Just joined the cane club

[Merle]

After reading through the bamboo get together thread (and then going down a bit of an internet rabbit hole reading about different popular rods), I made and impulse buy of the big auction site.

I browsed several auctions for W&M Grangers, but got a little bit of sticker shock on the ones that looked to still be in good shape. I was hoping to find something I could repair or restore, but he ones that needed work looked really hammered. So on an impulse I ended up grabbing a Shakespeare 1362-9, for about a hundred bucks, not knowing if i was going to get something fishable or a tube of tomato stakes. YOLO I guess.

It showed up today and is in surprisingly good shape. It's a 9 ft 3 piece with both tips. Looks to have been re-varnished because there's some fresh varnish drips on the ferrules.

I haven't had a chance to try any lines on it yet, but it sure seems heavy, especially with the short cork handle. But I haven't even mounted a reel yet, so maybe with a reel on it it will balance out better. I'm guessing a 7 wt line to load it up, but might even try one of my trout spey lines. Maybe with a lower handle added it could be a good switch rod?

I also got a kick out of the tiny diameter stripping guide. Do most folks keep those in order to stay "correct" for the vintage, or swap them out for a more functional larger diameter guide?

I don't have any good pics yet, it just showed up this afternoon as I was leaving for work. I'll try to get some tomorrow with a reel on it.

andy

 

[Chris M]

I've had a couple of cane rods since the 80s but never really fished them until 2 years ago when another one came to me from an uncles estate. Their like rabbits, now I have 5 more. Casting bamboo is very different from other rods and it take a bit of getting used to. Enjoy and make room for more bamboo rods because their coming.

 

[Bambooflyguy]

Hi Andy,
Welcome to bamboo! Just a blast to cast/fish with! 9’ three piece rods are heavy due to three sets of metal ferrules. They must’ve had forearms like Popeye back in the day.....when you add a heavy vintage reel to balance it out....it’s even heavier! There’s options for making it a better fishing stick, I call mine Hotrodz of Burien. Small original guides for thinner diameter silk line back in the day. I replace the guides with modern snakes and add more for better performance. Any questions I’d be glad to help.

 

[jerry]

Welcome to the world of bamboo fly rods. There are some rods that have such value that you should try to keep it as original as you can. Any change can diminish the value. The rod you have I would consider a "trade rod" and if you refinish it I would use modern guides and modern spacing for the guides. I was recently gifted a 130 year old Hardy rod. The rod is not one of the high value Hardy rods. The varnish is in rough shape, but the wraps, guides and ferrules are original and sound. I don't plan to fish this rod. At 130 years old it will be mounted in a shadow box to be treasured and hung on the wall of my mancave. There are several of us that would help you along the way. Just let us know.