An Appreciation of Tom Fulk

[Dave Westburg]

Anacortes bamboo rod maker Tom Fulk has stopped making rods for sale. He's been profiled by the Skagit Herald and has received the Washington Fly Fishing Club's Letcher Lambuth Angling Craftsman Award. Here's a picture of a couple of friends of mine talking tapers with Tom. On the table next to Tom is a 9' 5 and 5/8ths Phillipson which he sold to me.

The Tom Fulk rods I've cast are medium to fast 5-7 weights. He built quads as well as hexagonal rods. If you have a chance to buy one, jump on it. I own the 62nd rod which Tom built in 2006. Bought it from a member of the Fidalgo Fly Fishers. It's a 7' 5 weight.
Tom names each rod for a specific stream or lake. My rod is named for a west cascades stream which requires a little hike. Water so clear I can sight fish an upstream wet fly to the stream's brightly spotted, orange bellied cutthroat.

There's something fitting about catching a wild fish on a wild river with a bamboo rod named for the river.

 

[Para_Adams]

Dave, nice job as always telling a story about awesome bamboo rods.

 

[troutstalker]

So what's your rods name? JK...

Beautiful rod and beautiful river!

 

[Guy Gregory]

I’m not tapped in to this element of fly angling in Washington or elsewhere for that matter. A couple of things I value about this site are the opportunity to read and learn about folks like Mr. Fulk and also to read and learn about other folks who value so many elements about fly angling, as do I. Thanks for the article,Dave. Enjoy your work of art.

 

[Mike Monsos]

Both Tom Faulk and also the late Ray Gould are just a couple of the northwest bamboo rod making community that I feel fortunate to have met and shared conversations with. They are full of knowledge through trial and error and careful testing, and most of all, generous to share their knowledge to us newbies. Both true pioneers and treasures in the bamboo rod making community.

Mike

 

[Dave Westburg]

Both Tom Faulk and also the late Ray Gould are just a couple of the northwest bamboo rod making community that I feel fortunate to have met and shared conversations with. They are full of knowledge through trial and error and careful testing, and most of all, generous to share their knowledge to us newbies. Both true pioneers and treasures in the bamboo rod making community.

Mike

I wish someone would write about Ray Gould. Never had a chance to meet him or to buy one of his rods. I have both of his books and have fished his favorite Glimpse Lake many times.

 

[Dave Westburg]

So what's your rods name? JK...

Beautiful rod and beautiful river!

Tom swore me to secrecy on the stream's location. It fishes best in the fall when the water levels are lower. I've been in twice after labor day. Lots and lots of fish on the first trip and a skunk on the second trip. Nothing sure in fly fishing.

Here's my friend putting a Tom Fulk 8'6" quad to work on the stream.

 

[troutstalker]

It's a beautiful stream and I wouldn't tell anyone about it either. I have a few secret streams of my own. We're lucky to have spots like this!

 

[Greg Armstrong]

Nicely done Dave!

 

[Greg Armstrong]

I have the late Ray Gould to thank for inspiring me to fish bamboo. A chance meeting and conversation with him led me to not be afraid to fish a couple of old hand me down lower grade 9’0” Heddon’s I’d inherited from family members. I’d never fished bamboo before, and told him I was afraid I’d break them. He assured me of their toughness and so off I went eventually and had my “awakening“ by lucking into a couple of nice fat Searuns on my Great Aunt Peggy’s Heddon... then the collecting of old bamboo rods and old reels began.
Thanks Ray, I think!

Dave, I know the name written on that rod but I will never tell!