Fine Cane Rods - Bamboo Fly Fishing Homepage
Gary Marshall maker and restorer of split cane (bamboo) fly rods in Derby England
 
 
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Elite series rods
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Fly rods for sale

7ft 6in #3/4

A delightful smooth progressive action rod to a Ray Gould taper, RR108.  It is noted as being a 4 weight which it casts nicely but I like it with a DT3.  Beautiful light presentation.




This is a very clear blond rod with Arcap ferrules and a flor grade cigar grip.  H&H hard chrome snakes and a handmade agate butt ring.  It is whipped in Pearsalls Gossamer scarlet tipped black.  Finished in Spar varnish polished to a satin sheen.


The reelseat is by Strubel and is a downlocking cap and ring in lightweight aluminium with a clear anodised finish. The insert is Myrtle. It is not highly figured but has a nice reflective grain. Hard to picture!




The rod is for sale at £845 which includes a partitioned rod sock, ferrule stopper and aluminium tube.  Delivery to anywhere in the UK is included in the price or save £40 by picking it up!  Drop me an email for further details.  Garden casting trials welcome.

Elite series rod 8ft 0in #4/5 SOLD sorry

This is a hollow built Elite series rod that was made 2 years ago but has hardly been used.  It is in as new condition.

Based on the original E1 taper this rod has a slightly stiffer tip which makes it a very forgiving rod to cast.  It is suited to #4 and #5 weight lines.




The specifications are as follows:

8ft 2 piece single tip

Blond cane satin finish. Hollowbuilt.
RHW grip flor cork
Spalted walnut insert
Nickel silver sliding band reel seal
Agate stripper guide
REC recoil snakes
Titanium female ferrule
Aluminium Bronze male
Whipped Antique Gold tipped black.
Simple loop hook keeper




Sale details SOLD

This rod is offered for sale at £875 plus postage.  The sale includes the rod with ferrule stopper, a partitioned cloth sleeve and an aluminium tube.  This is a customer rod which I am selling on their behalf.
Postage with insurance will be about £40 in the UK.

If you have any queries or would like more photos just email me. 
g.marshall50@ntlworld.com

Available to inspect and to lawn cast.

Allcocks Leander 9ft


This rod looks to be hardly used.  Close whipped in green  with agatine tip and butt rings and bridge intermediates.

I have test cast with a DT7 and a WF5 but a line weight higher would probably be nearer correct.  However with the lines that I used it would cast easily to over 20m.

This is a heavy rod noted by Allcocks as being developed for New Zealand but sold later as a reservoir rod with aspirations of Sea Trout.
It is certainly adequately powerful but surprisingly easy to cast as it does not require a strong stiff wristed stop.

Take it down your local stillwater and have some fun!


For sale at £160 including postage in the UK or £130 if collected.

GR taper 7ft 6in #4/5 SORRY, SOLD!

This is a blond rod built with a nodeless construction and featuring a swelled butt.  It has an REC reel seat with an Olive Wood insert.  Rod finish is marine spar varnish polished to a soft gloss.

The handle is reverse half wells from Flor grade cork and the rod has a hanging ring hook keeper.  Ferrule set is Nickel Silver, REC I think, and the snake guides are bronze coloured, by Snake Brand.






This taper has been the basis of many very successful rods and appeals to those who want a strong fast action but with the cane benefit of loading with just a short line.  I've used it on the Derbyshire Wye a few times, landing several good trout but mostlty it has been used as a test rod in the garden.

It is as clean as the day it was made.  Whipping is Antique Gold tipped black finished translucent.  The butt ring is lined with pale agate and the frame is nickel silver, blued.

Elite mark 2 7ft6in Sold

Probably one of my best fly rods for a 3/4 line. The mark 2 is nodeless blond cane and hollow throughout.  It has titanium ferrules and thin wire snake guides.

The action is quick with a crisp progressive taper.  Agate lined butt ring, nickel silver ferrule stopper.  Whipping is Pearsalls Gossamer, Antique Gold tipped Java Brown.

The reelseat is cork with a burr casing and the fittings are titanium, all up weight is 3.35ozs.

The cigar shaped handle is made from the finest 1/4" shives.  The cane is finished to a soft gloss.

This rod has never been fished and is brand new.

All proceeds from the sale of this rod went to support the Ukrainian people.  Half went to UNICEF the other half to DEC.





For Sale 21 Feb 22

Dutton 2 piece 8ft, poor handle the rest OK.

Allcocks Leander 9ft close whipped, as new.  A powerful flyrod in original bag.

GR 7ft 6in blonde 2 piece nodeless.  One of my most popular tapers. Quite fast #5.  Excellent condition.

6ft 10in TLT taper 3/5.  Designed for TLT casting but can be used conventionally.

I can send pictures and detailed descriptions as required or you can come and inspect.  Email or ring if interested.

Smallstream rod, Sold sorry.

A rod genuinely in as built condition, not a single scratch. 6ft 6in for a 3 weight line making it an ideal rod for tight overgrown swims. It has an all through action with the tip well protected, my Smallstream taper. Casts very crisply with nice loops and offers good roll casting capability


Fitted with TIC snake guides and an agate lined butt ring the varnish is polished back to a satin finish to reduce glare. The handle is reverse half wells made out of selected 1/4" flor grade shives and needs no filling. The reel seat is an uplocking sliding ring of high grade nickel silver on a Walnut insert. The rod is constructed nodeless from very clean blond cane. Whipped in my signature colours of Antique Gold tipped Black and finished translucent.


It comes with a partitioned rod bag and aluminium tube.


FE Thomas 7ft 6in #3/4 Now sold, sorry.





Garrison 206. Now sold, sorry.

At 7ft 6in to cast a 4 or a 5 this is one of the most popular tapers ever produced.  It has been mildly modified to stiffen the cane before the grip which a gives a slightly crisper action whilst taking nothing away for the style of the original.

It is made from flamed cane with Garrison pattern noding and is fitted with high grade nickel alloy ferrules, blued and lacquered.

The handle is to the Garrison pattern as are the reel seat fittings.  The cork is made from selected Flor grade 1/4" shives, no filling required.  In place of a trim ring the transition from cane to cork is made with the classic Garrison style silk wrap and a  traditional keeper ring is fitted.  The insert is impregnated Red Mallee Burr.

The rings are grey TIC coated by H&H with an agate lined butt ring.

Whippings are in a wine coloured silk with dark tips.  The rod is finished in top grade spar varnish polished back to a satin finish.

The rod will be supplied in a partitioned rod bag in a custom made aluminium tube.







Fosters "The Brook" Now sold, sorry.


For sale 7ft 9in #4/5 Now sold, sorry.

This is a dark to mid flamed rod finished in spar varnish polished back to satin.

The taper is based on one of George Maurer's rods.  George who passed away a few years ago was an American rod maker and with Bernard Elser he wrote what I consider to be one of the best "how to" books on split cane rodmaking, "Fundamentals of Building a Bamboo Fly-Rod".  I recommend it to the people that I teach.  I have worked on a number of his rods over the years so this is my tribute to him.


The rod is a fairly fast progressive action and the taper features an unusual swell in the butt.  Unusual in that occurs some way above the handle not just above the cork.  The action is tip to middle with the lower section of the butt stiffer.  It is rated for a 4 weight line and marked as such but will also cast a 5.

Whipped in antique Elephant brand silk, burgundy in colour and tipped with Pearsalls antique gold.



The guides are TIC coated american  pattern snakes and the butt ring is a fine banded agate in a nickel silver frame.


The handle is a classic cigar shape made from selected flor grade cork.  The mortised reel seat features a red mallee burr insert and is a downlocking cap and ring style.



Sold.

The reel seat has been modified as shown below with the butt cap knurling at the reel foot entry.





8ft 0in #5 Leonard 50DF Now sold, sorry



Now sold, for the second time!   A brand new blond fly rod as pictured.  The rod casts a DT5 line although as is typical for cane rods it could handle a line weight either side.

Built from very clean blond cane and whipped in Chestnut silk with Dark Brown tipping, the silk is finished translucent.  The whole rod has been varnished with a high grade spar varnish and hand polished back to a silk finish.

The ferrule set is a modified Super Z pattern of my design and manufacture made from a high strength nickel alloy, blued.

The snake guides are Hopkins and Holloway american pattern in chrome finished stainless steel and the nickel silver framed agate butt ring is hand made by me.

The handle is from Flor grade cork in a reverse half wells pattern to suit the uplocking reel seat.  The reel seat metalwork is by Lemke concepts and the Mallee burr insert is turned by me.

This is nominally a dry fly rod but will handle single nymph happily.  It is a fairly fast progressive taper which can cast delicately whilst having power in the butt.  Its taper is based on the rod that I have used as a go to rod for the last 12 years and I've made it for several anglers in this country and in Norway.







8ft 6in Dickerson 8615 Now sold, sorry.

This is very much a big fish rod, in the UK it would suit stalking large trout in waters like Dever Springs.  That said it is quite easy to cast with either a DT6 or WF7 line.
It is 8ft 6in long and fitted with a Winston style full wells grip.  It is made from very pale blond cane and is part hollow built.

The ferrule set is high grade nickel silver, blued.  The reel seat has an uplocking screwlock with titanium colour anodising and an Amboyna burr insert.  The intermediate snakes are grey TIC coated and the butt ring is a generously sized pale grey agate.
Whipped in translucent finished tan silk with black tips.

Finished in marine spar varnish polished back to satin.

Supplied with an ebony ferrule stopper and a partitioned cloth bag.




SOLD

8ft GR taper rod for sale NOW SOLD sorry.





I made this rod a few years ago for an angler on the Cressbrook and Litton Waters.  It is ideally suited for all medium sized rivers whether dry fly or single nymphing.  Medium fast taper.

The owner returned the rod for me to sell as he is moving abroad but in the process he accidentally broke the tip.  As the rod has not been heavily used it made sense to replace the tip with new cane re-using the existing ferrule and guides.  New tip ring.  So in practical terms this is a virtually new rod.

Made from very clean blond cane with a satin/soft gloss finish, the guides are bronze Snake brand although most of the bronze has worn off which is typical.  The handle is RHW pattern and the reel seat is by REC.  The reel seat insert is spalted burr elm.  Blued nickel silver ferrule and agate lined butt ring.

The rod is marked as a 5 weight but will also happily cast a #4.



Dickerson 7012 SOLD


New and unused this lovely rod is just ready for some late season fishing.  It is a 7ft 0in #4 to the well respected Dickerson 7012 taper and comes with two matched tips.  It is supplied in a partitioned rod bag and comes complete with custom made aluminium tube.  As with most Dickersons it is a fairly fast actioned rod but nicely balanced and with a smooth casting stroke.


Conventionally built from blonde cane the rod is oil impregnated giving a satin finish.  It is fitted with snake brand bronze guides and an agate lined stripper, whipping is in clear silk with contrasting silk at ferrules.  The realseat is a downlocking screwlock by Struble in nickel silver featuring a very fine burr insert.  The classic cigar shaped handle is from the best flor grade cork.


The rod is for sale for £795 plus p&p.  SOLD If you would like a full specification and/or further pictures please let me know. 

The rods illustrated on this page will give some insight into the sort of rods I build but as most of my time is spent on restoration work and building rods on commission there are rarely rods up for sale. I keep the pictures of sold rods here just by way of illustration.

Having a rod built for your particular requirements costs no more than a listed new rod and will certainly be worth the wait. If you fancy one that has now been sold I can build you another one with fittings to suit your taste.

If you are not sure what you need I will be happy to suggest some options.

For an unbiased opinion an article from Fly Fishing and Fly Tying- where the rod shown below is reviewed - is reproduced on the articles page.

GR Special Dry Fly taper, 7ft 6in #4/5 - SOLD

GR special detail

I have re-acquired this rod see sale details below. The description is as it was originally listed and still holds good today.

This is a fast action Dry fly rod designed for fishing the upstream sections of the Derbyshire Rivers such as the Wye. It is particularly suited to the tighter stretches but will cast over 20 yards if required. It will form neat loops cast a short or long line with ease and accuracy and is suited to 4 or 5 weight double taper lines.

At 7ft 6in it is long enough to manage the marginal vegetation and works well under and around the numerous trees. It is finished in a hand rubbed varnish giving a soft gloss finish.

On its first outing this taper took 8 fish in an evening including Browns Rainbows and Grayling in Monsal Dale, its effectiveness is well proven.

The taper - which is particularly suited to those used to graphite rods - has also been built with good results at 8ft for those seeking a slightly longer rod.

The rod is blond and built in the nodeless style. It is fitted with an uplocking reel seat by REC mounted on a very fine Mallee Burl insert. The ferrule is titanium for lightness and the snakes are titanium alloy "recoil".

The whippings are translucent light olive tipped with olive giving an elegant and subtle finish. The handle is flor grade built and turned on the rod shaft.

GR handle

Sale Details - SOLD



GR Special taper, 8ft 0in #5 - SOLD



Sale Details - SOLD

6ft 6in #4 Midge rod SOLD

One for the small streams. A nice crisp actioned rod that still flexes deep enough to offer good feel for those tight space casts.

Constructed of nodeless blond cane with a soft gloss finish it is immaculate, no marks on the finish. The handle and reel seat are all flor grade cork to a Garrison style over whipped at the front and with a Nickel Silver down locking sliding ring reel seat.

It is straight and casts perfectly.

Dark agate lined butt ring, bronze snakes with no wear. Whipped Antique Gold tipped black.

It is fitted with a blued Nickel Silver ferrule set which is as tight as the day I fitted it.

If I was handed this rod and asked to comment on its condition I would say it was unused. I know however that it actually landed a fine fish first time out on the Yorkshire streams, it appears to have seen little action since then.


Sale Details

Cross taper, nodeless - Sorry, sold

Rod and creel

8ft-6in fast action hollow built. SOLD

A gave this rod a couple of outings to see how well it fulfilled the design intention as a stillwater rod. Casting over 25 yards reached the fish and felt best with a weight forward 7 although it would actually handle an 8! It is therefore being sold as used although it is as new.

Old and new

Specification

8ft 6inch extra fast taper to my design for a 6/7 weight. Hollow built in the butt and lower third of the tip. This a rod that can really cast, responds well to double haul and makes an excellent still water rainbow rod.

Weight is 5 1/2 ozs and the balance is perfect.

Ringed with Hopkins and Holloway black DLC guides and a blued nickel silver agate stripper with a great colour.

Silk work is scarlet tipped with black but on this flamed cane the result is a fantastic blood red. Overall effect is very elegant.

Reel seat is my own internally threaded design with a well figured Olive wood insert and butt button.

Detail photographs

Sale details. SOLD

Three very different rods

3 rods

From left to right these rods are:

A 7ft 3in fast action dry fly rod for a 5 weight. Intended for use in the 10 to 18 yard range this rod can cast very tight loops and is suited to dry fly or single nymph fishing on rivers. Blond finish with titanium ultra lightweight ferrule. Rings are fine wire snakes whipped in light olive tipped with highland green. The reel seat is my own cap and ring set with a yew insert. Rod weight 3 3/8 ozs.

A 7ft 9in medium to slow action rod, the "Para 14" with a flamed finish. Rings are black finished and the rod is whipped in my signature colours of antique gold tipped with black that look very elegant on a flamed rod. Reel seat is an REC uplocking anodised aluminium pattern with a very fine spalted burr elm insert. Very smooth casting rod one for the fluid artistic style of caster. Rod weight 3 7/8 ozs.

On the right is Paul Youngs "Para 15" taper. A powerful 8ft rod for a 5/6 weight line. As with the 14 this has a through action, flexing down to the butt, but this is medium rather than medium slow and much more powerful. Fitted with bronze finish snake guides and whipped in a dark burgundy silk. The reel seat is REC with highly figured burr elm insert. Rod weight 4 3/4 ozs.

The two flamed rods have blued nickle silver, agate lined butt rings, plum coloured on the Para 14 and white on the 15. The blond rods butt ring is lined with jade and the frame is kept bright.

Further details of thes rods can be found below.

Left  to Right, rods 5, 4 and 3 butt rings

From left to right these are "Para 15", "Para 14" and Blond Dry fly rod. A clear agate, a plum coloured agate and a jade liner.

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