Any BOO fans out there?

Salmo_g

Legend
Forum Supporter
My longest bamboo rod is 11', more of a Switch than a Spey. It's a Riverwatch, Clay rod, 5/6 wt. I don't fish it much, don't want to scratch it up in the boat. But it's a joy to cast.
 

Long_Rod_Silvers

Elder Millennial
Forum Supporter
I've been intrigued by the idea of two handed cane. If I'm going to spend a day on the river not catching anything, I might as well have the most fun possible. Curious, aside from Bob Clay's stuff, what else is out there as legit options? I know nothing about cane....
 

Dave Westburg

Fish the classics
Forum Supporter
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I fish a Sharpes 13' impregnated bamboo fly rod. I sometimes wish it were a foot or two longer but it weights 16 ounces and that's about the limit of what I want to wave around. I can understand why a lot of the modern bamboo spey rod makers like Bob Clay or James Reid are making hollow-built spey rods. Saves weight.

The Sharpes rod is spliced instead of ferruled which gives it a continuous action. Some of the rod makers say that you're asking for trouble if you put ferrules on a bamboo spey rod because the torque is too hard on the rod.

You need a tape that stretches a little for a spliced rod. Some people use hockey tape but it leaves a residue. Tom Bowden put me on to a source of electrical tape which is perfect. Holds the rod secure but flexes a little.
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Dave Westburg

Fish the classics
Forum Supporter
I have 2 Riverwatch Bamboo rods that I absolutely love!
12' 7/8 that makes me giggle every time I use it!
13' 8/9 still new to me and trying out lines for it. Still a dream to cast!

What BOO do you have and love?
What lines are you fishing with your bamboo?
 

Matt B

RAMONES
Forum Supporter
View attachment 648

I fish a Sharpes 13' impregnated bamboo fly rod. I sometimes wish it were a foot or two longer but it weights 16 ounces and that's about the limit of what I want to wave around. I can understand why a lot of the modern bamboo spey rod makers like Bob Clay or James Reid are making hollow-built spey rods. Saves weight.

The Sharpes rod is spliced instead of ferruled which gives it a continuous action. Some of the rod makers say that you're asking for trouble if you put ferrules on a bamboo spey rod because the torque is too hard on the rod.

You need a tape that stretches a little for a spliced rod. Some people use hockey tape but it leaves a residue. Tom Bowden put me on to a source of electrical tape which is perfect. Holds the rod secure but flexes a little.
View attachment 651
Are those dowels only for storage? Can you show the splices when they're put together?
 

Dave Westburg

Fish the classics
Forum Supporter
The dowells are just to protect the tips during storage. You take them off before you tape. Here are some pics of the rod ends before and after taping. You start off with overlapping turns and then leave a slight gap between the turns in the middle of your splice and then end with overlapping turns.
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The tape is amazingly strong and holds the rod well. There's much less strain on a spliced bamboo spey rod than a ferruled bamboo spey rod.

Screen Shot 2022-01-30 at 9.59.09 AM.png
 

_WW_

Geriatric Skagit Swinger
Forum Supporter
I've got one of Reid"s 11'-9" 7wt "Summer run"
Thing is a fucking Skagit head cannon. The downside is that once assembled it is a one piece rod. Great for fishing, sucks for transport. Works well when floating tho cause you're there for all day.
 

Dave Westburg

Fish the classics
Forum Supporter
I've got one of Reid"s 11'-9" 7wt "Summer run"
Thing is a fucking Skagit head cannon. The downside is that once assembled it is a one piece rod. Great for fishing, sucks for transport. Works well when floating tho cause you're there for all day.
Agree. I fish my sharpes when I’m spending time on just one run or if i’m floating. Don’t have to worry about an impregnated rod in a boat. No varnish issues.
 

Jerry Daschofsky

The fishing camp cook
Forum Legend
View attachment 648

I fish a Sharpes 13' impregnated bamboo fly rod. I sometimes wish it were a foot or two longer but it weights 16 ounces and that's about the limit of what I want to wave around. I can understand why a lot of the modern bamboo spey rod makers like Bob Clay or James Reid are making hollow-built spey rods. Saves weight.

The Sharpes rod is spliced instead of ferruled which gives it a continuous action. Some of the rod makers say that you're asking for trouble if you put ferrules on a bamboo spey rod because the torque is too hard on the rod.

You need a tape that stretches a little for a spliced rod. Some people use hockey tape but it leaves a residue. Tom Bowden put me on to a source of electrical tape which is perfect. Holds the rod secure but flexes a little.
View attachment 651
My Greenhart from the 1860s is a Sharpes and has same ferrules. I was told that back in the day they would wet leather and let it dry. But know back then the rods stayed there on site.
 

Paige

Wishing I was fishing the Sauk
I've been intrigued by the idea of two handed cane. If I'm going to spend a day on the river not catching anything, I might as well have the most fun possible. Curious, aside from Bob Clay's stuff, what else is out there as legit options? I know nothing about cane....

Mark Shamberg from WA
James Reid in BC
David Reid
 
I am lucky enough to have a Riverwatch with one coming in mail soon and another on order ,1 Dave Norling 14 ft a very old 16 ft F.E Thomas and nice old Leonard would love to try a greenheart some day
 

Paige

Wishing I was fishing the Sauk
What lines are you fishing with your bamboo?

Dave, the lines I'm using are

12' 7/8 450 compact skandi and any Polly leader, mainly floating! makes me giggle!!!
Or a 425 zone FI with 12' T7 or T11, also stellar!

13' 8/9 right now the 510 compact skagit is the line that's s working the beat, still looking for the magic bullet. Tried some other lines but meh.
 

Paige

Wishing I was fishing the Sauk
I also had a 14' Riverwatch but sold it, was a tank of a rod and very powerful, but didn't like how the rod would rotate and buck like finding the spline on a blank doing any change of direction cast. Single Speys were great though, but didn't like holding the rod at the striper guide, even with a 4 1/4 reel.
 

Dave Westburg

Fish the classics
Forum Supporter
Dave, the lines I'm using are

12' 7/8 450 compact skandi and any Polly leader, mainly floating! makes me giggle!!!
Or a 425 zone FI with 12' T7 or T11, also stellar!

13' 8/9 right now the 510 compact skagit is the line that's s working the beat, still looking for the magic bullet. Tried some other lines but meh.
Believe it or not I'm fishing a Gravity Point 9/10 spey and a Gravity Point 9/10/11 with my Sharpes. I like single and double spey casting with a long line and a 15' sinking head and no stripping. Purchased a Nextcast Winter Authority 70 9/10 but don't like it as much as the Gravity Point spey.
 
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