I sometimes get questions from folks about older bamboo rods that they've acquired, wondering what they have & what it might be worth. While I'm no expert on vintage tackle, I am more than willing to help folks identify old fly rods (if I can) & tell them what I know. 

Often, I'll advise these folks on the best ways to sell their vintage rods, if that's their aim. When it comes to selling older rods I point them to some trusted dealers I know who have honorable reputations.

Before you contact anyone about your old rods, there are some things to look for which will help both you & the expert identify & estimate a value. These things are fairly easy to ascertain, so spend a bit of time studying the rod before you reach out to any dealers or experts.

Here are just a few key things to look for when evaluating an old bamboo fly rod:
1.) Identify any writing on the rod &/or logos, stickers, or labels. This is very valuable info to give the expert. 

2.) If the rod has 2 tip sections, note if they are exactly the same length. If they're different by even a half inch this could indicate that the rod has been worked on at some point & a tip top replaced.

3.) Look to see that all the thread wraps are the same color. They should all be look almost identical. If one or two are a little brighter, or darker - or if the varnish over them seems a bit different, there's a good chance a guide has been replaced.

4.) Examine the ferrules for cracks.

5.) Study the varnish over the rod shafts to see what condition it is in. Is it flat & smooth all over, or is dry & cracked like alligator skin?

6.) If the rod has a bag or a rod tube, be sure to look for any labels that match any information on the rod. 

These are just some of the points to look for when evaluating a vintage bamboo fly rod. It's a great start for you when contacting an expert for help. Armed with this information, the expert can save a lot of time in research & will have a better idea of just what you might have.

Also, be sure to take photos of the rod. These are a great help to any tackle expert. Be especially sure that your photos include these parts of the rod, as they help the most to identifying it:

-Any writing or labels on the rod, usually fond above the grip
-The grip
-The reel seat
-The ferrules

As far as values go, only a very rough estimate could possibly be made without the expert physically handling the rod. That means if you're looking to sell your rods you should choose a dealer that you trust, so be sure to research anyone before you send them what might be very valuable tackle. 

Armed with this info & these photos to show, you'll be that much farther ahead when you contact a vintage tackle expert for their advise & help in identifying your old rod.

Are you a collector of old fly boxes, particularly those made by the Richard Wheatley Company? These fine fly boxes have been in production for well over one hundred years. In that time, they've gone through a few minor changes which can help you to figure out just how old a Wheatley box might be.

In the video below, filmed at the Richard Wheatley Museum in England, we're taken through a very informative lecture showing how to date any Wheatley fly box. Most often you can tell the age of a box by the markings & stamping on it. This can be tricky, as these are subtle differences, but after watching this video you'll know if you have a rare vintage fly box & what to look for when collecting. 

For generations Wheatley boxes have been the best made, best designed fly boxes you can attain. They are a luxury for any fly angler to carry. They are a fun item for anglers to collect as well. Don't be fooled by cheaply made modern imitations - Wheatley boxes are the best you can get, in my opinion. Watch this video & you'll know the era in which any of their boxes were made.

In researching some older bamboo fly rods, I recently stumbled upon an article written by Michael Baughman which appeared in the May 5th, 1980 issue of Sports Illustrated Magazine. The article is titled "Old and Unimproved As They Might Be, Split-Cane Rods Can't Be Beat"

In the article the author proclaims that out of all the fishing & outdoor gear he owns, if he had to pick just one piece of equipment to keep, it would be his bamboo fly rod. He gives a brief history of the development of the bamboo fly rod & then goes on to extol the delights of fishing with bamboo compared to graphite & fiberglass rods. 

In his comparisons of bamboo rods vs modern rods made of synthetics, he hits upon a point that I believe is so very true about cane rods - a point that those new to bamboo realize & leads to them loving the feel of a bamboo fly rod:

I've seen this myself so many times: an angler, new to bamboo, begins to cast a bamboo rod. Then they lock into the rhythm of the rod & their eyes light up - it's like nothing they've ever felt before!

​The article, short in length, is a delight to read. You can read the entire piece on the SI archives website HERE. For those of you who already know & love bamboo fly rods, this article is just preaching to the choir, but for those of you who have yet to toss a line with a cane rod, it's yet another testimony to why you should give bamboo a try. 

There are tons of older, vintage fly reels on the market today. Some of these are very high-performing reels that can be had for much less money than the new modern reels being made now. In fact, the vintage market is a great place to find a fantastic reel while saving a few bucks. 

So you get that 'new' old reel home & take the spool off, only to find it loaded with dirt, old grease, & a bunch of gunk. It needs a good cleaning. There are several ways to do this, & the video below shows a very safe method of getting the old dirt off of a vintage reel. If you're not advanced in your skills of working with fly reels, than I'd suggest you follow all the procedure outlined in this video.

The second part of the video shows you how to lubricate the reel, once its cleaned & dry. Again, if you follow the examples in the video, you'll be fine. I, however, would make a few different maneuvers with my own reel. For example, in the video he only uses oil to lubricate everything. That's fine, but oil can (& will) eventually leak out into the other parts of the reel. I prefer to use grease on the main post, or spindle shaft, of the reel so that the spool is always spinning on grease. I also prefer to grease the teeth of the drag arbor gear at the bottom of the post. This is just a personal preference & you will find pros & cons about the use of oil vs grease for all applications (engineers have been debating this for a very long time).

One other tip from me: in addition to using cotton swabs to clean the reel, an old toothbrush is also a great thing to use for this kind of work. It can get into places a rag or swab can't, such as in between the teeth on gears, etc. 

So if you're trying to pass the cold winter evenings by cleaning up some old reels but aren't sure where to begin or if you're doing it well, check out this video below. It's a very good, safe, guide on how to maintain those old reels to keep them spinning for many seasons to come!

I've recently listed on the Available Rods page, ​this completely restored vintage South Bend model 59-9 bamboo fly rod. Unlike most 59-9's I've handled, this one has a very moderate / fast action. As a 6 or 7 wt rod, it would be great for larger trout or bass.

Improvements made to this rod during restoration include:
-Rod shafts completely re-varnished.
-New, & more, chromed stainless steel line guides added to the rod. Now it has the proper number of guides - & in the right locations - to cast a line better than it ever did before.
-Bamboo rod sections have been straightened. When assembled, the rod sections line up straight. Bends & sets in the bamboo have been removed.
-New red silk thread guide wraps tipped in fine black silk.
-New hook keeper.
-Original "Comficient" grip, reel seat, & original agate stripping guide cleaned & polished.
​-A new custom-fit red flannel rod bag with black embellishment stitches & a new custom-fit black canvas covered PVC rod tube with leather tag have been added to this rod. ​

​I was able to retain the original South Bend label, which is still 100% intact. In addition, the original factory ink indicating the model was also retained intact. It also has it's original factory ferrules, too.I was able to retain the original South Bend label, which is still 100% intact. In addition, the original factory ink indicating the model was also retained intact. It also has it's original factory ferrules, too.I was able to retain the original South Bend label, which is still 100% intact. In addition, the original factory ink indicating the model was also retained intact. It also has it's original factory ferrules, too.

​We can roughly date this rod to the 1950's from it's reel seat. It has one of the more rare & desirable marbled Bakelite spacers in a gorgeous yellow / cream color. For those of you not familiar with this style of reel seat, the reel is secured onto the rod by tightening up an internal screw from the butt of the rod.

​Honestly, this is one of the finer 59-9 rods I've cast a line on & it's in great shape. The bamboo is intact with no gaps or glue lines. The original agate stripping guide is in excellent condition. There's still a lot more life in this rod & many fish for it to catch!

For more detailed information, & to see many more photos of this rod, please visit the Available Rods page. 

If you have any questions at all, please feel free to contact me & I'll be happy to help you.

As promised in the previous post, here we'll discuss the different knots that are best for attaching your backing, fly line, & leader all together in this really good video I found.

A couple of points to consider: I always load my reel up backwards at first, by putting the fly line on first. In this way I'll know exactly how much backing will fill the reel. Then I remove it all from the spool, turn it around & load the reel up with the backing first, so it's all going in the right direction. 

Also, I don't like to use the loop connections when attaching my leader to my fly line. I know it's silly, but I prefer the added security of a nail knot there. Plus, a nail knot is much thinner than the loops & will slip through the small tip top on a fly rod easier. I don't want my line & leader connection getting stuck in the tip top!!

One last point on the nail knot: the trick to tie this knot shown in the video is fantastic - using a straight piece of metal, etc & a loop. However, they are not absolutely essential to tie this knot. Back in the day (if I may use that phrase) we never used any tools to tie the nail knot. Yes, this trick makes it a million times easier, but before I knew about it I just tied the nail knot without any loops or other tools & you can too if you need to do this along the stream. Practice makes perfect, so don't fear the nail knot!

Backing to reel; fly line to backing; leader to fly line - here are the knots you'll need to get your fly reel all rigged up!

When you get a new fly reel (or a vintage rod that's new to you) & you're going to put all new line & backing on it, one of the things you need to figure out is how much backing to use.

How I do this is to actually load the reel I'm going to use in reverse to start. That's right, first I load the fly line onto the reel, then I attach the backing to know how much is needed to fill the reel spool. Then I put it all onto a spare spool, or anything I can wrap it all around. I do this a couple of times to get the backing to the front & then load my reel. 

What's good about my method is that you can do it anywhere, say, at a picnic table along the stream for example & you don't need any fancy equipment. What's bad about my method is that it's time consuming.

The video below demonstrates a better method, though you'll need a few tools for it. If you're doing this at home that should be no problem & the method shown below will really save you some time. This is especially good if you've got more than one fly reel, or spool, to do in the same session. It will really save you some time & - with some modifications - will work on any fly reel.

(Note: we'll look at the special knots you need to use for fly line & backing in a later post)

I'm always inspired by the passion that many fishing collectors have for their chosen field of collecting. It's a hobby that can easily turn into an obsession. But these collectors do more than just amass specific items - they also become experts in a particular subject. That benefits all of us who are interested in the history of fishing & enhances our enjoyment of the sport, too. 

Here is an example of a passionate collector. This gentleman collects Shakespeare items. While his collection isn't limited to fly fishing, he does have some fantastic fly fishing pieces that any fly angler will appreciate. Take a couple of minuets to see this awesome collection he has assembled. I'm sure this is going to be inspiring to any collector!!

Some of you may have heard the term 'mirror matched tips' in regards to a bamboo fly rod & wondered what that meant, exactly. Well, it has to do with the nodes on a rod that has two tip sections. Let me explain....

When we make a bamboo fly rod, we have to deal with the nodes. These are like knots in a piece of wood. The grain of the bamboo often changes direction a bit here & so the nodes must be straightened out & flattened by the rod maker. It's also because of this irregularity in the bamboo grain at the nodes that we don't want two nodes next to each other on adjoining strips in the finished rod. As a result, the rod maker must stagger the nodes in the layout of the bamboo strips, so no two nodes are next to each other. 

​There are several different methods of staggering nodes in a bamboo fly rod & each has it's place & uses, depending on how the nodes are spaced on the raw bamboo. This is where mirror-matched tips sections come into play.

The term mirror matched tips basically means that where you see a node in one tip section, you will see a node in the other tip section in exactly the same place:

This is the mark of a very fine bamboo fly rod & shows the attention to detail the rod maker gave to the rod. The idea being that, as no two pieces of bamboo are ever exactly the same, we can give each tip section the closest we can to the same 'feel' when the tips are mirror matched like this. It also proves beyond any doubt that the tip sections were made from the same larger piece of raw bamboo, which can also help to give some consistency between the two tip sections.

Of course there are many rods made with two tip sections where the tips are not mirrored in their node placement. Most of the time this is no big deal & it doesn't mean that the rod is inferior in any way. Often times the raw bamboo a rod maker has to work with will not allow for mirrored tips. In fact, some of the sweetest feeling bamboo rods I've ever cast did not have mirrored tip sections. As bamboo is a natural, growing plant, Mother Nature often has as much to say about exactly where the nodes go as does the rod maker.

Now the next time you hear a rod collector, vintage rod dealer, or any bamboo fly rod aficionado mention a rod with mirrored tip sections, you'll know exactly what they're talking about.

The varnish on a bamboo rod, or the varnish on the wraps of a synthetic rod, has a life span. Over many decades of being exposed to the sun, water, dirt, & other elements encountered while fishing (not to mention the constant flexing of the rod) the varnish on a fly rod will eventually need to be replaced.

How do we know exactly when a rod should be re-varnished? Well, let's remember that the job of the varnish is to protect the rod & wraps. When the varnish is compromised - to the point that it allows moisture through - it's time to replace it. It's at that point that the bamboo or silk thread of the wraps are coming into direct contact with the outside elements of the world & it won't be long until the glue holding the rod together starts to fail, or the thread begins to fray, if you continue to fish with the rod in that condition.

​Let's take a look at new rod varnish. It should be smooth, clear, & have a glass-like appearance to it, like these two rods do:

Let's say you've got an older rod, or you're looking at buying one......you've had a good look at it & see some break-down of the varnish beginning. You wonder if it should be re-varnished before you begin to fish the rod. That's a fair question. The best answer I can give you is to see if the varnish is still clear & if it looks like water can get past it to the rod beneath.

Keep in mind that by keeping a rod clean & waxed you can greatly prolong the life of the varnish. Wax not only makes the rod look better, it adds an extra layer of protection, & doesn't allow water & dirt to collect on the varnish as easily. 

Take a look at the rod varnish below. Here you can see that the varnish is definitely starting to break down. It doesn't have much life left to it. However, if this rod is kept waxed & clean, as well as stored properly out of the sun when not in use, it should be able to make it a couple more seasons before it has to be re-varnished.

Now let's go to the other end of the spectrum. Here's a rod who's varnish is totally dead. This varnish is useless & has run it's course. It isn't protecting the bamboo of the rod at all anymore. If this rod were going to be fished at all, it really should be re-varnished completely. Take a look:

There are bamboo fly rods out on the stream that are over 100 years old, still seeing action. The reason they can still be used is because the owners have taken good care of the varnish & most certainly had it re-varnished when it needed it. There's no reason why you're rod couldn't last that long, too if you did the same.

I hope this little guide to rod varnish has helped you some. If you have an old rod, or if you're on the fence about buying one that has some varnish issues, hopefully now you have a better idea of how to judge the condition of the varnish. Knowing this can help you to determine if a vintage rod is worth the asking price, or if you need to have an old rod re-varnished before you fish it in order to protect your investment in it.

If you're still not sure about the condition of a rod's varnish, ask a qualified, experienced rod maker that you trust. Showing the rod maker photos of the rod & the varnish in question is always a big help, too. Of course, I'm always more than willing to help out in that department so please feel free to contact me with any questions you might have.