When your weekend playing partner starts whining about how he isn't good at golf because he has bad equipment, remind him of this little factoid: The Golden Bear was using near-ancient clubs to win on the PGA Tour, including six Green Jackets.- Kyle Porter CBS May 27, 2015
Swift River Sierra
Why bamboo? The answer is easy. It's part of the true fly fishing heritage that we have AND a good bamboo rod is a joy to cast. Some say that cane is too heavy. Four ounces is not too heavy if it's designed well (mine are) and you can cast them all day (I do) on smaller water like the Swift, the EB and the Ware. If you cast between 20 and 40 ft you will do well with bamboo and I've caught fish far beyond those distances. What about the shorter length of bamboo? That's not an issue if you are fishing in the 30 foot range. It's the perfect material for dry fly presentations and you will not break off thin tippets as much with those softer tips.
Zhu Bamboo
What rods do I use? First, I don't use or own any $3,000 bamboo rods. My favorite was made by a bamboo craftsman named Rick Taupier from New Salem Ma. It is a Swift River Sierra 7.5 ft four weight that also casts a three weight very well. What's neat about Rick is that he also specializes in refurbished classic cane from the 30's, 40's and 50's and at a reasonable price too.
My Sierra costs about the same as a top of the line graphite rod and it's worth it!! Just Google up "Swift River fly rods" and you'll find him.
My next favorite bamboo rod was a rod that I took a real chance on. I found this Chinese company on Amazon named the Zhu Bamboo Rod Company. They claimed to build their bamboo on the classic tapers of Payne, Garrison, Phillipston etc. I read some reviews about them. Some were slightly xenophobic but there were a few that gave this Chinese company its due. Not excellent but a good mid range rod and at a $199.00 price I took the plunge. It was a good investment and I've done well with it. It's a 7 footer for a 4 weight with two tips.
Maybe you're thinking of trying this material out. Here's my suggestion - Check out Rick Taupier at Swift River. You can't go wrong. If you still feel nervous then buy a Zhu bamboo rod. You will like it and then get one of Ricks. Now you'l have two rods at a very reasonable price.
NOTE - I don't receive any kickbacks for these endorsements. I just like supporting craftsmen!!!
Ken
10 comments:
Like my home wrapped 6' Orvis Impregnated 4wt with a RIO Classic Trout DTaper. Opposite end of the spectrum from my Euronymph Rods, but fun to fish.
Hi Ken,
I fish bamboo rods 90% of the time, using graphite rods mostly for salt water, winter fishing, or rainy days. For the Swift, the MB, and those "thin blue lines" I use a 7.5 X 3 an inexpensive Ten Tapers copy of the Thomas and Thomas Caenis.
For the Deerfield and windy days on the EB, it's a Granger 8.5 X 5/6 that's exactly as old as I am (74). I bought it for small money and replaced the grip, the stripping guide, and reel seat myself. At about 5 oz., I was afraid the Granger might be too heavy. But for me its powerful deliberate action allows me to make long controlled casts with little effort and fewer false casts. I routinely fish it all day, and so far no signs of "tennis elbow." It handles streamers, weighted nymphs, and hopper-dropper rigs, yet is delicate enough to 18-inchers on #20 BWOs.
I'm not one of those "re-enactors" who wears a tweed jacket and necktie and uses silk lines and gut leaders. In my mind (which is all that counts for any of us), I imagine I'm a better fisherman with bamboo - I'm less hurried. I do a better job of planning my approach and "hoarding my casts". Like everything about our sport, it's all a matter of taste and preference. And, it's all in our minds.
Best wishes to you and your readers for the New Year,
John
John,
Great comment on the beauty and functionality of bamboo. I once developed tennis elbow with a light graphite rod so there you go. The balance of a rod is more important than its weight.
Happy New Year!
Ken
Bamboo most definitely is fine art. Gorgeous rods for sure.
Hi Ken and Happy New Year,
I took advantage of the warmer weather yesterday to hit the Swift. It started off with a reminder that it is indeed a new year which, for many, means their "exciting" Swift river "fish harvesting" season has begun. The reminder came as I was getting ready at the rte 9 bridge parking lot. There was a guy on the other side of the road talking loudly about how he caught 50 fish yesterday, but that he wasn't going to "wipe the place out" because he needs something to keep him busy until April. To each his own, but it is hard to see the contrast of viewpoints where some fisherman think more about preserving a rare resource for long term enjoyment, while others approach that same resource very differently. While I love cooking and eating fresh fish, it would take a lot for me to harvest a fish from the Swift. It just seems like those fish already have to work hard to survive the existing fishing and natural predator pressure; why add to it. While it seems easier for me to occasionally harvest a striper, blue, bonito from the ocean, diehard salt water conservationist might beg to differ with my view on that.
There were plenty of fish to be found above rte 9. They were interested in natural looking flies as well as "colorful" offerings. The top fly for the day was a brightly colored zebra midge pattern tied by my son and given to me as part of Christmas present of his hand tied flies. It was very fun to catch fish on my son's creations.
Regards,
Paul H
Paul H.
I've always been an advocate of a required "Trout Stamp" that has to be purchased before you can fish one of the designated "Major Rivers" in Ma. And I'm not talking about a $5 or $10 joke but a stamp costing $50! The catch and release flyfishers, who want to protect a resource, will buy into this. The casual stocking truck chaser and the freezer stuffers will howl like scalded dogs at this but tough!!!! We have to pay for these fish and with fewer licenses sold we have less money to go around. If you don't like it then go fish lakes and ponds which are a catch and keep playground.
Paul, thanks for bringing this up!!
Ken
Yes I was talking to a fly fisherman but I love the swift more than anyone.today I probably only caught a few fish and I had a great day but your fly-fisherman didn't mention that I was picking up trash off the banks of the river only talk about the bad things bait slingers do but not the positive things they do.I never mention wiping a place out.
It's easy to "talk about the bad things bait slingers do..."because there's much to talk about such as breaking the creel limit (that's very true) or, like last Spring, fishing above Route 9 and getting in peoples face when told that they couldn't do it (that happened more than once). I've never seen a fly fisher on the Swift with a Dunkin Donut coffee cup so we know where the trash comes from.
You want trout?? Go to Metacomet
Dear Baitslinger,
I posted my comment mainly to express how sad it is to see many, maybe too many fish killed below rte 9 once the calendar switches over to a new year. I just think it is too bad that we can't protect a longer stretch of the river to year round catch and release. The swift is such a beautiful river. I think the state should do more to protect it.
I have no issue with folks who want to fish with bait.....after all, that's how everyone of us got started. I'm all for people getting out and having fun on the water, no matter what method you like. I'm just advocating for a bigger no kill zone year round. As someone who loves the Swift, can I assume you feel the same way? The more carryover fish that river holds the more thrilling the fishing will get. I think I heard you say you were hoping to catch a big brown this year and that you only manage to catch one every 2-3 years. If we did catch and release on a longer section year round, my guess is you'd enjoy the thrill of catching big browns more frequently. Make sense?
Thanks for keeping the banks of the river clean by picking up trash. Tight lines....and keep releasing those fish and enjoying the Swift!! Spread the word to your buddies below rte 9 who like to keep fish.
Paul H.
Paul H.
Bait fishing and catch and release don't mix. It has the highest mortality rate of any angling method.
The Swift is a destination for the entire Northeast and by that I mean a FLY FISHING destination. It should be promoted and protected as such.
Ken
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