mrflyfish wrote:
Dave,
So how did if fish?
Did you land any Steel on the boo?
Must have been a blast.
Mr
Can I assume you were asking me and about the rod that Joe E loaned me? I haven't visited this thread for awhile.
Yea, it was a blast, but at first I was nervous. I think I was the first person to ever fish with that rod and I was afraid of breaking it. Yea, I was nervous. Remember, I never even met Joe. He contacted me through this site and shipped it to me.
Anyway... my honest evaluation of the rod.
I had been using graphite for steelhead, so it took me awhile to get used to that rod because it was really slow action, even for bamboo.
The first few times I used it, I was experimenting with different lines. If memory serves me, Joe wanted me to try different lines and give him my opinion on what line I thought worked best. I think Joe originally suggested it was about a 6 weight. The thing with bamboo is that you can build two different rods with the same taper and they can have different feel. it's not an exact science nor should it be. I tried a 6DT and felt it was too light. I didn't like the feel at all. Then again, I might have simply not been waiting long enough for the back cast. Did I mention the rod was slow.;-) I never could get it to load the way I like with the 6 DT. I switched to a 7DT, and that was better (IMO). It loaded sooner. I liked it better. I then tried an 8WF. It was actually a bass taper. I liked it the best, but backed off to the 7DT for fear of overloading or breaking the rod. After using the 7DT for awhile, and slowing down even more... I thought it was best.
Anyway, once I got used to it, and seriously started trying to catch fish... I hooked a half dozen or so until I finally landed one, and I think that ended up being the last cast I took with that rod.
I'm sure Joe would have let me keep it longer, but it was getting late in the season. Besides, iI figured if I kept it much longer it might start to grow roots, if you know what I mean.;-)
I probably would have stayed and caught more that day, but it was going to get dark in another half hour or so and only had time for a couple more casts. Did I mention how slow that rod was.;-)
No pictures of that one, but I do have a few pictures around of other steelhead I caught with my own bamboo rods. Bamboo holds up fine, especially if it is well built like thaat one clearly is.
I like to think I gave Joe his start.
I still prefer bamboo, and none of my own bamboo rods are new. In fact the newest one is older than me.
Using that rod was a reel treat. Pun intended.