Rod of the month

This is another 8'4" 3 weight. These usually come in right around 3.25 oz. and are by far my most popular rod. This is headed to Michigan. I have thought about in the past offering a guarantee with my rods that they will catch fish. However, how do guarantee that people catch fish. I think back to several occasions of fishing with people that refused to change tactics when they weren't catching fish. They would somehow always blame everything else. Sometimes I like to throw caution into the wind, so here it goes. My rods are guaranteed to catch fish! I don't charge extra for that.

Sales Pending

Both rods are pending. Thanks!

Demo for sale 8'4" 4 weight

This is an 8'4" 4 weight that I have used as a demo. There are a few signs of usage. Its a medium fast action rod with the flex point right below the ferrules. It comes with a custom bag and an aluminum tube with brass cap. This rod new would cost $800, but I am offering here for $550. Thanks!

Demo For Sale

I have two demos that I am going to be selling. This is the first. Its an 8' 4/5 weight. I prefer it as a 4 weight, but has a good backbone for a 5. It has a very crisp action with the 4 and is what you call "dry fly" action. It has a Spanish Cedar insert with a cap and ring seat. It is blond cane with gold and orange wraps. It is a one tip rod. The reason it was a demo is because I tried a new taper with it on a cane that had some minor blemishes. There is one spot with a water mark and a small glue line in the butt section. It comes with a custom bag and aluminum tube. It still has the plastic wrap on the grip. Please feel free to ask any questions. Price $375

Rod of the month cont.

Just as a reminder, when you purchase a rod from me you get a free t-shirt! Right now my wait is around 11 months. 

The ferrules on a rod have many different variations. They give the builder an opportunity to really get creative. I have seen some rods with engraving that must have taken a month to do. However, I don't go that direction. I like my ferrules and wraps to have flowing lines. That means there will only be two colors and usually with tips and mid wrap on the female side.

One of my reasons for trying to keep the lines clean on my rods is I think it keeps the bamboo more natural. I personally like to see as much bamboo as possible. I don't want my eye drawn to distractions in the rod. Another reason I try to keep my rods simple is because I don't want to charge a lot for a rod. Before I started building I owned numerous pricey rods. They were great rods, but I never felt comfortable with using them, they weren't me. So I hope to always keep my prices right around what a nice graphite would cost. On the flip side of that I don't produce many rods. I have a job that I enjoy and this is a hobby. This year I will have sold 10 rods. I hope this helps my rods keep their value as well.

Here shortly I will have several demos for sale. If you know anyone just getting into bamboo rods or someone that wants a cheaper rod for backup I will have several for sale. These were rods I made up with bamboo that water marks or visual imperfections.

Rod of the month cont.

I usually use 13 rings on my grips. For some reason I have always liked this so you could move your casting hand around and it not be hanging off the grip. Myself I like to use very light weight reels. I didn't realize this until last summer when I was out at a bamboo rod event in Island Park. I casted several Per Brandin rods. With very light weight seats and light reels is moves the fulcrum up the rod. I had always wanted to balance a rod in my hand with a reel. However, his rods felt great. At first I thought it was his tapers (and maybe it is), but what I realized is that the butt of the rod is the fulcrum and it feels great! Directly after that I tweaked my tapers to realize this.

On this rod I went with a light green agate to match the wraps. The wraps are light green with crimson tipping. I don't do a lot of fancy wraps because I think it takes away from the beauty of the cane. I love to just sit and look at the rod as I am making it because the bamboo is refreshing.

Rod of the month

Over the next few days I am going to post some pics of a rod I am about to send out. It is an 8'4" 3 weight. It is hollow built and weighs 3.26 oz. It features my lightweight reel seat with a Spanish Cedar insert. I use the best cork I can buy! This is my version of a full wells grip. I use this on all my rods over 8'.

New Shirts

I just received a new shipment of t-shirts in with the new design. This is the design that is on the tubes as well. Anyone that buys a rod from me gets a free t-shirt with the rod. If you want to buy a shirt by itself they are $25.

News From Singapore!

Billy Teo has sent along some more photos of his conquests in Singapore. Billy and his buddies catch some serious fish. The rod in the photos is a 8'2" 4 weight that I sold him and its based off of a Leonard taper I found. The fish in the pics is the ever elusive Temensis. I don't know much about this fish except they get big!

I have probably sent half of the rods I made in the past two years to Singapore. Thanks Billy and friends!

I have a good backlog right now and will be busy until around May of next year. I am currently working on carbon fiber ferrules for three piece rods. I hope to have some pics to post within the next couple of weeks. My goal in this endeavor is to be able to make a 8'5" 5 weight right around 3 oz. I don't think I have ever put my email address on this blog yet so here it is if you ever have any questions criscarpenter@comcast.net

Pics

I just returned from a family fishing trip. I am learning about these trips that it usually is more family than fishing! However, I tried out a new rod I made and fell in love with it. Its a medium fast 8'4" 4 weight that weighs 3.6 oz and is hollow built. I look forward to the day that my boys and I are all trying new rods out!

Also, Scott Zieske sent along some photos of his Carpenter Bros. 7'3" 3 weight and his Carpenter Bros. reel. This rod was my 3rd rod to make and brings back good memories! I have it on my things to do to go out and visit Scott in South Dakota and see what the fishing is like there.

Rod of the week!

I am at approximately an 8 month wait. New rod purchases require a $200 non refundable deposit to cover about half of the upfront costs.

Here is a picture of an 8'4" 3 weight that will be going out very shortly. This has my new light weight reelseat. Its amazing how much some reel seats weigh. This will save the rod about 1/5 of an ounce.

Pic of the 8'4" 3 weight

I received this picture from Billy Teo over in Singapore and his Carpenter Bros Rod the 8'4" 3 weight. This is a 2.5 lb Temensis. He says the rod did great! Thanks for the pic Billy.

Labor day weekend

We had a great weekend fishing down on the White River in Arkansas! We caught enough fish to keep it interesting. They were running a lot of water and we had to take to the boat. I was surprised how many people were flyfishing in those conditions.

We bought a new Fleetwood Evolution 4 camper and it was our maiden voyage!

Here is my cell #, some how I didn't have it listed before, 816-769-7961. I am generally available after 3 pm daily.

Right now I am working on a 8'4" 3 weight that doesn't have a home yet and I am secretly hoping that it won't. That would mean I would get to keep it and fish it. :-)

Here is a picture of a rod that I finished for a customer in Michigan. It is a 7' 4 weight based on a Edwards Signature taper.

Two rods of the week!

Here are some pics of rods that I sent out last week to a customer in Singapore. The rod with the silver hardware is an 8'1" 3 weight. The other rod is an 8'2" 4 weight based of a Leonard taper. The longer of the two can reach 60' without a problem and the shorter of the two is a delicate rod for smaller fish.

Rod Hollowing

I am currently building several rods and one of them is for me. These are a couple of pics of what the hollowing looks like in my rods. This is the butt section of an 8'1" 5 weight. There are only two dams in the butt section and then the last 4" is solid in order to secure the female ferrule. The total blank weight without the hardware is 2.25 oz.

Reel Seat Day!

Reel seats say a lot about a rod. I really enjoy making them. However, it takes a lot of work and there is a lot of waste if you want great ones. Today I started with 10 wood blanks and after turning them down I am left with eight. I have applied the first coat of varnish. After sanding and applying several more coats of varnish I will probably have to throw out several more. There are pits and ugly spots that come natural to the wood that make for bad spots in the wood insert.

I have started doing more varnishing because the wood that is available stabilized is very limited. In fact I have started experimenting with stabilizing my own wood and I hope to be able to offer this as an option soon.

Rod of the week Cont.

Here are some more photos of the 8'4" 3 weight. I took this rod out to the Henry's Fork gathering a couple of weeks ago and people really liked it. It was my first rod at this length. This rod is going out to its new owner next week. I really HOPE to be caught up on my back log by next Friday!

Rod of the week!

This is an 8'4" 3 weight 2 piece rod. It is hollowed into the tip and weighs a scant 3.25 oz. It casts a 3 dt line with ease and can reach over 50 ft. It has 4 star cork, snake brand guides and a Spanish Cedar reel seat. My hollow builds run $800.

Carpenter Bros. Introduces the Reel!

We are offering this classic styled reel to go with your fine cane rods. These reels are made in the USA and were a collaboration between myself and John Paullus. They have a diameter of 2.85", a spool width of 1.185" and weigh 5.05oz. They have gold anodized rims with delrin sideplates. They are available in either RHW or LHW. I only have one RHW left. They have a click/pawl system that sounds like that of a classic Hardy reel. The price of $475 includes a handsome handmade leather case.

Welcome to Carpenter Bros. Bamboo rods!

My name is Cris Carpenter and I make bamboo fly rods. I am going to try to make a post every week so please bookmark it and check back regularly. If you ever have a question about anything please feel free to send me an email.