wvangler

I started making bamboo rods in 2003, made two for myself then started making for other people. I made another for myself in 2005 and I've had the itch ever since. Decided to finally make myself one this last year and finished it last weekend.

It is a 6'6" 3 weight based on a mystery taper from Grayrock '98 that I copied off of the listserv back probably 10 years ago. The reelseat is a piece of American Chestnut I found on a decaying massive log on a dry ridgetop on a hunting lease my dad hunted in Nicholas County, West Virginia. I only use local scavenged wood on my reel seats. I stabilized the old wood with superglue.

The varnish work on this rod pretty much sucks. Especially compared to what you all pull off, but since this rod is for me and not someone else I'm less discerning. I plan to fish the snot out of this dude. Just wrapped in Pearsall's light olive tipped in highlander green. Same tipping used in between the rattan seams. Emerald agate stripper. Finished with Ace spar cuz I like to talk like John Madden when I crack open the varnish can and do ridiculous play by play.

Pics snapped with my iphone cuz I was too lazy to bust out the dslr for rod pics.







I spooled that old Redington CT reel up yesterday with a zhu silk line. Gonna try that out. My first silk, so gonna test the proverbial waters on that and see what I think about silk.