A message for lovers of Laphraoig and Bamboo

Alfred W. Miller, known to all as Sparse Grey Hackle, and known for
the fine H.L. Leonard and Garrison split bamboo fly rods he fished,
was not a fan of modern fly rod technology.

"Sparse," one fellow member joked recently at the Angler's Club, "when
are you going to fish fiberglass?"

The old man took a thoughtful swallow of straight Laphroaig, a
special pot-still whiskey so strong it numbs the tongue. "I'll fish
fiberglass," Sparse muttered behind his steel rimmed spectacles, "the
morning after some concertmaster plays a concerto at Carnegie Hall on
a plastic violin!"

from Ernest G. Schwiebert, _Trout_ - 1975

vincent p. norris wrote:
Alfred W. Miller, known to all as Sparse Grey Hackle, and known for
the fine H.L. Leonard and Garrison split bamboo fly rods he fished,
was not a fan of modern fly rod technology.

"Sparse," one fellow member joked recently at the Angler's Club, "when
are you going to fish fiberglass?"

The old man took a thoughtful swallow of straight Laphroaig, a
special pot-still whiskey so strong it numbs the tongue. "I'll fish
fiberglass," Sparse muttered behind his steel rimmed spectacles, "the
morning after some concertmaster plays a concerto at Carnegie Hall on
a plastic violin!"

Most classical violinists these days use synthetic (plastic) strings.
Old fashioned gut strings are out of favor because they go out of tune
frequently, they must be tuned constantly while they stretch, they are
very sensitive to changes in temperature and humidity, and they are more
expensive than most other strings.

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.

On Wed, 16 Feb 2005 01:22:51 GMT, rw wrote:

vincent p. norris wrote:
Alfred W. Miller, known to all as Sparse Grey Hackle, and known for
the fine H.L. Leonard and Garrison split bamboo fly rods he fished,
was not a fan of modern fly rod technology.

"Sparse," one fellow member joked recently at the Angler's Club, "when
are you going to fish fiberglass?"

The old man took a thoughtful swallow of straight Laphroaig, a
special pot-still whiskey so strong it numbs the tongue. "I'll fish
fiberglass," Sparse muttered behind his steel rimmed spectacles, "the
morning after some concertmaster plays a concerto at Carnegie Hall on
a plastic violin!"

Most classical violinists these days use synthetic (plastic) strings.
Old fashioned gut strings are out of favor because they go out of tune
frequently, they must be tuned constantly while they stretch, they are
very sensitive to changes in temperature and humidity, and they are more
expensive than most other strings.

aww....

some things are best left unsaid, ya know? ;-)

"rw" wrote in message
nk.net...

Most classical violinists these days use synthetic (plastic) strings.
[snip] they are more expensive than most other strings.

While the strings are of plastic, the instrument is made of wood, the sound
of which resonating through the wooden instrument can not be replicated by a
molded plastic.

Just because a fly fisher uses a plastic line on a bamboo rod does not mean
that a plastic fly rod can ever be as good a cane rod made by a skilled
human.

Wayne Knight wrote:
"rw" wrote in message
nk.net...


Most classical violinists these days use synthetic (plastic) strings.
[snip] they are more expensive than most other strings.


While the strings are of plastic, the instrument is made of wood, the sound
of which resonating through the wooden instrument can not be replicated by a
molded plastic.

That's true for the time being, but it won't necessarily be true in the
future. This antiquarian attitude is so pessimistic. When the last
Stradivarius or Guarneri is destroyed or lost, will we never again hear
violin music played as well?

Just because a fly fisher uses a plastic line on a bamboo rod does not mean
that a plastic fly rod can ever be as good a cane rod made by a skilled
human.

Using a bamboo rod is not a rational, utilitarian choice. It's an
aesthetic or nostalgic choice. By any objective measure (price,
performance, weight, durability, etc.), graphite rods are better.

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.

In Wayne and Steve's semi annual banter about cane vs graphite..........

"rw" wrote in message
nk.net...

That's true for the time being, but it won't necessarily be true in the
future. This antiquarian attitude is so pessimistic. When the last
Stradivarius or Guarneri is destroyed or lost, will we never again hear
violin music played as well?

I think you confuse violin music played as well with the sound of the music.

Just because a fly fisher uses a plastic line on a bamboo rod does not
mean that a plastic fly rod can ever be as good a cane rod made by a
skilled human.

Using a bamboo rod is not a rational, utilitarian choice. It's an
aesthetic or nostalgic choice. By any objective measure (price,
performance, weight, durability, etc.), graphite rods are better.

Coming from a scientist type, that objective measure thingie there is a
joke. By your subjective measure perhaps. Graphite rods have it over cane in
cost, the weight difference for most is a non event. What you fail to grasp
is the performance of a well made cane rod is always better than graphite
and the durability of cane, is often better than graphite,

Are they making working hearts out of plastic yet?

Wayne Knight wrote:

Are they making working hearts out of plastic yet?

Nope. They're still using bamboo.

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.

Wayne Knight wrote:

Coming from a scientist type, that objective measure thingie there is a
joke. By your subjective measure perhaps. Graphite rods have it over cane in
cost, the weight difference for most is a non event.

Weight is a very big event for me.

What you fail to grasp
is the performance of a well made cane rod is always better than graphite
and the durability of cane, is often better than graphite,

Not intending to steal Daytripper's thunder, horsepucky.

I'm confident that a graphite rod could be manufactured to replicate, to
an imperceptible difference, the action of ANY bamboo rod. Of course,
that's not done, because the design parameters of bamboo are far more
limited than those of graphite, so why settle for something inferior? As
to durability, I'll concede that graphite rods are more prone to brittle
failures, but the nearly universal availability of warranties makes that
moot. Just carry an extra tip if you're worried about missing some
fishing time. The convenience of the lack of care demanded by graphite
rods vs. bamboo rods more than makes up for it, IMO. Ride 'em hard and
put 'em away wet.

It's revealing that a self described gear whore is the champion of
bamboo rods. If you get so much satisfaction out of stacks of expensive,
mostly unused gear, more power to you. Each to his own. Just don't try
to convert me to that point of view. The actual fishing is the main
event for me. Gear is merely a means to an end.

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.

rw wrote:

That's true for the time being, but it won't necessarily be true in the
future. This antiquarian attitude is so pessimistic. When the last
Stradivarius or Guarneri is destroyed or lost, will we never again hear
violin music played as well?

Actually, the question would more appropriately be: If the
craftsmanship skills necessary to make a top-notch violin are not passed
on from generation to generation, will we have lost something valuable?

Substitute the words "cane rod" for "violin" above.

Using a bamboo rod is not a rational, utilitarian choice. It's an
aesthetic or nostalgic choice. By any objective measure (price,
performance, weight, durability, etc.), graphite rods are better.

Possibly. Just like power tools are more efficient for woodworking.
However, for some folks the process is as important as the end-result.

And who's to say that aesthetics shouldn't play a role in
rod-selection/fishing? Otherwise, wouldn't we all just be chucking live
bait?


Chuck Vance (who has never even used a 'boo rod, but thinks
"utilitarian" is not the end-all)

Conan the Librarian wrote:

And who's to say that aesthetics shouldn't play a role in
rod-selection/fishing? Otherwise, wouldn't we all just be chucking live
bait?

I'm certainly not saying that, and I'm not saying that someone is a fool
to use bamboo rod.

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.