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J.D. Wagner Cane Rods Shop News
First, we'd like to thank everyone for making our 2009 such a success! We appreciate your support and look forward to your continued business. We are truly fortunate to have such loyal, repeat customers.
Casimira and I live a charmed life. We get to work together out of our home and meet some wonderful people from all walks of life. The 'commute' consists of walking down a couple steps and into the shop or office. Unlike a lot of less fortunate people, at the end of the day we have something tangible built as a reward for a day's work....and we are involved in every step along the way from raw cane to finished rod. It's a great(if not financially lucrative) life, and when we get letters like these we know we made the right decision 14 years ago to chuck the rat race and enter the profession full-time. A big thanks for all the kind words!
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8/7/11 Wow, the year is flying by, and it's been months since we had a chance to update this page! Just finished our cane rodmaking classes and are getting settled back in the shop. We'll post dates for 2012 sessions soon. At least we are keeping fairly current with our email newsletters! Just sign up using the link above!
Have a bunch of rods to get done, including a few Classics and a new 7'9" 5 wt. Signature Quad that is sweeet!
4/22/11 Busy, busy, busy here...working hard finishing rods promised for Spring! And hopefully getting out to fish soon, if it ever stops raining! We are blowing out our remaining stock of American Tackle guides:
Clearance on American Tackle Guides
We have the following available in American tackle guides, chrome, black and titanium which we are clearing out below cost. Note: Each is sold as a package only, with a special deal for buying both chrome and black!!
American Tackle Chrome: 2/0(76), 1/0(175), 1(0), 2(29), 3(60), 4(88), tips tops: 4.0(8), 4.5(27), 5.0(38), 5.5(15), 6.0(5), 6.5(9) TOTAL: $197.36
American Tackle Black: 2/0(143), 1/0(115), 1(6), 2(1), 3(96), 4(50) tip tops: 4.0(28), 4.5(10), 5.0(23), 5.5(5), 6.0(13), 6.5(10) TOTAL: 230.94
TOTAL FOR BOTH Above: $400
American Tackle Titanium 2/0(35), 1/0(26), 3(9), 4(25) Titanium tip tops 4.0(6), 5.0(2), 5.5(4), 6.0(5), 6.5(5) Total: $197.50
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2/13/11 For Sale: POWERMATIC 8" PRECISION JOINTER
MADE IN USA
- High quality jointer in great shape. In storage for the past several years, estimated use prior to storage only 20 hours.
- Ground and dovetailed adjustable 6' bed, tilting backstop allows bevel cutting.
- 1.5 HP Baldor motor wired for 110v single phase. (Can be wired for 220v. single phase)
- All original, clean and includes owner's manual.
- HTC mobile base included for convenient storage.
- New machines(excluding base) run apx. $1,700.
- $1,000, buyer picks up from Parma Heights. Call Jeff Wagner 440-845-4415
1/28/11 Getting settled in after getting home from the Somerset show. Thanks to all of our friends that stopped by to say hello! At the show we introduced our newest line of rods, the Wagner Classic. We are very excited about these!!!!!!!
At the show we were also able to fill our first bamboo rodmaking class session, so we've added a second set of dates! C'mon out and have the time of your life!
We have a couple quad rods available for immediate delivery!
Also, don't miss out on our vintage tackle deals. All of our consigners have agreed to drop their asking prices by 20%! Check the list, and also don't forget to check the link from this page to the Lambacher Estate items!
1/3/11 Happy New Year! Thanks to everyone for doing business with us for the Holidays! We are very busy here preparing for the Somerset show on Jan. 21-23, 2011.
10/26/10 Just added a couple late arrivals from the Lambacher estate, a beautiful Hardy LRH in bronze and an unused Wheatley fly box.
9/24/10 Just listed two new vintage rods, a Pezon and an Orvis.
9/23/10 Finally got some great cork in for sale!
9/11/10 Got a nice note from our friend Chic Dambach yesterday. He's just released his memoirs, and I've ordered a copy. From the looks of the reviews, I'm in for some good reading. Order one and support a fellow fly fisher fighting the good fight!
8/23/10 Just added a ton of used/vintage tackle. Some of it is on our vintage tackle page, and much, much more from the estate of Terry Lambacher is listed separately.
8/17/10 We've set our dates for next year's Bamboo Rodmaking Class, which will be held July 23-28, 2011 at the beautiful Sunnybrook Trout Club. Boy, did we have a ball this year, with folks coming as far as Colorado and Australia! Thanks to all the students who did such a fine job and made it so fun.
I've also been working hard cataloguing a ton of vintage tackle which we have for sale and will be listing soon on our Vintage tackle page, so keep stopping back to check. I'm hoping to have it all posted by the end of the week.
7/31/10 Getting the shop settled after our bamboo rodmaking classes. I want to extend our thanks to all that attended, especially one long distance and very jetlagged student that came all the way from Australia to attend! As usual, we had a ball, caught a bunch of fish and made new friends. Everyone did great work and I was sad to have it all end, and thanks for all your kind compliments on the course. We'll shortly begin picking dates for 2011, so if you have a hankering to learn the craft reserve a spot soon.
5/19/10 Hey everyone! Just taking a break from the workworkwork of getting rods out. Hope you are all well and getting some fishing in. Took a trip up to the Catskills a couple weeks ago. Wish I had some fish pics to show you, but alas, it was far from optimal. (Understated!!!) On a much brighter note, we received a couple nice letters this week:
Casimira and Jeff,
Yesterday I was in PA as I was invited to fish at the Rolling Rock Club. Found I was able to place a dry fly within an inch of my intended drop point, even with a very long tippit. Landed an intensely spotted brown trout from hard fished waters. The Quadrate is truly a surgical instrument. Thanks for making such a great rod. Best regards,
J.K., Hendersonville NC
Good morning Jeff and Casimira
Fished yesterday with the Para. Surpassed all my expectations in castability and play! I checked the rod thoroughly and could not find one flaw!(How did you do that?). It casted beautifully, with either my 5 or 7wt.. Playing trout on it was heavenly. I had a large trout on it for 10 min.+ using my Bogdan's drag on 6/10, the fish was still pulling line off the reel. The rod held up with no 'set' like one of my other canes have!...I can hardly wait to try it on some 10-20lbs. carp!
Needless to say I am very happy with my purchase:)Now to start saving for either the 3wt 8'ft midge rod, or the 8'6,8-9wt., Paul Young General!...Decisions, decisions???
Dr. B M.C, Thornhill, Ontario. Canada.
We have a 7'3" version of the quad(as well as a couple other rods) described in the first letter available for immediate delivery.
We also have two openings for our July 17-22, 2010 Bamboo Rodmaking Class. Contact us to register, come on out and be ready for the time of your life.
3/31/10 Phew. Man, is time flying! The snow is gone, the crocus are in bloom, and they are calling for 70F this weekend! We've been working hard building rods, so that when the bugs start to hatch I can get away to do some fishing. Can't come soon enough. Much new stuff to report.
First, just finished a custom Patriot rod that is immediately available. Also, I'm finishing out a bunch of quad blanks we cut this winter. Some are customer orders and spken for, but some will also be available. All of these are 7- 7 1/2' 4-5 wts. and are in a taper that people have just raved about. If you are looking for either a Patriot or Signature Series Quad in this range, contact us, and put in a reservation.
We still have two openings for our July 17-22, 2010 Bamboo Rodmaking Class. Email us for a registration form and syllabus. C'mon out, have a great vacation, build a rod, and have a ball!
We have the new Borg handplanes in stock. They are gorgeous and a stunning bargain at $58.
Dept. of 'Out with the Old, In with the New': For years we have enjoyed the wonderful Boulder Creek Angler, which is/was a small gazette written by our friend Gordon Wickstrom. It was sporadically published, but always a pleasant surprise and thought provoking read when one showed up in our mail box. Well, Gordon is getting up there and found paper publishing to be increasingly challenging, and so now publishes his thoughts on his new Blog, thus proving that ancient dogs can learn new tricks. Check it out and leave a comment and our regards.
2/3/10 Our first class filled quickly, so we've added a second Bamboo Rodmaking Class session! The dates will be July 17-22, 2010. So, if you waited too long and were shut out, email us and we'll mail out a syllabus and registration form!
We've also begun to carry a few of Struble's finest seats. This was especially important with regard to the screw lock, as many people have requested a high quality screw lock over the years and the Struble screw lock will meet those needs.
1/31/10 Posted some pics of some Available Rods. We've filled our Bamboo Rodmkaing Class, and may add a second session. Just let us know if you are interested....
1/27/10 Getting settled and unpacked from the Somerset, NJ show. A HUGE thanks to all of our friends that came by to visit our booth to say Hi and check out our latest offerings. We really appreciate your business. Casimira does such a great job getting everything packed, priced and organized for the show. It's a hoot driving out there and back as everything you see here(except tables) has to fit in a compact car, along with us and our luggage. I can't count how many people over the years ask, "you get all that stuff in a car?". Indeed we do, but it's a tad tight!
We have a fantastic stock of particularly beautiful LDH nets, and I just took some pics of them. Take a look and buy yourself a gift that is gorgeous enough to hang on the wall as art, but something you can also use on the stream.
We are currently having a big sale. As you know, we work out of our home, and all this excess and discontinued inventory is getting out of hand. Casimira is especially bothered by clutter and disorganization, so we are moving stuff out to make room for the inevitable stuff that will take its place. Haha. So, take advantage and save on:
-Arajo Baskettry Creels and Rod Tubes, along with T-Mar Wood Fly Boxes
-Our remaining stock of Marryat Reels.
Ok, I'm gonna be cranking out in the shop for the next few months, and before we know it, Spring will be here!
1/08/10 HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! We are working hard getting ready for the Somerset show, and Casimira just reminded me that this Sunday marks our 16th year in business. Thanks to everyone for your support over the years, and best wishes for you in 2010!
Several things: Posting some pics of a HUGE project we just finished that I'm calling Magnum (D)Opus! Check it out.
We've added hollow building to our offerings. We've always been very proud of offering so much variety for our customers. We have three distinct rod lines, with about 20 catalogued tapers, plus we'll build custom tapers, plus we build in hex, quad and pent, plus we build in two and three piece designs! Now we've added hollow building, and for 2011 we've got some very exciting changes also coming!
We'll shortly have a 7'3" two-tip Quad Patriot available. SOLD!
We are selling off our remaining stock of Hardy Marksman reels at 30% off! as well as our remaining stock of Marryat Reels at 25% off! We also have some very nice other stuff on sale!
We have only one spot remaining for our 2010 Summer Rodmaking course. Contact us for a syllabus, DVD slideshow and registration package.
We have not yet finalized the dates, but this summer we will be hosting a Rodbuilding Class Reunion at Sunnybrook. We've taught over 100 students over the years, and look forward to seeing them and their work. This promises to be a real blast. If you are a past student and are interested, please contact us.
For rodbuilders, we've received notice that author Jack Howell has released his second printing of The Lovely Reed. This is a wonderful book on rodbuilding, and you can get your own copy from Jack by emailing him at jwh@fastmaildotfm. (replace the 'dot' with @).
11/24/09 Posted some customer pics this morning!
11/23/09 Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Phew...much new stuff to report. First the Hardy St. George Trout reels should be arriving shortly. There's been much interest, so if you don't want to be shut out contact us now and we'll set one aside for you! Speaking of Hardy, we now carry some very nice Hardy accessories: leather fly wallets, fly patches, nippers, caps, etc! All of these items are also priced very well considering the quality level!
Our Bamboo Rodmaking Classes are filling fast and only one opening remains for our July session. If you have a desire to build a cane rod, this is the class to attend!
Last week I went to see Ed Engle at the Cleveland Natural History Museum Trout Club. I gotta say it was the best program I've ever attended there. Ed's talk was on 'Difficult Trout' and it was packed with useful information, gorgeous photography and he presented it beautifully and professionally. Ed Gives talks around the country, so if you're looking for a speaker, I'd highly recommend him.
We also just received a Godfrey reel!!! Yippee! Ted seems to have cut production back pretty severely this year, and this is a reel we've been waiting since last July to get. This is a Classic 274, and the only reel we have in stock besides a Classic 253D and a Westminster 253D.
11/06/09 Just posted the specs for the new Hardy St. George Trout Reels! (also see 8/24 entry below.) These will be arriving very soon, so reserve one today!
Also added a couple Signature Series rods to our Available Rod page. Just in time for Christmas!!!!
Our Cane Rodbuilding Class is already half-full, so if you have a hankering to build a cane rod, please reserve soon! Always a blast.......
We also have posted our annual gift idea page in time for the Holidays. If you are looking for a gift for a friend, business associate or spouse(or yourself!), we have a ton of gift ideas in all price ranges.
A huge thanks to everyone that came out to Wagner Rods day at The Feathered Hook on Penn's. Although the fishing and weather wasn't as cooperative as it could have been, I still had a great time. This was my last fish of the year:
8/24/2009 Much new stuff to report! First, we've set our dates for our Cane Rodbuilding Class for 2010! The dates will be July 24-29, 2010. I can't stress enough what fun we have, and the rave reviews for how we put our classes together. It's a first-rate experience! So, if you want to build your own cane rod, contact us for a syllabus and registration brochure.
Second: Hardy has announced some new reel models that will be coming soon. First, they will be adding back to the Lightweight line the famous Princess model, which will have all of the usual features and priced at just $299. This is a large capacity reel for line weights 5-7. Second comes word that they will be adding a line of St. George trout reels made in Alnwick! These will be available in 2 9/16" and 3" sizes and in both black and natural aluminum 'Spitfire' finishes! At $750, these represent an incredible value! Contact us to reserve one for yourself!
In addition to the available rod listed below, we are also working on two Signature Series rods that will be available soon, a 7'3" 4-5 wt. and an 8' 4wt. with a swelled butt. See the descriptions of our Signature Series rods and these tapers here.
8/13/2009 Getting settled back at the shop after concluding our cane rodmaking classes. Thanks to all the students who attended. We had a blast. We'll be setting dates for next year's class sessions soon, so please check back with us and put some time aside for next summer if you have ever dreamed of building your own cane flyrod.
We have available for immediate delivery a 6'5" 3-4 wt. 2p. 2t. Signature Series: This rod is sweeeet. Full flexing action, light as a feather, effortless casting. Comes with all the Signature Series bells and whistles. A medium flamed beauty, oxided hardware, Super Z ferrules, d/l CSE cap and ring seat w/gorgeous amboena spacer. $2,175.
While I was out, we received a nice email concerning a recently-delivered rod:
J.D. and Casimira,
So I’ve been traveling quite a bit this summer and hadn’t taken adequate time to thank you for the Perfectly Astonishing Bamboo Rod that arrived at my desk a few weeks ago. (Just as it was promised!)
Holy Smokes! That’s the prettiest fishing rod I’ve ever seen, bar none! The finish is just absolutely perfectly flawless. Astonishing that you can get them that good. The color of the wraps and the tipping and the blackened guides are just astoundingly perfect together. I’ve been fortunate enough to play with a respectable handful of bamboo rods over the past year, and can say that none of them are as aesthetically pleasing as the one that you produced for me. - RP, MD.
It's pretty routine for us to get letters like this. We take great pride in doing our best and delivering on time. Check out some other letters and customer pics!
7/28/09 Between rodmaking classes now. Thanks go out to our students in our first session...we had a ball!
I'll have a rod available for immediate sale shortly( ~Aug. 5):
6'5" 3-4 wt. 2p. 2t. Signature Series: This rod is sweeeet. Full flexing action, light as a feather, effortless casting. Comes with all the Signature Series bells and whistles. A medium flamed beauty, oxided hardware, Super Z ferrules, d/l CSE cap and ring seat w/gorgeous amboena spacer. $2,175.
The new Hardy Perfect Salmon and St. George Salmon reels are now in stock! These are gorgeous, so if you'd like one, please email us!
Hardy will also be reissuing their classic St. George reels late this fall, which will include 2 9/16" and 3" sizes, available in L and R hand wind, and feature agate lines guards and be available in black and Spitfire finishes. Contact us to reserve one.
Got a very nice email a few days ago, and this just makes our day and why we love building rods so much:
Jeff, I have fished the 7’3” quad you built for me several months back the last four weeks in a row. In the last four weeks, I have caught and released about 200 fish on your quad. And, this is not an exaggerated number and doesn’t count any ‘quick releases’. They have run the size gamut from 4” to 22”. I would say at least 3 dozen have been in the 19” plus range. I have had a number of runners, jumpers (doing the aerial thing once hooked) and circlers (circling around me as I try to land them, usually giving them about 5 to 7 or so minutes to start to tire). I have turned over the rod on the harder/longer fights. This rod has been amazing. Not a hint of any set, no trouble with the larger fish. It’s become my favorite rod to fish on my home water. Anyway, I have had such a good month with this rod I thought I would share my story with you. - RL, NM
6/19/08 In the shop working my butt off. Seems like I haven't fished for a month...well, yeah, I guess it has been. Must.get.out.soon.
We will shortly(~July 1) have two Signature Series rods available for immediate delivery:
6'5" 3-4 wt. 2p. 2t. Signature Series Quad: This rod is sweeeet. Full flexing action, light as a feather, effortless casting. Comes with all the Signature Series bells and whistles. A medium darkly flamed beauty, oxided hardware, squared ferrules, d/l CSE cap and ring seat w/gorgeous amboena spacer. $2,325. SOLD!
7'3" 4-5 wt. 2p. 2t. Signature Series. Our best selling rod, smooth and delicate. Very versatile for fishing Eastern and Midwestern streams with DT4 or DT 5 line. Not too long for small stream fishing, but not too short for fishing bigger water. Darkly flamed, oxodized hardware, D/L cap and ring with a gorgeous amboena spacer. $2,175 SOLD!
We recently got a nice email: Jeff,
I just want to let you know how much I enjoy fishing the Trico, The Very First Fish on the rod was a beautiful 9” native brookie. Four hours of hard stream fishing and eight naïve trout later I hooked and landed a nice 14” blue spotted brown. I was totally amazed at the amount of back-bone the little Trico demonstrated and how well it handled a fish of this size in fast water
Have a great day
EW, Erie
The rod EW is referring to is our 7' 3 wt, which we dubbed the Trico Special. Great rod for fishing those little buggers.
5/28/09 Back from a 13 day fishing trip. I'll write about it below, but first I must mention that the sulfurs are ON at Oil Creek and the Green Drakes are hatching at Penn's. Check conditions, THEN GO FISH. You are dead for a long, long time.
My trip was, in a word, epic. First stop was to spend a few days hitting Oil Creek in Western PA. Hit the bright green caddis and the very first of the sulfurs, but my main reason for being there that weekend was to see my friend Mike Laskowski (below) of Oil Creek Outfitters, who was celebrating his 20th year in business at Oil Creek. We had two days of cane rod casting, recalling old stories and friends and times past. The fishing was excellent and the fish were beautiful, fat and healthy.
Also spending the day signing his book Mayflies was noted author Ted Fauceglia, shown casting a Wagner rod below.
On Sunday evening I drove off to Penn's where I met my friend Bill Lotz later in the week. The fishing was mixed at first...bug soup but you had to hunt to find risers, excepting at dusk when fishing was very strong just before it got dark. Other anglers did well chucking nymphs during the day, but as much as I've tried I can't get into that stuff. Back at Jonas Prices' The Feathered Hook , there was a new and better way to spend the slow time: sitting on the front porch betting which color of car would be the next to pass.
Some people will do anything to win: change the rules, bicker over colors, sit in the street to block traffic. It's that kind of place.
Also new this year: A new shop cat, Dingo, who was lured away from being feral into a life of domesticated bliss by noted Feathered Hook rodmaker Jim Downes(The Cat Whisperer). She's pregnant, and there will soon be kittens in need of adoption. Contact the shop and take one!
Just as I was ready to leave all hell broke loose: the Green Drakes were ON, and I had a great time catching fish after fish during prime hatch hours. One evening they poured off the water in huge numbers, and when I got back to the access point they covered a telephone pole so heavily it looked like fuzz.
I spent my last evening trying to catch two huge fish, one that was at least 20"+ and another, which I eventually did catch, that went about 17". Sure, I had foul hooked it right in the asshole, but when you think about it, that is much, much harder than hooking one in the mouth. So in my book it still counts. Fought like hell, too.
Thanks to Jonas and everyone at The Feathered Hook for everything. This included Greta. (mmmrrrrrrr)
5/10/09 Just in from my first trip of the year! For the last few years, our friends Bob and Diane at The Classic Fly Fisherman have hosted a get together for rodmakers and friends up in Hancock. As usual, it was a great time and it was a pleasure seeing so many people come together. I had a blast, and it was an honor to be included in this cast of rodmaking luminaries.
On the first day a bunch of us ran up to Livingston Manor to see the unique rodmaking-related exhibits at the Catskill Fly Fishing Museum. Then we stopped at Catskill legend Frank Kuttner's shop (914-439-5590) where I got some his beautiful flies. The rest of the week was a blur of fishing, eating, and just hanging out with friends and soaking in the ambience. I got two of the best fish I've ever taken on the Beaverkill, both on Frank's flies. The first, pictured below, took his Hendrickson dun. The second, which was almost the twin of this fish(a little shorter but fatter), took his blue quill.
This fish proves the old adage that it's better to be lucky than good. I had been fishing at Cook's Falls in the morning and had taken a few small fish, but the bigger ones weren't showing, so I drove downstream and stopped at a pulloff. I walked down the bank to check things out and heard a slurping sound. This fish was in 6" of water, tight to the bank, taking one Hendrickson dun after another not 15' away. I got rigged up and took him on the 4th cast. Not one to make it easy on myself, I had stupidly not cut back the 5x I was fishing earlier and so landing it took a long, delicate fight that took us way upstream and across the river and back several times. Still, for once, I didn't screw up and got it to net. The next day I took the second fish but was smarter and had cut back to 4x, but it was still quite a fight. Unfortunately, I didn't have my camera with me after getting it soaked night fishing. You'll just have to take my word for it.
On the last day I fished a bit with noted fly tier Harrsion Steeves, who set me up with some of his beautiful creations...I can't wait until Japanese beetle and firefly seasons.
I'm next off to see my friend Mike Laskowski at Oil Creek Outfitters. This weekend he's celebrating 20 Years at his shop at Oil Creek! Man, how time flies. I'll be there with some rods for those that want to cast them, and Ted Fauceglia will be on hand to autograph copies of his incredible book, Mayflies. Mike is a good friend and one of the great people in the business, and I shudder to think what the area would be without the service his shop has provided over the years for anglers. Hope to see you there, and support your local flyshops!
After fishing at Oil for a bit, I'll be off to see my friend Jonas at The Feathered Hook on Penn's.
We still have openings for our Summer Bamboo Rodmaking Classes. If you ever had the desire to learn the craft, c'mon out! You get to make your own cane rod, fish a wonderful spring creek and enjoy some fantastic meals and fellowship. We have a ball! Just email us for a syllabus and registration form.
We've also just received information about some new Hardy Reels. Later this summer and fall, Hardy will be introducing a new St .George Hotspur Salmon reel in two sizes and two Salmon-sized Perfects. Here's the particulars:
St George Hotspur Salmon 9/10 reel:
DT9 + 150M 30LB Backing
DT10 + 80M 30LB Backing
WF9 + 250M 30LB Backing
WF10 + 220M 30LB Backing
St George Hotspur Salmon 11/12 reel:
DT11 + 150M 30LB Backing
DT12 + 75M 30LB Backing
WF11 + 350M 30LB Backing
WF12 + 320M 30LB Backing
Weights are:
St George Hotspur Salmon 9/10 reel:
293.5 g (10.35 oz)
St George Hotspur Salmon 11/12 reel:
285.1 g (10.05 oz)
The Salmon Perfect are to be introduced initially in 2 sizes, 4" & 4 1/4".Spool width is 1 11/32".
Capacitys are:
Salmon Perfect 9/10 reel:
DT9 + 180M 30LB Backing
WF10 + 275M 30LB Backing
Salmon Perfect 11/12 reel:
DT11 + 110M 30LB Backing
WF12 + 290M 30LB Backing
4/20/09 Wow.....April is flying by and pretty soon I'll be able to hit the water to give Casimira some quiet time in the garden. I've been getting good reports from my friends Mike Laskowski at Oil Creek Outfitters and Jonas Price of The Feathered Hook on Penn's Creek.
We still have openings for our Summer Bamboo Rodmaking Classes. If you ever had the desire to learn the craft, c'mon out! You get to make your own cane rod, fish a wonderful spring creek and enjoy some fantastic meals and fellowship. We have a ball! Just email us for a syllabus and registration form.
For the past couple years we've been concentrating more on making rods in batches. With all of the tapers we offer, you can imagine that there's not a lot of room for standardization and mass production. But we've taken to crafting at least two blanks of a given order, and if time permits finishing them out to be available. So, in very short order we'll have two rods available for immediate delivery: a 6'5" 3-4 wt. Signature Series Quad(SOLD!) and our best-selling rod, a 7'3" 4-5 wt. Signature Series rod(SOLD!). These two rods will be available ~May 1, just in time for the fishing season. Shoot us off an email! We've also finished out another 7'3" 4-5wt. Patriot Series quad, with extra tip. See our available page for details on these rods.
3/07/09 Hey everyone! Hope all is well with you. We've had our first taste of Spring this week- a few days warm enough to open the shop doors and blow some dust out. A few crocus have also made their appearance....soon enough I'll be sorting flyboxes and pulling out the waders and getting ready to hit the water.
We pay ourselves monthly and this week received our first payroll packet that included Obama's tax break. We have an extra $80 between us to stimulate the economy, which for us is nothing to sneeze at, so Casimira got a couple cd's...Bo Diddly and Howlin' Wolf. Saw in the paper that Jeff Beck is coming to town and we've always wanted to see him so checked out the ticket prices online. For $42.50 each we can get a spot to stand on the floor for 4 hours or so.(This doesn't include all the ticket fees that get added on, or a drink and parking, etc). For only $89.50 each we can get a cheap seat in the balcony. I guess I'm getting to be like those old men that stand in the front yard in their bathrobe and scream GET OFF MY LAWN, but it seems unbelievable to me that it's possible to spend over $200 for two people to see a concert, which might explain why we haven't gone to one in years. Somewhere in the attic I've got my ticket stubs from the old World Series of Rock concerts that were held at the Cleveland Stadium in the 70's. You could see 6-8 excellent bands over the course of a day, and I think tickets were $5. I am getting old.
Ok, rant over...back to the rods. Let's get this economy rolling! Stimulate us!
1/31/09 A coda to my post below about the Somerset show. Once in a great while I'll be at a show and see an artist or craftsman who just stops me dead in my tracks. Such was the case at this show when I saw the booth of Shawn and Brenda Davis of Davis Fly Designs. Shawn was gone from the booth, having unfortunately come down with some gunk that seemed to be going around the show, so I didn't get to talk with him. But his fly tying artwork, and the photographic artwork of his wife, spoke for itself. Check them out!
1/27/09 Getting settled back in from the Somerset show. Thanks to everyone that came by to say hi and/or purchase from us. It was good seeing everyone.
Just wanted to note that we now have extra spools available for the Hardy Perfect reels!
Also added two available Patriot rods to our Available Rods page!
Finally, we are selling some very nice stuff at very good prices!
1/2/09 Happy New Year! Thanks to all of our friends that sent notes of greeting, and hope you all have a great 2009! I received a couple very nice emails from the class members of our third 2008 Bamboo Rodmaking Class session, Chris and James Nothstine, Larry and Evan Andrews...two father/son teams. As often happens, they developed a friendship as they made their rods and recently all met to christen their rods on the Norfolk River. Below are some pics:
Nice! Discerning eyes will note that not everyone in this group has finished their rod yet, but I've been assured that with some spare time available this winter and a little peer pressure it will rectify that situation! Thanks guys! We still have some spots available for the 2009 sessions, so if you have an interest please let us know as classes tend to fill quickly as Spring approaches. We are also in the preliminary stages of planning a class reunion for all of the students that have taken the class over the last 10 years or so...hopefully we can do that this coming fall.
12/20/08 Happy Holidays, everyone! At our company party this week, Casimira noted that this year will mark our 15th year since incorporation. Where has the time gone!
12/02/08 We are pleased to announce that we have received a shipment of the wonderful movie, The Lost World of Mr. Hardy. This is a fantastic flim, and a must for any Hardy collector, cane rod fanatic or just anyone that has an appreciation for history and our angling heritage. Would make a great holiday gift....
We also have a nice supply of LDH nets, reels, etc on hand for the hoildays.
11/16/08 Our first snow of the year today...whoopee!...and the first time I've had a chance to update our webpages in a few months. So, hope you all got through the fall and election season ok and are getting snugged in for winter! So, what's new? Lots of new stuff here...
First, I'll shortly be updating and posting our Holiday Gift Page. If you are looking for a gift for a loved one or business associate, we have a plethora of goodies in all price ranges, and we'd be very appreciative of your orders for same. Thanks!
Second, registrations are still coming in for our 2009 Bamboo Rodmaking Classes, so if you are interested you might want to make a commitment soon. (Would make a great Christmas gift...hint hint!) We also just completed another batch of our world-famous planing forms...come to think of it, a set of those would also be a killer Christmas gift.
Third, we've received a small batch of the first shipment of the Hardy Perfect reissues(see entry below), and they are sweet! So, if you are thinking of getting one we think it's well worth it. They will continue to trickle in over the next several months, with any luck. Although these aren't officially 'limited edition' reels, the production sure is limited and who knows if Hardy will even continue making them beyond this first run, so if you want one our advice is to grab one now.
This week I finally sat down to read and review Kathy Scott's latest book, Changing Planes, for the Planing Form newsletter. Capsule review: me like! You can order a copy from Alder Creek!
We will make our customary price increases on our rods begining Jan. 1, 2009. This increase may be larger then normal given the outrageous increases in food and everything else under the sun, but we will continue to honor our current prices until then. We've made great progress(by working our butts off) to get delivery times down to a managable timeframe and are currently quoting 6-8 months. So, if you are thinking of a rod for next year, get your orders in and save some money. We are very proud to offer our customers a very high level of quality without having to wait forever to get a rod, even though it seems like this is sometimes a detriment to our own interests.
We also have in stock for immediate delivery a beautiful Godfrey Bimetal reel(GBI 50) with an extra spool. We ordered this for a gentleman who's been caught a little short, and we can sweeten the deal a little: We will spool this reel and extra spool with 2 Cortland Sylk lines of your choosing, or 1 Terenzio silk line....your choice! So whoever is smart enough to grab this reel will save between $108 and $168 in free fly line(s). Email us!
9/06/08 More info on the new Hardy Reels: COMING SOON! HARDY RE-ISSUES THE CLASSIC PERFECT REEL!
This is incredible news for anyone looking for the 'Perfect' classic reel! These reels will be made in England, be available in either left or right hand wind, and with the original details like an agate line guard! The value of vintage Hardy Perfects has soared over the years, and they were virtually unavailable in LHW! This is your chance to own the quintessential classic reel. We are now accepting orders for this reel, which is scheduled for release in October. Email us and we'll add you to our list!
More details: These reels will be available in three sizes, 2 5/8", 2 7/8" and 3 1/8" and will be furnished in zip leather cases. Only 200 are expected to be available when they arrive in October. Prices will be $850, $900 and $950, respectively.
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This week I received a copy of Kathy Scott's latest book, Changing Planes. We are big fans of Kathy's writing and immensely enjoyed her previous books, so we expect this to be just as great a read. You can order a copy from Alder Creek!
8/31/08 Getting settled in and back to producing rods after finishing up our Bamboo Rodmaking Class sessions. We have set our dates for our 2009 Class Sessions, so if you are interested please contact us asap for a syllabus and registration form as we filled all 12 of our spots very quickly last year!
I'd like to take a moment to thank each and every student that attended this year's classes. I can honestly say I've never had so much fun! What a blast!
We're updating our Hardy Reel page to reflect the recent price decreases! There has been quite a bit of commotion about Hardy moving most of their reel production out of the UK, and I'd like to give you my thoughts. First, the quality of the machining on the new reels is better then it ever was, which is a very high bar. Second, certain reels like the soon-to-be-issued Hardy Perfect line will still be made in the UK.
My third point is a little more touchy: For the past several months we've received tons of frantic calls from people hoping that we had new Hardy reels still in stock that were made in England. Good luck finding those! The funny thing was that these same people were not willing to pay for Hardy reels prior to the move, but they are now upset at the outsourcing! It boggles the mind. We do have one England-made reel in stock, a 3 1/4" Bougle' Mark VI with an extra spool. Since it is now a collectors item, I'm asking $900 for it...just contact me.
Yes, I am sad that Hardy moved production of most reels out of country. But I was also sad that when the Hardy prices were set so that the craftsmen at Hardy could make a liveable wage, few people would buy them. Some of these folks remember a Hardy reel like a Lightweight selling for about $50 back in the 1970's and couldn't get over the recent prices, but in the 1970's you could buy a nice car for $2,000 and the nice little house I grew up in was about $30,000. For those that insist that they own a domestically made reel, we carry both the Peerless and Ted Godfrey reels and they are fantastic, so if you want to support domestic craftsmen, do so!
One more note on Hardy: Hardy will soon be reissuing the Perfect reel. These will be MADE IN ENGLAND, available in both left and right hand wind, and have features like the agate line guard just as the original. We will have pics and prices soon, so just email us and we'll let you know as soon as they arrive.
8/02/08 Taking a breather this week after our first two cane rodmaking class sessions of the summer. To all the guys that attended so far, our sincere thanks! It was a blast for me to teach you and a good time was had by all.
Today I listed two W&M Granger rods on our Vintage page. Take a look.
Casimira and I will be taking a well-deserved break this week. We will still be checking email and the message machine daily, but we may not be able to answer the phone...so just leave a message and we'll get right back to you..
On a sad note, my grandfather Frank Lumanick died this week at age 96. Although he was lucky to have lived so long in great health(he was driving at 95!) and enjoyed over 30 years retired in Florida, I'm still pretty sad over his passing. Gramps taught me how to fish and in many ways he's responsible for me making fishing rods for a living. In some respects we were quite alike: enjoying solitude, reading and just in general being introverts by nature. Here's a pic of him with a mess of pike developed in Jan. 1961, one month before I was born. Some time ago I wrote a tribute to him and his brother Stacey for taking me fishing as a kid. You can read it here, if you wish.
7/17/08 Just cleaning up some loose ends before heading off to teach our bamboo rodmaking classes. Although I'll be gone, Casimira will be in-shop to assist you!
6/14/08 Under the how the heck could I have forgotten file: On my last trip to Oil Creek, my friend Mike Laskowski showed me the entymology slide presentation he's put together for trout clubs, TU meetings, shows, etc. Mike is a top-notch bug guy with an encylopedic knowledge of all the little bugs that our trout find so tasty, and he's got some very unique insights about them that will make anyone a much better fisherman. His photographs, taken both streamside and in his aquarium, represent years of hard work and photographic expertise. If you are looking for a speaker at your club, give him a shout.
More stuff: I will shortly have available a 7'3" 4-5 wt. Signature Series quad. It's a gorgeous rod that's a smooth and sweet caster, and available soon without the 9 month wait. $2,195. People that have bought this model have raved about it.. SALE PENDING
Finally, we've changed our website to reflect that we no longer will do any repair/restoration work on classic or contemporary rods. Over the years that we've done this work I've learned a lot and come to one major conclusion: If you want a nice, fishable rod that will give you years of service without headaches, refinishing and all sorts of unforseen trouble, buy a new one from an established builder with a good record of quality and service. You'll pay more upfront, but get more in return. I have two classic rods left in the shop to repair, and I already feel better knowing I will never again see another. Yippee!
6/08/08 Just back in from a wonderful trip. Spent a couple days at Oil Creek to hit the sulfurs and one morning had the best time with my friend Mike Laskowski's 22 olive emerger. Stop by his website and shop when you're in town to get the skinny and the best flies.
Next stop was over to The Feathered Hook on Penn's Creek to see my friend Jonas Price. I met my buddy Bill Lotz there and we had a ball, timing it just right as the Green Drakes were just getting started. Each year that I stay with Jonas it just gets better and better. You see a lot of the same people and get to catch up with them and share a great time...it's like a reunion amongst friends. Besides the drake we had good fishing for sulfurs and grey fox. We had many memorable fish including two that I never did see because they took me into fast water and just kept going against a 3x tippet and tight drag. Yowza!
Sometimes, all you need is to move a foot to get a truer picture:
So, now it's back in the shop to get ready for our upcoming cane rodmaking classes, until the Hexes start coming off in Michigan, that is....
4/27/08 We've at long last acquired some very nice cork to sell. The weakness of the dollar vs. the euro has caused prices to skyrocket, but we believe even at today's prices this is very nice stuff for the money!
If the weather holds, I'm going fishing soon but Casimira will be here to help ya'll out.
4/12/2008 Finally got a page up for our new Chozas reels!
Won't someone please, please buy this reel(pictured below)? My friend Bill may starve if we don't find a good home for it, and the mental trauma alone may put him over the edge!!! Reduced!!! A steal for a steelheader!!!!! A bargain for bigmouths! SOLD!
Spring has finally sprung!!!
3/28/2008 I don't know about you but I'm SICK of winter. We got through winter pretty much unscathed until March, and it's been snowsnowsnow. We haven't really had a warm spell yet, although most of the snow has melted and a few snowdrops are peeking through the soil. I can't wait to get out and wet a line.
So, what's new? Not a lot here, just making rods and getting them out in time for Spring fishing. I've just finished a batch of 7'9" 5-6 wt Patriot rods and made up an extra blank, so if you are hankering for a Patriot we'll have an extra rod available for immediate delivery in about a week.
We're expecting a shipment of cork in soon, and sorry to say that with the weakness of the dollar against the euro it's gonna be frightfully expensive. But we'll finally have some available to sell again after a long drought.
We've gotten great feedback on our economical Chozas reels...see our 1/29/2008 entry below. Thanks all!!!
2/16/2008 We have a rare offering: an unspoken for rod available for immediate delivery! This is a 2p. 2t. Signaure Series model, 8' 4wt! Darkly flamed beauty, oxided hardware, d/l Venerri cap and ring seat w/gorgeous amboena spacer, swelled butt. A fantastic spring creek rod for DT4 line, throws a delicate line and yet can also lay out an incredible length of line. All the usual Signature Series bells and whistles. $2,145. Email us and have a new rod to take out this Spring! SOLD!
Also, see our new Chozas reels in the entry below!
1/29/2008 Phew! Taking a breath here with a cup of coffee and catching up with some website work. This new year has been busy, busy, busy! We're unpacking from the Somerset show, and we'd like to thank everyone that came by to say hello....especially those that dropped by during the Saturday rush because it's so crazy we don't get much time to talk! Thanks also to everyone that purchased from us at the show and over the holiday season.
Old News Going Back to 2003 Can Be Found HERE!
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