Once again, the Trout Underground blows the lid off the fly fishing industry – this time it’s those rapacious bamboo fly rod makers gouging us poor consumers.
Sure, you’d think if anyone’s gouging fly fishers it would be the manufacturers selling mass-produced-by-the-thousands graphite fly rods for better than $700.
“Nay” says the Underground!
Courtesy of the Underground’s Saltwater Correspondent Jim Troyer, we provide irrefutable photographic evidence that any old piece of bamboo makes an effective fly rod – without all that sissified hand planing, machining and finishing that bamboo makers use to justify their high prices.
Oh yeah, baby, we’re sticking it right to the man, and probably exposing a bamboo-industry wide conspiracy in the process.
We figure if any old chunk of guide-equipped piece of bamboo can land a good sized halibut, then why are we spending all this money on split, planed and glued bamboo fly rods?
We contacted bamboo rod builder Chris Raine for comment (assuming that is his real name) and his response was remind me about the restraining order and hang up the phone.
That’s good enough for Geraldo, so it’s good enough for the Underground. Conspiracy proven!
As always, stay tuned for More Quality Journalism.
[tags]fly fishing, saltwater fly fishing, bamboo, bamboo fly rod, fly rod[/tags]
Well, I’m more than a little surprised to see this rod on this site. This was a ‘hush-hush’ skunk works developement. How on earth did you manage to snap a pic of the newest bamboo rod offering from the new crew at Winston?
The claims I had heard through the rumor mill is obviously true judging from the nice pretty fish. Many folks seem to think this is just a crooked old bamboo pole.
NAY! Indeed!
Those are Pat. Pending “Torque Compensating” hinges designed and custom built into every new Winston Bamboo Rod. The ‘compensators’ automagically sense and compensate as the rod detects that improper leverage is about to be applied to the rod AND inertially dampens both fore and back cast to bring the very most from the rods hidden power.
This rod was designed with todays bamboo buyer in mind with Winstons search for perfection and making the transition from composite constructed rods to the zen like nature of fishing bamboo easy, though no less affordable.
I’m told this IS actually a hollow built rod.
Bravo!
Bastard Mike
Bastard Mike(Quote)
Aha! I knew that, but wanted to smoke out those who knew, but hadn’t shared with the Underground.
It’s the vaunted new BXMegaGen7 technology (which is actually identical to the old technology, but more marketable).
Shame on you Mike. Shame.
Soon, you’ll see the press release at a Major
ButtKissingFly Fishing Magazine near you, though of course it will be cleverly disguised as a Product Review.Tom Chandler(Quote)
‘Taint no fly rod, ’tis a pole. Otherwise you got it mostly right: many of those things were fished 60 years ago by the ‘Tuna Club’ at Catalina Island. Alvy was the reel then, or a surf master if the guides were the expensive foul-proof sort, and on the top.
The torque compensating feature only works for right-handed fishers. The sinister brethren are the folk responsible for splitting the pole and making the thing a rod. Green flecked Gudebrod, (RIP,) was often spliced and whipped at the nodes to prevent whiplash when underhand casting from piers.
A return to yesteryear would do us all a bit of good. Just think of the compound marketing possibilities: pain killers, elbow braces, etc. Push on, and note that the fish is on it’s left side.
Yellowstoner
Yellowstoner(Quote)
Forget the rod for a minute… what kind of fly did Troyer catch it on?
Matt(Quote)
Hey my grandfather bought me one of those when I turned 5 yrs. old (albeit without a reel or guides). I recall landing a 3# dogfish right from the dock! What size bobber did you guys use for that prehistoric beast Troyer caught? And did his grampa help him lift it out of the water? If I were to find My cane pole..er..uh..custom bamboo fly rod how much do you think I could get on e-bay?
clay(Quote)
OOPS! ~ reply to Rodmakerslist:
That was 1940 ~ not 1946
Vincent J. Brannick(Quote)