[SpeySeb]

just wondering how many of you guys use cane spey rods and your personal opinion on them? i had the opurtunity to try one out last week, a 12'6 9wt but due to the conditions i never really got to see what the rod was capable of. i did find the rod not to bad when it came to casting and i actually enjoyed it, but it was a bit heavy when i was fishing the fly, well ok it was really heavy even though it was a holw built rod.

SpeySeb

 

[speyman]

Raising Cane

I have two. A 15' 9/10 and a 12' 10/11 which is about 80 years young. The 12 footer, an old Edgar Sealey, is a real noodle. I fish them at least one run every other time I go out if the wind is within reason. I find that by fishing the cane rod it helps me not get into a rut. It is easy to fish one line and rod all the time and before you know it you a going through your cast without feeling it, you just repeat it. I already fish between about 15 rods with quite different characterisitics and the cane is at the extreme end of actions. When I slow down and feel the load the rods perform very well and are a joy to fish. And yes, they are heavy.

 

[Steven Mear]

Hi, I've got a Sharpes 14' #10 spliced rod that is 40 years old on which I use a silk #10 line. This manages to lift about 18-20 meters of line outside the rod rings with the line not floating.

Last year I was a rod that I have been told is from around 1880, but I need to check this out. It is a Farlows rod with Holdfast? ferrules. (I thought that this type of ferrule was a Hardy patent?).
The name "Waverley" appears on it, and I'm not sure if this is the family name or the name of the rod. It is about 17.5 feet long and had ended up in a Norwegian family. It has a much more rigid action than the later Sharpes. I have recently had it re-varnished and the tyings replaced with similar thread to that used originally. It weighs more than carbon - obviously - but I find that the intensity of the grip has a lot to say as to whether a rod feels heavy or not.

I'm hoping that the person who gave this to me might also find the reel that they said came with this rod, which had been consigned to the attic. I look forward to fishing with it.

Regards

Steven

PS. Does anyone know what I can use in the way of tape and cord for securing the ferrules of the spliced rod? I understood that there is some sort of a fabric tape that was originally used?

 

[stephen holden]

tape for spliced rods

steven ,I fished for a number of years with the 14ft sharpes spliced and used a fabric based eletrical insulation tape that was made for wiring looms on cars ,when this was no longer available I just used modern plastic insulation tape and had no problems.When fishing with cane rods I only held the rod by the grip when casting and fished the cast round holding the rod above the grip nearer the butt ring where it was more balanced and the weight problem became less of an issue ,hope this is of use regards Steve

 

[sean]

I have a pezon et michelle 10'6" 8 weight with full spey grips. It is a fun little switch rod and throws DTs well. You just gotta slow down and let it do its thing. Fun to break out in the summer and since it is short it aint that bad weight wise.

-sean

 

[Dana]

been holding out on me

Sean,

you've never mentioned you have a cool cane spey. Of course that means you have to lend it to me for several months.

 

[fredaevans]

I've one made in Norway that's a tad short of 14' that I purchased from Bob Larsell. Beautiful rod that requires a 10/11'ish WF dry line to load same. Fish with it? NOOO Way; if I ever busted a section, how would you get it fixed.

Hanges on the wall in the family room. Anyone whose been to one of the Charity Clinics has seen same.

 

[Steven Mear]

I've one made in Norway that's a tad short of 14' that I purchased from Bob Larsell. Beautiful rod that requires a 10/11'ish WF dry line to load same. Fish with it? NOOO Way; if I ever busted a section, how would you get it fixed.

Hanges on the wall in the family room. Anyone whose been to one of the Charity Clinics has seen same.

Hi Fred,
what is that rod called? I recently met a guy who is almost 80 years old who started making crude bamboo rods during the 2WW when Norway was occupied. He basically taught himself how to do this, and has made rods for a number of people: I know of one American general that picked one up when he was doing his NATO stint here. He made (makes?) rods that are priced around $500 for a 13' rod with two tips, and single handed obviously cheaper.

Regards
Steven

 

[fredaevans]

Steve, upstairs on the lap top (yes, in bed with a hot cup of coffee, and two yellow labs ... both sound asleep) ... will 'report back' shortly.
Fred

 

[Steven Mear]

And today I went out casting with the newly restored 17'+ beast! The problem is which line: the #10 silk line was a touch too light, and I find my 14' spliced rod more responsive. After a bit of weight training by the river with the 17'er, a DH1309 is like a feather. The people who used to fish these rods must have been in pretty reasonable shape!

Regards
Steven

 

[Anothercastplease]

Hi, I've got a Sharpes 14' #10 spliced rod that is 40 years old on which I use a silk #10 line. This manages to lift about 18-20 meters of line outside the rod rings with the line not floating.

Last year I was a rod that I have been told is from around 1880, but I need to check this out. It is a Farlows rod with Holdfast? ferrules. (I thought that this type of ferrule was a Hardy patent?).
The name "Waverley" appears on it, and I'm not sure if this is the family name or the name of the rod. It is about 17.5 feet long and had ended up in a Norwegian family. It has a much more rigid action than the later Sharpes. I have recently had it re-varnished and the tyings replaced with similar thread to that used originally. It weighs more than carbon - obviously - but I find that the intensity of the grip has a lot to say as to whether a rod feels heavy or not.

I'm hoping that the person who gave this to me might also find the reel that they said came with this rod, which had been consigned to the attic. I look forward to fishing with it.

Regards

Steven

PS. Does anyone know what I can use in the way of tape and cord for securing the ferrules of the spliced rod? I understood that there is some sort of a fabric tape that was originally used?

Hey Steven,
Last fall I got a C. Farlow 12' 6" splice jointed "Holdfast" "Denham". It's got full intermediate wraps and a serial number that may indicate 1926. It casts just fine- a 9wt. Gaelforce 54 to 90'. I repaired 2 delams on the splice faces when I first cast it for a few hours. Since then it's holding up fine. I also stripped the varnish on about the last 8" of both the tip and the splice ends , refinished with spar varnish- the old varnish wasn't holding up to hockey tape and handling.. The tip top ends were waterproofed because when swinging it occasionally gets dunked. I installed a 1 1/4" solid brass ball instead of a rubber button and with a 1916 4 1/4 hardy perfect the balance is nice at 2" onto the cork. Give me an update on yours.
Michael

 

[flytie09]

PS. Does anyone know what I can use in the way of tape and cord for securing the ferrules of the spliced rod? I understood that there is some sort of a fabric tape that was originally used?

Guys use clear hockey tape and have success. Check it out.

 

[Big Tuna]

Hey Steven,
Last fall I got a C. Farlow 12' 6" splice jointed "Holdfast" "Denham". It's got full intermediate wraps and a serial number that may indicate 1926. It casts just fine- a 9wt. Gaelforce 54 to 90'. I repaired 2 delams on the splice faces when I first cast it for a few hours. Since then it's holding up fine. I also stripped the varnish on about the last 8" of both the tip and the splice ends , refinished with spar varnish- the old varnish wasn't holding up to hockey tape and handling.. The tip top ends were waterproofed because when swinging it occasionally gets dunked. I installed a 1 1/4" solid brass ball instead of a rubber button and with a 1916 4 1/4 hardy perfect the balance is nice at 2" onto the cork. Give me an update on yours.
Michael

This is a 16 year old thread.

 

[Back Eddy]

Info would still be pertinent I would think, unless it is a classified I quite enjoy threads being brought back to life

 

[steelhead23]

I own several old spey rods, including an old Sharpes. I have found that the rods made before 1990, and perhaps a bit later, used the AFTMA line standards or similar in which a 9 wt throws spey lines more in the 7 wt. range (450 gr). Having broken a bamboo rod at the ferrule by trying to huck too heavy a line, a warning: try lines at least 2 wts lighter than that written on the rod to start when first trying rods made before 1990. I love the more full-flex behavior of bamboo, but it is expensive so find myself using graphite most of the time.

 

[Anothercastplease]

This is a 16 year old thread.

This Farlow cane spey is 90 years old. Not many others have this makers d/h rods. I hoped Steve would get a notification that someone had replied to an old post of his. True?
Thanks

 

[Big Tuna]

This Farlow cane spey is 90 years old. Not many others have this makers d/h rods. I hoped Steve would get a notification that someone had replied to an old post of his. True?
Thanks

I was not trying to be snarky. In fact, there are a lot of folks from 16 years ago who no longer frequent this board. Sorry if I came across as a jerk.

 

[Anothercastplease]

I was not trying to be snarky. In fact, there are a lot of folks from 16 years ago who no longer frequent this board. Sorry if I came across as a jerk.

I just wanted to highlight that 15 years is just a wink in some perspectives. A passion for connection to our fly fishing past might persist until we can share a glide on that big steelhead river in Valhalla. I can just hear the low, penetrating voice of God proclaiming "You should have been here yesterday !"

 

[Back Eddy]

Can at test to BT not saying he can't LMAO

I was not trying to be snarky. In fact, there are a lot of folks from 16 years ago who no longer frequent this board. Sorry if I came across as a jerk.

 

[middlecalf]

Hey I like old threads! We’ll see if this one is still alive 😆 !

@Anothercastplease you said your rod has “a serial number that may indicate 1926.” What’s the serial number and how are you dating this? Thanks for any info.