All About Pocket Knives

I have an as new custom made split bamboo fly rod to sell.

Made by Larry Barnett, a maker of quality rods, of Bryson City, North Carolina.

Rod is 5 wgt, two piece, 7 1/2' long. Green/gold windings. Burl/cork handle. Nickle-silver reel seats.

Housed in a two compartment canvas bag and in a water-proof aluminum tube.

This rod was designed for use in small streams and for pan fish. Not necessarily a trout rod.

$600.00

Charlie Noyes

Sixty-seven views and not one comment.

I know it's steep, but it's worth more than I'm asking.

I had this rod sold to a Cardiologist in town a couple of years ago. I let him use it for a few weeks and he was very impressed. He was going to give me $800.00 for it and it was a done deal until he informed his wife he was buying another rod.

Maybe I'll get an opportunity to use it this Spring.

Charlie Noyes

I don't think I have seen a Bamboo fly rod.
Do you have any pics?
Mark

RobesonsRme.com wrote:Sixty-seven views and not one comment.

I can explain one of them! I knew I couldn't afford it, but had to look. A few more years, and I hope I can get back to fly fishing; bluegill on a 4- or 5-wt rod is addictive.

Jim

RobesonsRme.com wrote:Sixty-seven views and not one comment.

I did not comment because it is too rich for my blood and I do not know anything about bamboo rods.

I also like fishing for bluegills with a fly rod, but I use a cheap rod and reel with popping bugs. I would be afraid to stick a rod like that in the boat!

Thanks guys

I know it isn't for everyone. It's just too expensive for most. Heck, it's too expensive for me. That's why I cannot hold on to it.

It is a sweet stick, it is very responsive.

I had it made for bluegill and small stream bass. There is not much trout fishing around here.

Charlie

I have a friend who makes those in Franklin, NC.
They are a work of art. A fine 6 pc split bamboo rod can sell for thousands!
Click here for pics:
http://www.hollifieldbamboo.com/about.html

I got the $25 crappie master with reel from academy sports.
That is in my price range. Will upgrade reel when it breaks.....
I was just scrolling for pics.

Hi Charlie,

I was in the high-end retail fly fishing business about 20 years ago when custom made cane rods started at $1,000 and went as high as $5,000. Your rod is a true bargain at $600 but you need to find the right buyer in the right venue and while I'm sure there's a lot of crossover between pocket knives and fly fishing, AAPK may not be the best venue for you. I would suggest looking at http://classicflyrodforum.com/forum/ and placing a post about your rod and that might generate some success.

My only cane rod is a C.W. Jenkins that my wife gave to me on our wedding day - I try to bust it out at least once a year to remind me about the finer things in life.

Good luck, Tom

sure, i'd like to see your Bamboo rod.
i use Bamboo.
what was said earlier, check with fly thing North America and classic rods.
but anyway i'd like to see the reel seat and grip.

buzz

I must apologize. When the rest of the month of April went by without another post, I just quit checking the thread.

Thanks for the links to some fly rod specific web sites.

I do not have any photos of the rod, but I will try to get some and post.

I'll send a PM to those that expressed interest.

Charlie Noyes

bestgear wrote:I'm sure there's a lot of crossover between pocket knives and fly fishing

I think you are right on the money Tom in terms of crossover and obviously if you were in retail you no doubt know the business perspectives ... I think in my member intro I noted something about this crossover in terms of craftsmanship in relation to hooks but I think it does go farther than that as well .... I certainly know fly fishing having been heavily involved and avid in the "passion" for many many years, and in fact I am an invited participant at many fly fishing shows in the US and Europe (teaching and demos for fly tying for the most part).. not trying to toot my own horn here but just put a perspective on the following to try and help you Charlie (and I owe it to you for all your help, knowledge and experience in posts here on AAPK which have helped me in understanding this crazy addiction for knives... maybe "passion" or is it "obsession" )...

Charlie - As Tom said the price may be right for this rod though I haven't seen the hardware nor know the maker - certainly in relation to buying a new graphite rod these days from some of the high end makers (prices can be $800-900) and also in terms of other new bamboo rods from modern makers which run the gamut in terms of prices ($800 - and up into the $1,000s) I would say $600 it is a good price... but I wouldn't classify this rod as a panfish rod given 7 & 1/2' and a 5 wt... I am sure it is a trout rod just as much as a panfish rod so don't undersell it (many guys won't buy bamboo for panfish)... It is no doubt a smaller stream/river rod for lots of species given the length but can be used under the right conditions anywhere when appropriate ... 5 wt is pretty much an all around rod in terms of line size for trout & smaller fish or better put flies (you can catch big fish on a 5 wt as well though you need to know how to play them to the net without stressing them to the point of "no return" to put it nicely ) but the 7 & 1/2' length makes it a great rod for fishing small water where longer rods may be tough... Classicflyrodforum is no doubt a bunch of guys into bamboo like many here are into knives... so a great suggestion for listing though I don't know if you need a certain number of posts on that forum to list anything in their classifieds....

I fish everything from bamboo to graphite though the bamboo I fish are old rods from the 1940s and earlier. I fish 3 wt to 12wt rods and quite frankly saltwater fly fishing is my primary home turf though I truly enjoy trout, bass etc etc... Anyway most bamboo will be in the range of 4-6 wt rods so a 5 wt falls right in the middle (though you can find bamboo in higher line wts it is just not a big market)... Point is - for those who have never fished bamboo believe me it is a different experience and as many say you can feel the fish breath when you are hooked up .... Like carrying an old traditional or modern knife made in a traditional design as an EDC the same can be said for fishing bamboo... history and tradition as well as the overall experience!!

Post some pics here Charlie - one never knows who may be interested here as well.... I can always ask around for you as well but need the pics (just like all like to see knife pics before buying) ....

Cheers
Lee

Thank you for that. Great information.

I refer to the rod as "panfish" because that is what I requested when I commissioned the rod from Larry.

He built the rod to its specifications I requested. It's nice to know the rod would be a good trout stick for small streams.

I intended the rod for small stream Alabama fishing which would produce red eye bass and shoal bass, as well as bluegill, etc.

An interesting aside to the rod is that Larry obtained his bamboo from China. The piece from which he built this rod had some Chinese characters on it that looked like it they had been written with a Magic Marker type implement.

Before cutting the length of bamboo up to construct the rod, Larry had someone interpret the characters.

They said, "FREEDOM!"

After constructing the rod, portions of those FREEDOM characters remain on the flat surfaces of the rod.

Larry and I have always referred to it as The Freedom Rod.

I feel somewhat connected to that Chinese laborer that took the risk of writing his hopes on a piece of bamboo destined for America.

Raining today and tomorrow and I think I should photograph this in sunshine.

Charlie

I apologize for the profound tardiness in posting photos of this split bamboo fly rod. I just kept putting it off until it was completely out of mind.

I took these with my phone and the focus is not great on a few of them. The camera kept focusing on the plants.

They will expand with a left click.

Charlie Noyes