“A Fly Rod is the most wonderful, argued
about, damned, praised, cherished, cheap, expensive, beautiful, light, stiff, soft, powerful, delicate, delightful, piece
of equipment the fly angler can own.”From:
Norm Thompson’s Angler’s
Guide catalog.
This is the most profound
description of a fly rod that I have ever read. No amount of money, nickel silver, thread, agate, or exotic
woods will make it cast if the taper is not right for you.
I
am a traditional builder of split cane fly rods and I build one grade of rod which is the best of my work in each rod.
My first commitment is to build rods that work, that is, that
work for you. I have over thirty five tapers that I have built and have I fished myself. They are to be used not just admired.
You will find that my guides are somewhat over sized to cast modern lines for this reason.
My second commitment is to build the best rod that I can. I will use the best
materials available.
My cane is from a pre-embargo stash that I
have had for 30 years. I use reel
seats that are Black Ash burl, ferrules and thread check are blackened Nickel Silver from Bellinger Company. I use Agate Stripping guides framed in blackened nickel silver with black chromed
snake guides. I import Flor Grade cork rings from Portugal for grips. When I find better components I will use them.
I build two major actions that have many models and length of each action.
The Parabolic Action by Paul H. Young and E. F.
Payne are truly the most popular and forgiving action in my collection. “A parabolic butt has an extremely low taper.
The tip has two compound tapers and is exceedingly fast in recovery. In making a cast the butt flexes clear into the hand
and can be seen and felt. On delivery of the cast the lower half of the rod gets in its power impulse while the upper half
is still flexed. Then, as the tip straightens, a seemingly second power impulse applies which straightens a long line or shoots
an abundance of line if desired.” From More Fishing –
Less Fussing By Paul H. Young. This is a rod
for big water and windy condition, but will still work in close on the most fickle spring creek fish. Match the rod length
and line weight to the right conditions and there is a rod taper in this group that will work for you.
Parabolic Rods
Rods
Length /line Comments
| Midge | 6’
or 6’3” 3wt. | A petite little rod at home on Brookie streams. |
| Driggs
| 7’2”
4wt. | A neat compromise between
too short and too long. This is my wife’s favorite rod. |
| Perfectionist | 7’6” 5wt. | This is the rod that I make the most. An all-time favorite it just seems to do
everything well. |
| Para 14 | 7’9” 5/6wt. | This is the go to rod when you don’t know if you will be on a small stream
or a wide river like the Henry’s Fork. |
| Para 15 | 8’ 5,
6 or 7wt | This rod cast like it is a foot longer. A large rod that will handle streamers for fall browns or steelhead
on the Klamath. This rod is a pure joy to cast. |
The Progressive
Tapers of Everett Garrison, E.F. Payne E.C. Powell and many others
are a smooth and accurate design. They seems to work into the lower half of the rod butt and grip as the line is extended.
These always have a reserve of power waiting to be used by the caster. These rods feel like a single power unit delivering
the energy to the line in unison with the power you transmit from your hand. Simply said you seem to have complete control
of distance and accuracy without the expense of energy.
Progressive Rods
Rods
Length / weight Comments
| 7012 | 7’ 3/4wt. | This is delicate
and accurate rod with plenty of authority. |
| JC’s | 7’6” 4/5wt | This is one of
my early successes. It seems at home anywhere. The rod I use more than any other. |
| JC’s long | 7’9” 5wt | A very smooth version of my first successful taper. Similar
to the JC 7’6” just longer. Truly a rod for all seasons. |
| 8013 lite | 8’ 4wt | Pure trout rod for the person who loves a lite action in an
eight foot rod. |
| 8013 HB | 8’ 4/5wt | This is new to my line of rods, a hollow built. It has found favor with dry fly
fisherman on large water where a big fish maybe encountered. |
| 8014 HD | 8’ 5/6wt | The
same rod as above with a little more authority. |
My rods are from 6’ to 8’9’
in almost all of the popular tapers. My rods are all two pieces and are solid and hollow built
to enhance the taper. They are finished with five to eight coats of hand rubbed spar varnish, utilizing the
French Polish method. Unless otherwise ordered my grips are cigar shape in the E.F.Payne tradition and with
up-locking reel seats. Thread is gray with maroon trim; they will look translucent and gray to tan depending on the light,
after four coats of varnish. All Nickel Silver is blackened as are the guides. All rods come with two
mirror tips in a cotton bag and brass capped aluminum tube. I make a bamboo ferrule plug
with a cork insert for each rod.Although,
I keep many of the most popular blanks on hand ready to complete, I always want to talk to you before you decide. I would
prefer that you have a chance to cast your choice; therefore I keep most of the models on hand for that purpose.
