• March 2025 Turning Challenge: Identical Bowls or Plates! (click here for details)
  • Congratulations to Ethan Hoff for "Zigzag Basket Illusion Platter" being selected as Turning of the Week for March 10, 2025 (click here for details)
  • Welcome new registering member. Your username must be your real First and Last name (for example: John Doe). "Screen names" and "handles" are not allowed and your registration will be deleted if you don't use your real name. Also, do not use all caps nor all lower case.

Fly rods

Joined
Oct 26, 2006
Messages
35
Likes
0
I was looking through a past issue of AW and noticed a single page article about a gentleman that was turning fly rods. It said there was a book coming out but I cannot seem to find any information about said book. Can anyone help me out?

Bryant
 
how to magazine article

The American Woodturner article is at home, I found this summary article with Google (you may have also).

http://www.outsidebozeman.com/magazine.php?action=fullArticle&articleID=507

A friend who ties flies and makes rods knows of other mag. articles by the author you are searching for, but does not believe a book has come out yet. I'll try to remember to check at home for more info.
Ann
 
I have never heard of turning a fly rod. I have heard of turning the reel seat but that is about it. There are a number of books out about making fishing rods from fiberglass or graphite rod blanks and then there are bamboo fly rods and the making of such. But you do not turn the bamboo fly rods other than to put the thread on and maybe the finish. Bamboo rods are a double taper staved project I believe. Google the name Powell and bamboo fly rods and see what you get. There used to be a well know bamboo fly rod maker in Yuba City, CA. Powell is from Chico, CA. The name of Winton also rings a bell but I can not remember why.
Hugh
 
John Betts originally self-published the book on turning fly rods--wish I'd bought a copy then! Frank Amato Publications picked up the rights to the book and has published it, but as near as I can tell is doing a poor job of distributing it. As part of the publishing deal John no longer sells the book himself. You can find the book on Amato Publications' web site, with a good deal of hunting. This URL should take you right to the book listing: http://www.amatobooks.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?.

Don
 
Dick,
You are right - Winston. The mind (mine) is not the steel trap it used to be. When I originally typed up the message, I typed Winston and then told myself that was not right and changed it.

This fly rod thread brings back memories - When I first went back to college after getting out of the service - 1973 - I went to Chico State. Powell taught a fly rod making class that semister. I did not take the class as I thought I should concentrate on more scholastic classes. Then they never offered the class again. I would like to kick myself for not taking the class that first semister. A couple of semisters later it was a choice between the steelhead run or organic chemistry. Mostly the steelhead won. Ate a lot of fish that semister. Took the organic chem class over again.
Hugh
 
Thanks Don, that is the exact book I was looking for. Now I just have to talk the wife into buying me another Christmas present. I can't complain so far, she did buy a hand plane for me from James Krenov.
 
Dick,
This fly rod thread brings back memories - When I first went back to college after getting out of the service - 1973 - I went to Chico State. Powell taught a fly rod making class that semester.

That would have been a fun class. Powell and Winston were the bamboo rods of choice with the West coast tournament casting folks in the 50's - 70's.

Regards,
Dick
 
Back
Top