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.