Old Bamboo Rods

Started by rjs123, January 02, 2010, 18:19:28 PM

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rjs123

Are some of the older Bamboo Rods any good?  Ive seen some go for 50-100.00 in the past on Ebay.  Most for that price are Shakespeare and other major manufacturers.

Just wondering if any of these would fish any good or are they pretty much better off hanging on a wall?

Woolly Bugger

$100??? that's a wall hanger...
ex - I'm not going to live with you through one more fishing season!
me -There's a season?

Pastor explains icons to my son: you know like the fish symbol on the back of cars.
My son: My dad has two fish on his car and they're both trout!

rjs123

Quote from: Woolly Bugger on January 02, 2010, 18:53:15 PM
$100??? that's a wall hanger...

For what reason though?  The rods Ive been looking at are in very fine condition.  Were they not any good even when new is I guess what I want to know.

Woolly Bugger

there was a bunch of "production" cane that was pitiful at best -- the word to describe their "action" is broomstick

I'm no boo expert, by any means...

post a link to an example of what you're looking at...
ex - I'm not going to live with you through one more fishing season!
me -There's a season?

Pastor explains icons to my son: you know like the fish symbol on the back of cars.
My son: My dad has two fish on his car and they're both trout!


jwgnc

I have one of those $50 Bamboo Rods (bought it just to have one) and it's worth about that.  Lot's of them came home with vets from Asia.  It's very heavy, and tiresome to cast, but it looks good on the rack.

Stalk softly and carry a green stick.

Woolly Bugger

ex - I'm not going to live with you through one more fishing season!
me -There's a season?

Pastor explains icons to my son: you know like the fish symbol on the back of cars.
My son: My dad has two fish on his car and they're both trout!

troutphisher

All of the older bamboo rod manufacturers had their own methods of building rods, some good some not good. For instance some of the manufactures did not heat treat the cane, and some used less the desirable varnishes to keep moisture out of the cane.

This is why you see lots of refinished rods, especially the production rods like the Shakespeare's, and South bends on ebay that have been refinished. If they have been refinished properly, then they would be good rods. But that leaves a lot of variables in the craftsman who did the work.

The impregnated rods, are best in my opinion, because they are treated completely through the rod to manage moisture. I have several impregnated rods, and have fished them hard in some of the worst weather, ice, rain very low temperatures, and they all are still functioning and working well.

The fact that there are so many around, and still fishing well after 60 plus years, is a testament in itself. I fish a rod that was made in 1949, and it casts and fights fish perfectly. Most of the rods I own are Orvis, and most are 30 plus years old.

I fish them hard, and often, with out incident.

Just my humble opinion


The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane.

trouthead

My first bamboo rod was an old Southbend. I paid < $100 for it. I had fun with it and caught some nice fish. It's heavy and can be a bit akward to cast. My arm got a good workout though. In retrospect I would have been better of to have put the money towards a better rod. I refinished it & straightened it out but since I have better rods now it usually stays in the tube. I agree that impregnated rods are the way to go for durability. I would stay away from the Chinese or Japanes stuff.