferrule wrap on tip #1 and a double wrap in the same location on tip #2.
I ALWAYS alternate tips using a different tip each use. I have always done this and it works for me for the reasons stated by Avalon. A simple way to remember which tip you used last is to utilize the tie strings on Wyatt’s rod bag. Using the top tie string; make a bow in front of the embroidered logo to tell you to use tip #1 the next time and a bow in back for tip #2. DON’T tie these strings too tightly!
It works for me!
Oh by the way, IF you don’t already do so, carefully wipe down the rod after fishing with a soft cloth and MAKE SURE to take all rod sections out of the tube when you get home after fishing and store them in a safe place so they COMPLETELY dry out. I usually let them dry out overnight. NEVER EVER PUT A BAMBOO ROAD AWAY DAMP OR WET!
BTW a safe place to store it between trips is my house!
Bill,
Along with what has been given regarding alternating tips…one thing you can do is tie a 3" piece of woolen yarn on the tip you just fished when you put it away. That way you’ll know to use the other tip next time out.
OR…just fish tip #1 on odd numbered (calendar) days and tip #2 on even numbered days…so many choices.
In assembling the rod, use the tip from the slot next to the butt section. Then move the tip you’re NOT using into that (now empty) slot next to the butt section.
After fishing, put the tip you used into the empty tip slot. Then, all you have to do is get in the habit of always using the tip next to the butt section, and moving the spare tip into the vacancy.
For me, this is a lot easier than ID’ing the section, tying knots, etc.
