My new old fly rod

[Canoetripper]

I have to write the check, which has to go through the banking process. Any way I am very excited about fishing with this fly rod.

I haven't seen the results yet but I am very confident that Art Weiler in Kunkletown, PA did a great job with my grandfather's Orvis Battenkill fly rod.

Here is what he told me he did to recondition the fly rod. He got the bend that leaned to the right out of it. Re-blued the ferrules and now they work. Re-tied a guide, put two coats of varnish on it, and sanded the cork among other things, and included a new cloth and aluminum rod case.

I can't wait to fish with it and look up at the sky and say; "Thank you, Grandpa! I love this fly rod."

Art also recommended a 5 wt. reel with double taper fly line. I have two Orvis Battenkill fly reels and just need an extra spool with double taper fly line. I'll buy that at one of the fly shops where I now will spend the rest of my life fly fishing in the Pocono Mountains.

The total cost for all of this work was only $163.10 I wasn't ever going to consider arguing about the cost. The fly rod is too important to me and so is my grandfather's memory. Every that I talked to at booths at the Lancaster Fly Show said that Orvis does great worh but I would probably spend at least $500.00 so I rolled the dice and went with a somewhat local artist and craftsman.

I might break the fly rod this weekend. It is bamboo, but I think that I did a lot to restore it to where it once was in 1964.

Tight lines,

CT

 

[bikerfish]

Awesome story! That's the great thing about a bamboo rod, age isn't much of an issue, they will outlast SEVERAL owners. Enjoy the experience, I'm sure it will be a great rod to cast and fish!! Nothing better than a piece of family history that is still in use!!

 

[poopdeck]

That's awesome! I wouldn't bat an eye at the cost. That's the best money ever spent on fly fishing.

 

[dc410]

Very cool!

 

[redietz]

Canoetripper wrote:

I might break the fly rod this weekend. It is bamboo, but I think that I did a lot to restore it to where it once was in 1964.

You're less likely to break a bamboo rod than a graphite one. I've got one that had the tip run over by a car, and the only damage was a couple of bent guides.

Orvis cane, being impregnated with plastic, is just about bullet proof. The only way you're likely to hurt is by twisting the ferrules.

I've got several cane rods from the 30's that I fish regularly. They'll still be going strong long after I'm gone.

Art Weiler is highly respected. I'm sure he did a great job.

Cherish the rod!

 

[Lkyboots]

The only problem with fishing with old bamboo rods it's hard to go back to fishing with your other rods. I'm sure your going to love your rod. They do cast a little different and it takes a little longer to load. I did learn one thing about a bamboo rod is it takes very little effort to cast. The more power you use the worse they cast. My biggest fish with my old Orvis was a 22 inch Rainbow, it was a epic battle.

 

[Bamboozle]

What size is it and what line weight? Any idea of vintage?

BTW - No knock on Art, but I have sent more than a few rods back to Orvis for similar repairs and none of them ever came even close to $500 to get repaired. The repairs were in line with what you were charged.

The problem is the wait which can be a close to a year as there is only one person doing them for Orvis at this time.

Enjoy your new rod.

 

[FarmerDave]

poopdeck wrote:
That's awesome! I wouldn't bat an eye at the cost. That's the best money ever spent on fly fishing.

I agree, but if you ever feel the cost wasn't worth it Canoetripper, I'll give you $164 for it. ;-)

 

[Rolf]

Good for you and enjoy the rod! Art is VERY good at what he does so you picked the right guy for the job.

 

[Canoetripper]

Thanks for all of the replies. I decided not to go to the Poconos this weekend. The NASCAR race is this weekend so I think that I will just wait until next weekend when there are not as many people there.

When I first called Orvis they told me that fly rod was bult for 6 wt. fly line in 1964 but they recommend today's 5 wt's. Art said the samething and that it would cast better with double taper than a weight forward. I also have my grandfather's Fenwick fly rod which is probably about the same general age(1964) and line wt.

I haven't met Art, but I have exchanged several emails with him and I can tell by speaking with him on the phone that he really likes the fly rod and is proud of his work.

 

[Jake41]

You made a great decision to use Art Weiler. He built a bamboo rod for me over 20 years ago. It was a Garrison taper 4 wt. a nice little rod. I was fishing in Ken Lockwood gorge and slipped on a rock and broke the lower part of the rod. I was sick and thought it was a total loss. I called Art and told him what happened. He said to send it to him and he would try to fix it. He spliced the rod together and put invisible wraps on the repair. It looks great. The man is a true master craftsman. I wish you many years of fishing pleasure with the rod.

 

[StreamBottom]

What a great thing to have of your grandfather.
I have one of Art's rods, he does beautiful work on the aesthetics and the taper.

Here's a link to the Orvis bamboo rod database.
If the serial # is still on the rod, you can find out when it was made along with other details about the rod.


Orvis bamboo rod database

 

[PALongbow]

I have two rods with Art now being fixed up. Art does a great job and his prices are very good compared to other rod builders. Enjoy your bamboo rod!!

Ron

 

[shakey]

Canoetripper wrote:


When I first called Orvis they told me that fly rod was bult for 6 wt. fly line in 1964 but they recommend today's 5 wt's. Art said the samething and that it would cast better with double taper than a weight forward. I also have my grandfather's Fenwick fly rod which is probably about the same general age(1964) and line wt.

congratulations on the fenwick!! probably just as good of a rod as the orvis.

welcome to the bamboo/fiberglass world.

BTW,the orvis would work well with a L6 too. a level line on bamboo can be a pleasure.

a neat thing about bamboo and fiberglass is, if the rod is ,say,a 5wt,it will work fine 4/5/6.

good luck and enjoy!

 

[BridgeAn]

Art always does a great job. I had a very old Mills Family Leonard rod that needed some work. After he worked on it, the rod was absolutely beautiful. Could not believe how great it looked. He has done repairs on quite a few of my rods and I own one of his Garrison reproductions. Can't say enough good things about Art.

 

[Canoetripper]

I just got my "new old fly rod" today and I am beyond impressed with the great job that Art did restoring this fly rod. I never even thought about price shopping since every one at the Lancaster Fly fishing Show had such great things to say about Art as well as all the above posts.

This was $163.10 well spent. At this time of year I get off from work at noon which gives me plenty of time to get to the Poconos in time for hopefully, the evening hatch. I didn't go this past weekend since it was a NASCAR race.

Now I have both the Orvis and Fenwick rods, which I haven't fished with in many years.

Father's Day weekend is my father's memorial in Colorado. I'll leave my tackle here and fish with the Orvis fly rod he received for his lifetime TU membership and then bring that back with me.

 

[Zanotti]

Congrats on the rod. My condolences to your family.

As a fellow member of the DMC, I have met your dad once I think.
(Owen, right?)

I am sorry to hear of his passing. Enjoy all the fishing you can!

Z

 

[Canoetripper]

Thank you. My father was Owen Jr. I am Owen III.

 

[jacob]

Great story - I have two of my grandfather’s glass rods from the 40s-50s that I fish from time to time but they are mostly retired at this point. I cut my teeth on the two rods he handed down to me when I first started fly fishing (it’s why I picked up the fly in the first place) and still, every year on his death day, I take him out to fish with me.

Hope you are happy with the rod and thanks for sharing!