Yet after two successful decades of building rods under his own name—decades which also witnessed a renaissance in bamboo rod building and a proliferation of new makers—another idea was slowly developing. While Marc wholeheartedly embraced this renewed interest in custom bamboo, he also began to consider a venture that would pay better homage to the lineage and tradition of the craft. With this in mind Marc produced his first prototype “Spinoza” – a model designed in the fashion of early bamboo makers. The response was immediate: customers were so happy with the Spinozas that not only did Marc agree to continue making them, but he also decided to introduce them as his flagship model. And so the Spinoza Rod Company was born, the product of four decades of classic rod building experience with a renewed emphasis on the craftsmanship from bamboo’s early golden era.
Rob Smith, owner: There is no other fishing rod in the world like the Pentalux®. An irregular polygon, this original design produces an improved strength to weight ratio to that of any traditional bamboo rod. It also provides a level of tracking and stability found in no other rod shape due to its perpendicular deflection relative to the casting plane – yet deflection in the casting plane (forward and back) is identical. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or to inquire about an opportunity to cast one. I also deal in vintage bamboo fly and bait casting rods.The Original Asymmetrical Five-Strip Bamboo Fly Rod
Jim Downes has been building bamboo fly rods professionally for more than 15 years. The enthusiasm and dedication to the art of cane rod making is reflected in the exacting fly rods he crafts. Culms of bamboo used in the L J Downes rod shop were hand selected in China over two decades ago. His tapers are proprietary, based on but not copied from Heddon’s high-end fly rods. Attention to detail and outstanding workmanship are the hallmarks of an L J Downes bamboo fly rod. Not only are these rods pleasing to the eye, they are made to be fished!
Jim’s path to master rod maker had a curious beginning and some fortunate turns along the way. To a teenager growing up on a farm in central New Jersey, fly rod repair meant rewrapping the guides of a $2.00 hardware store cane rod with his grandmother’s sewing thread; the wraps were kept in place using nail polish borrowed from his Mother. Loose ferrules were tightened by wrapping them with bailing wire and broken rod sections were simply splinted together with whatever was handy then secured with tape.
After a brief and unsatisfying venture into fishing store bought fiberglass and high modulus graphite, Jim decided to try building his own bamboo fly rod.. Using a home made planning form constructed and filed by hand, a supply of bamboo growing in a neighbor’s backyard pond, Elmer’s glue to hold strips together and binding them by hand, his first rods were assembled. As you might expect, the results were less than satisfactory. Help, particularly of a professional nature, was needed here.
Help came by way of meeting rod maker George Maurer. George became a mentor and friend to Jim, providing the right tools, instruction and encouragement that permitted him to turn a culm of bamboo into a work of art and practical fly-fishing tool. The first rod Jim built with Maurer was a 2 piece, 2 tip 7’6” 4 wt. The finished rod had no glue lines, no twists and all the sections were the same length; just like a ‘store bought’ rod! A milestone in Jim’s rod making career had been reached. The productive friendship between rod makers continued until George’s untimely passing in 2008.
Applying the varnish finish to a cane rod is itself an art. New Jersey neighbor and friend George Guba showed Jim the finer points of winding and varnishing a cane rod. Mr. Guba is also well known for his skills at rod restoration and repair. Working along with George in his basement shop Jim honed his rod finishing expertise.
Today Jim is a full time rod maker, living and working in the heart of Central Pennsylvania’s trout stream country. His rod shop is located in Coburn, PA on the banks of Penns Creek, one of the states finest limestone streams. In the time left between building cane rods and trout fishing, he also teaches bamboo rod building classes. Thus continuing the tradition of crafting fly rods made from hand tapered strips of bamboo and the long heritage of makers past and present across the country.
Tom Whittle, owner of Stony Creek Rods;
After several years restoring bamboo rods, I spent one afternoon a week with George Maurer learning to build rods. Since 1998 I have been selling rods under the name of Stony Creek Rods.
Stony Creek Rods are offered in several standard models. They come with two tips, a cloth rod bag and a curly maple hex rod tube. Standard two-piece models include: 5’10” 4wt, and 7′ 4 wt. Three-piece standard models include: 7’6″ 4 wt, 7′ 5 wt, 7′ 7 wt, 7′ 9″ 5 wt. and 8′ 5 wt.
I also work with clients to develop a rod configuration not offered as a standard model. The “convex” taper design of Stony Creek rods is based on the theories advanced by Robert Crompton, Vince Marinaro, and others. Rod blanks are finished with Laurel Mountain Forge Permalyn deep penetrating sealing oil used on gunstocks. Ferrules are made in the shop from nickle silver tubing.