I posted this on the rodmakers list last night.
Last year when I asked about a taper for a 1 wt bamboo rod I kind of got some flack. With the help of a list member we came up with a 1 wt taper based on the Sir D. It is a 6'3" true 1 wt bamboo rod. It was first cast at the SRG last year and got favorable comments. I also had it at the Catskill Gathering last month and also receive favorable comments. I decided to get out and fish it this evening . Headed to Crooked Creek with Mark Romaro from Rosco N.Y. and Fred Dupre from Dallas. Fred had the five wt I made for him this past July. I had not cast the 1 wt on water so this would be the first time to do it. Crooked Creek is my fun place to fish. Lots of bluegill and smallmouths along with some big carp. I tied on a sz 16 emerger and that same fly was used for the full time we were out. I got a hookup on the third cast. It was a nice palm size gill. Then hooked up with a 6" roach. The rod met all of my expectations and cleared some of the doubts I might of had about such a light rod. I was making easy 30' + casts when I needed to. Much over that I could not make a good hook set. Most of the fish caught and released were palm size gills with a few more roach and a shiner or two. I did catch one small (6") smallmouth Total of 46 fish on the 1 wt. Just before leaving I handed the 1 wt to Fred. He really liked the rod. He had handed me the 5 wt so I made a cast and hooked up with a palm size gill on the first cast. Then Mark cast the 1 wt and told me he was kind if concerned about casting such a light rod. That concern went away after the first few casts. Needless to say, I am more than pleased with the rod and the way it handles the palm size gills. This is the prototype, I have made four for clients and they are all pleased with them. One client fished his 1 wt in Wyoming for native brook trout, he was real happy with it. Fred was fishing for Smallmouths with a large fly. He got six large smallmouths.
Mark got about a dozen Gills. Arkansas Tony
