End to another great season!

[Streamside 0]

Last winter I had built myself four new rods for the up coming season. A 6' , 1 pc # 4 wt "Paul Young Smidgen" for small stream fishing. I actually built four of these sold two and kept two. A 7' 9" 1/2 # 5 wt 2 pc "H&I Tonka Queen" for high stick nymphing and chuckin streamers. A 7' 2 pc # 4 wt "Arundo" {Simply means cane rod in latin} {my own taper} as a general purpose rod. I built two, sold one and kept one for myself and my specially built ultralight 6' 6" 2pc # 2-3 wt } actually closer to a # 2 wt dry fly rod that I aptly named "Grand Finesse" for when the caddis action got really hot .

I had been testing balancing and adjusting my rods all winter long at the local arena until I had them just perfect and couldn't wait for opening day. Man I was like a kid waiting for Santa. Everything was already packed in my vehicle the night before and my check list was checked and double checked twice, but I was still waiting for my Phoenix lines to arrive. They where supposed to arrive that morning but never came. I was sure I was going to miss opener, but they finally arrived 8:00 pm the eve of opening day by coriour. Geeze! talk about cutting it close to the bell! It was a mad rush to get spooled, get the lines greased and worked in and hoping they where the right # wt Everything worked out great and I ended up test casting the lines under the light of the street lamps in our church parking lot at 10:00 pm. The only thing left for me to do was pick a rod off the rack and head out the door the next morning. Pick a rod! Simple decision right??? Hardly, It was kind of windy and I knew better, I knew I should at least be taking a # 4 wt, but I just couldn't get that little 6' 6" dry rod out of my head. I just had to try it out so I grabbed it and off I went and tried not to look back at the rack. When I got to the river, the wind had increased. That particular section of the river is like a bloody wind tunnel. I stood there shaking my head " Why oh why didn't I grab that 4 wt.....?" "Oh well, I'm here now might as well give it a try." There was nothing rising so I slipped on a blood worm and made my first cast. Wow! To my astonishment, that Phoenix DT silk line cut through that wind like a hot knife through butter and it didn't matter how windy it got and It mended like heaven. I never had a single problem with the wind all day and we're talkin windy here.There was actually a couple times when it nearly blew my Filson right off my head.

On my third drift just as my fly dropped over the ledge my needle knot slipped below the surface. I instinctively set the hook. That little cane rod bowed over like a rainbow and absorbed everything that fish could dish out on that 7x and I eventually landed my first trout of the season on my new rod. Not a huge fish, only 15" but I was in sheer heaven. If my day had of ended right there I would have went home a happy man but I went on to catch fish all day long.

Fighting those fresh feisty early season browns on that little 6' 6" 2 wt using 7x was an absolute riot. Up until that point, I had never had a more fun day fly casting in my life. The next morning I didn't even wait for the alarm. I was up dressed, had breakfast, and grabbed that little rod and I was out the door. This time there was no decisions to be made. I was taking that dry rod and that's all there was to it. To make a long story short, over the next few days I just fell in love with my little dry rod. If someone had of asked me last year, what my favorite setup for trout was, I certainly wouldn't have said a 6' 6" # 2 wt. LOL, but I fished that little rod all season. Not just dries, but nymphs streamers, bucktails you name it. It will cast just about anything with the right leader combo and it will land a dry on the water so gentle it must be seen to be believed. I have hauled 50' casts with the little bugger. The rod has also improved my casting greatly because it is so short There is no room for error. I don't know about you, but by the end of an eight or ten hour day on the water, I start to get awful tired and my casting form gets pretty sloppy. But because it is only 6' 6" long and throws a soft wide loop, typical of cane, your fly is only a foot or two off the water all the time so it tends to make me pay a little more attention where my stops are and keep my shoulder high and use a lot more drift in my forward cast. The only thing I have found wrong with it or don't like about it is if you are wading deep, like half way up your chest, it is too short and it makes it very hard to keep your fly off the water when false casting. Other than that I can't say one bad thing about it.

The only other rod that left the rack all summer was the # 4 "Arundo" as a back-up . The only time it ever left the tube was if someone came by and wanted to try it out. I only fished it once all season myself. Every trout I got this season was taken on that 6' 6" # 2 wt "Grand Finesse" dry rod using either 6x or 7x tippet and no.... I did not over stress these fish. I have been doing this a long...long time. They where all released healthy and unharmed to swim another day. The only fish I would say that was stressed out, was my largest fish taken on it and it was actually not a trout at all, but a 6 1\2 lb carp taken closing day on a 7x. I fought him for at least a 1\2 hour and I have to admit he was pretty damn tired, but then again so was I LOL. I could have busted him off at any time, but I just wanted to see if the rod would actually pull it off. Amazingly it never even put a set in the rod. It is undoubtedly my favorite rod.

 

Now my rods are all cleaned and polished and sitting neatly in their rack, reels are stripped and lubed, lines cleaned, dressed and hanging neatly from the rafters awaiting a new opening day and a brand new season. And so it is I bid a fond farewell to another wonderful year of trout fishing on the Grand. Now the only thing left for me to do until the Steelies get here is go through my annual end of season ritual of changing photos in my fly tying desk.

 

Enjoy the eye candy!

 

Peace all!

 

Streamside

 

 

 

My "Grand Finesse

 

Amber agate stripping guide

 

 

 

Vacume Impregnated

 

 

 

Birdseye custom made x long seat and

 

matching reel handle Leonard NS cap and ring hardware. Lamson Litespeed 1 reel

 

 

"Streamside Grande Finesse" Simple but elegant

 

chestnut silk wraps with matching script.

 

 

 

 

 

The Fish

 

Last season

 

 

 

New fish this season

 

 

Last fish of the season closing day / 04 6 1/2 lb carp

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Carlin 0]

Awesome Streamside. Absolutely awesome!!

 

I've got a newly finished 3wt that won't see the light of day until spring. I hope it has the character and stamina of your Grand Finesse.

 

Care to share her taper?

[mcfly 0]

Step away from the fly rod Streamside

 

Very nice obsession you have there! All these bamboo rod builders are a bad influence on the rest of us.

 

 

I will not buy a book on bamboo rod building.

I will not buy a book on bamboo rod building.

I will not buy a book on bamboo rod building.

I will not buy a book on bamboo rod building.

I will not buy a book on bamboo rod building.

I will not buy a book on bamboo rod building.

I will not buy a book on bamboo rod building.

I will not buy a book on bamboo rod building.

 

 

[Pujic 0]

Very nice Streamside! Beautiful work as always.

We should hook up on the Grand next season!

[Streamside 0]

QUOTE (Carl @ Oct 4 2004, 02:11 AM)

Awesome Streamside.  Absolutely awesome!!  I've got a newly finished 3wt that won't see the light of day until spring.  I hope it has the character and stamina of your Grand Finesse. Care to share her taper?

Thanks Carl, appreciate the complement. I am also very impressed with the craftmanship you are putting into the FTOTY nodeless prize rod. Very nice work indeed. Also the way you presented this project with all the interactive polls was a very good idea. Someone is going to be very happy.

 

You will have to send me a pick of that new 3wt. Love to see it. I just ordered all the parts for my new 1 wt I'm making for next season.

 

QUOTE

Care to share her taper?

 

I knew you where going to ask me that question. Please PM me on that matter.

 

Streamside

 

 

 

[Streamside 0]

QUOTE (mcfly @ Oct 4 2004, 09:00 AM)

Step away from the fly rod Streamside  Very nice obsession you have there!  All these bamboo rod builders are a bad influence on the rest of us.  I will not buy a book on bamboo rod building. I will not buy a book on bamboo rod building. I will not buy a book on bamboo rod building. I will not buy a book on bamboo rod building. I will not buy a book on bamboo rod building. I will not buy a book on bamboo rod building. I will not buy a book on bamboo rod building. I will not buy a book on bamboo rod building.

i]I will not buy a book on bamboo rod building.

I will not buy a book on bamboo rod building.

I will not buy a book on bamboo rod building.

I will not buy a book on bamboo rod building.

I will not buy a book on bamboo rod building.

I will not buy a book on bamboo rod building.

I will not buy a book on bamboo rod building.

I will not buy a book on bamboo rod building.[/i]

 

 

 

It wont help

 

Streamside

[Streamside 0]

QUOTE (Pujic @ Oct 4 2004, 09:18 AM)

Very nice Streamside! Beautiful work as always. We should hook up on the Grand next season!

Thanks Nick and sure. Grand sounds good. I wanted to do it this season but never got to it. Where abouts are you located?

 

Streamside

[Steeldrifter 0]

Wow very nice streamside, both the fish and the purrdy rod!

[mcfly 0]

QUOTE

It wont help

 

Lol.. Your probably right. ...Well I could have my wife buy me one as a present. Then I can blame her when she asks why I'm buying bamboo!

[Carlin 0]

QUOTE

I just ordered all the parts for my new 1 wt I'm making for next season.

 

A 1wt!! I'd love to see pics and hear a report on how it casts/fishes when its done. Please keep us informed.

[Streamside 0]

QUOTE (Carl @ Oct 5 2004, 03:05 PM)

QUOTE I just ordered all the parts for my new 1 wt I'm making for next season.   A 1wt!! I'd love to see pics and hear a report on how it casts/fishes when its done. Please keep us informed. Hey Carl last minute change in plans. I just bought this new Hardy " 2 3/4 Baby Bougle and another 2-3 wt Phoenix silk line off ebay. I was just checkin out to see what was there and seen this reel and line with a good buy it now price, so I scooped it. Looks like I'm going to be making another 2-3 wt rather than a 1 wt. It all works out ok because the parts I have coming for the rod will still work. I'll probably still make the 1 wt at a later date.     "Good things come to those who wait"   Streamside

[Carlin 0]

That's a nice setup Streamside, and not a bad BIN price either. Especially with the Phoenix - and they're both new! Sweet.

QUOTE

Looks like I'm going to be making another 2-3 wt rather than a 1 wt.

Can never have too many, right?

[Streamside 0]

Ya the price blew me away. It only took me about 3 seconds to make up my mind. Hardy isn't making the baby anymore and they're getting a little scarcer all the time. The guy i bought it from was great too. He generously covered all shipping and Ins costs. I'm very pleased. I was going to order a 3" Bougle from my local shop. They wanted $585.00 CAD just for the reel. Gotta love ebay, no shipping, no taxes you might as well consider I got the Phoenix line for practically nothing.

[Pujic 0]

Streamside I live in Belleville, about 3 hours from the Grand. It's not exactly close but the drive is well worth it. I can't wait!

 

If you ever find yourself out this way please by all means let me know.

 

[Streamside 0]

QUOTE (Pujic @ Oct 6 2004, 09:39 AM)

Streamside I live in Belleville, about 3 hours from the Grand. It's not exactly close but the drive is well worth it. I can't wait! If you ever find yourself out this way please by all means let me know.

Will do Nick. As soon as I can get a little free time. I'll send you some pics and recipes of some esential Grand patterns, so you can tie some up over the winter.

 

John