Category Archives: Bamboo Rod Building

Videos and postings about bamboo rod building

Another Morris Kushner Post

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Several days ago, I posted a link to a pretty interesting 1977 film about Bamboo Rod Builder, Morris Kushner.  This film was made by Kushner’s grandson, Scott Mann, and a fellow student, John Roman, when they were in college.  Well, a cool thing happened today right out-of-the-blue….Scott Mann replied to my post, thanking me for sharing his film about his grandfather.  Sometimes it’s a pretty small world.

Here is what Scott said, “Hi Dave– just happened to come across your recent post. Thanks for discovering and sharing my film — made as a student at the University of Michigan on 1977. I hope folks also check out the unedited complete interviews with Bob Summers and Robert Traver that I have also made available on the Morristherodmaker.com website.”

That WEB site is pretty cool, and as soon as I get the chance, I’m going to also check out the Bob Summers and Robert Traver interviews.  If you’re like me and enjoy vintage footage of rod builders, check it out.

Two new bamboo fly rods completed.

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I just completed two new bamboo fly rods this week, just in time for the upcoming Fly Fishing Show next week in Pleasanton, Ca.  I’ll be there with a booth, and Mary Ann will be teaching classes and giving casting demonstrations.  I’ll have both of these two rods, a 7′  6″  2 piece/2 tip 5 wt Signature Series rod and a 7′  9″  2 piece/1 tip 4 wt Spring Creek Series rods at the show and available to cast.  If you are in the Bay Area, I encourage you to stop by the show….tons of fly fishing stuff, and 5 of us who build bamboo fly rods will be there.

A new 7′ 6″ 2 piece/2 tip 5 wt Signature Series Rod with black wraps and a new 7′ 9″ 2 piece/1 tip 4 wt Spring Creek Series rod with green wraps.

My New WEB Site

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If you’ve been to my site previously, you’ll notice a new look.  After much procrastination, I finally got to a much needed overhaul of my WEB site.  Many thanks to Meryl Schenker, a very talented professional photographer from Seattle, for some of the fantastic images on my new site.  I’m still tweeking a few of the site details a little so you may still see a few additional minor changes.  Hope you find my new site informative, easy to navigate, and useful.

What’s on my bench this week!

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I’m busy getting ready for The Fly Fishing Show http://flyfishingshow.com/pleasanton-ca/ in Pleasanton, California in 3 weeks.  I’ll have a booth at the show and Mary Ann will be teaching a few Fly Casting Classes.  I’ve been working at getting a couple of new rods done for the show.  First, I’ve just completed the wraps on a 7′  6″  5 wt Signature Series Rod and it will go into my varnish dipping process in the next day or two.  And, I’m also working on two new 7′  9″  4 wt Spring Creek Rods.  One will be completed for the show, and the second will get completed once I get back.  These are slow action rods, perfect for delicate presentations on spring creeks.  Here is a look:

7′ 6″ 5 wt Signature Series rod just ready for varnish dipping.

Two new 7′ 9″ 4 wt. Spring Creek Rods. On the right, a 2 piece/2 tip rod that just came out of the string after gluing. Next up, file off the glue and start cork and ferrules. The strips on the left are a second rod that is ready for hand planing.