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Walter & Group...
Walter Simbirski brings up an issue on rod designations :-
Well since nobody else has brought it up:
We should also look at the manufacturing source for many of the rods with dual weight designations (e.g. a 5/6).
I don't think any of the better known North American manufacturers would rate their rods this way. The source is
typically somewhere in the far east (China or Korea) where they are playing catch up with other areas. I asked one
of the manufacturers there about the dual designation and was informed that, indeed, the higher rating was for
a weight forward line and the lower rating for dual taper. As Bruce has pointed out this really doesn't hold water
because many wf lines these days have much longer heads.
Although the source is typically far East some of us may have seen North American manufacturers,
including some of the better known ones, that have some models that have the dual designations.
Unfortunately, this is an indication that some of these manufacturers are sourcing part of their product line in the far east.
Cheers
Walter
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[GH]
Walter,
One of my favorite tarpon rods is a 3 piece Loomis Mega 10 - 11. It was made here in the U.S. several years ago.
I think it is fair to say that most of the U.S. fly rod manufacturers have some though not necessarily all of their rods made in China, Taiwan, Korea or other Far Eastern countries.
I don't have your experience of actually talking to folks from companies which make rods in the Orient without American labels, nor have I actually tried any of those rods.
I have assumed that when rods are made there bearing the label of an American company, that they have actually been designed here, then made overseas. I also assumed that those designs include the designation. If that is in fact not the case, I'll stand corrected.
I don't know if rod companies in the U.K. (Hardy, for example) have their rods or blanks made in the Orient.
When fishing the salt in Australia, I recall using a rod made there called a Strudwick. It cast well and was a powerful fish fighting tool. I've been told that they are no longer made. A good rod at a moderate price. Rod Harrison ("Harro") of AU brought one here for us to try on tarpon. Worked just fine.
I understand that Lefty Kreh designed many fly rods for Rick Pope's company, TEMPLE FORK.
Most of those rods from the Orient which I've tested have been very good. I didn't expect that in view of the much lower retail prices. The ones I tested had single number designations.
When fishing the salt in Australia, I recall using a fly rod made there called a Strudwick. It cast well and was a powerful fish fighting tool. I've been told that they are no longer made. A good rod at a moderate price. Rod Harrison ("Harro") of AU brought one here for us to try on tarpon. Worked just fine.
Gordy
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From Jim Bass :
Gordy I can relate to your comment about before 1961. I was a tournament caster with the ACA (NAACC then) the rods we used had no rating on them. You ask the other casters what they were using and cast there Rig. If you could cast it well you would go get the same type of equipment.
I have the rod I used for Dry Fly and Skish Fly games. The old line I used (long gone) was a GBG and worked well. We also used Led Core lines for Skish Distance.
You are right on when you say for a beginner place your #7 first but use it as a guide only for the more experienced.
My best advice is use what works for you and be flexible enough to change with the conditions.
Jim
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[GH]
Jim,
How well I remember. One lead core fly line we used was labelled, the "CORTLAND CANNONBALL". Prior to that, we made our own fly line sinking heads from segments of lead core deep trolling lines. Of course they were not tapered.
No designations at all. We simply attached a segment which we new was too long and made cast after cast each time chopping off a bit until it "cast right".
Al Buhr probably has more experience designing and crafting his own fly lines than anyone I know. He worked with the late Jim Green who was an acclaimed expert on fly lines....(And just about everything else related to the fly casting of his day!)
I gave thought to a new task for the Master exam which I think would tell examiners a lot about the candidate's casting expertise :
The candidate would be given an outfit with gross mismatch between the fly line and the rod. The idea would be to see how well and how quickly that candidate could adjust his/her casting to be effective.
Tom White and I did just that during one of our Master Prep. Courses which we held in Marathon, Fl.
It quickly, "separated the sheep from the goats" !
Gordy
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