Tom Fulk RIP

[Dave Westburg]

I was told tonight that Anacortes bamboo rodmaker Tom Fulk died a couple weeks ago. Tom built brisk 5,6 and 7 weight rods, mostly 7-8'. He named each rod for a particular lake or stream. Here's my 7' 5 weight Tom Fulk along the cascades stream he named it for...



Talking tapers with Tom in 2019. I bought the 9' Phillipson 5 and 5/8's rod on the table from Tom after our meeting. It's my favorite bull trout single hander.



Tom built a Varnish tank in his house...



RIP Tom Fulk. You made the world a richer place...

 

[Greg Armstrong]

Sad to hear of this.

Dave, I suspect you’ll fish that stream with the rod it was named for in his honor this coming season.

 

[Dave Westburg]

I'll probably make the trip in late summer. You need to join me.

 

[Mike Monsos]

Sorry to hear of Tom's passing. I remember him sharing his method for developing tapers and graphing the taper out up at a Corbett gathering. Tom was always open for chats and sharing his thoughts on rod design and making. RIP Tom

 

[Josh]

He's a guy I always wanted to meet and never had the opportunity.

Warm thoughts to his friends and family.

 

[wanderingrichard]

Sad to hear of the loss of another master craftsman. They're getting too few and far between, no matter the discipline.

 

[Kado]

I had the pleasure of building a three piece version of his 'London Flats' taper down in Ascension Bay. Caught my first ever bonefish with it. So much fun. The guide was even more excited than I was seeing a grass rod catching bonefish.
Nice to put a face to the rod's taper.
Always sad to hear of a passing of one of our northwest craftsmen. He lives on in his rods and tapers.

 

[Doug Moore]

I met Tom about three years ago and he taught me how to build bamboo rods. I was able to make two rods under his supervision. When his health turned last summer he sold me his rod shop equipment and supplies. Tom's varnish setup is now in my shop (in Dave's photo above). I was happy to be able to buy Tom's gear, but moving it out of his garage was a sad day for both of us. The last few months as his health was declining I spent several sessions with Tom at his dining table going over rod tapers and listening to him reminisce about fishing and rod building. Tom helped me pick a taper from his taper book and I just finished the rod, a 8'-4" 3/2 6 wt. Tom was an absolute gentleman, a good teacher and friend. I'm going to miss him a lot but I have wonderful memories Tom every time I go into my shop.

 

[Dave Westburg]

Tom helped me pick a taper from his taper book and I just finished the rod, a 8'-4" 3/2 6 wt. Tom was an absolute gentleman, a good teacher and friend. I'm going to miss him a lot but I have wonderful memories Tom every time I go into my shop.

Doug, can you show us some pics of the rod you made. It's a beauty.

 

[Doug Moore]

Here are a couple of pictures.

 

[Tim Cottage]

Very sorry to hear of Tom's passing. He was always very generous about sharing techniques, processes etc. about his rod making. I wiggled a few of his rods at a few different Corbet gatherings. His rods always struck me as well made and thoroughly practical. He did not give a second thought to bling but did put a lot of thought into overall quality. Other than casting a few of them I really don't know much about his range of tapers. I wish I did.
Doug you are a lucky man to have had that relationship with him.

 

[Josh]

His rods always struck me as well made and thoroughly practical. He did not give a second thought to bling but did put a lot of thought into overall quality.

To me, this sounds like the ultimate compliment for a rod maker.

But I suppose that's going to be in the eye of the beholder. I'd always rather have something that worked well over than something that looked cool.