doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Bamboo and Doubles

I personally like the finer things in life. I am not a rich man but I strive to have the very best I can afford. And in many instances more than I can afford.

Wax poetic about bamboo rods if you like, but I have never seen a sport using one to have anything other than a modern (i.e., plastic) line slithering through the guides. Yes, you can still buy silk lines, but nostalgia has limits and practicality takes over.

If you can still buy silk lines, some "sport" must be using them. I was not aware that they were available. More power to 'em.

I enjoy fine split bamboo rods too. Like a fine shotgun do they fish better that a fiberglass rod, probably not. But like a nice shotgun I appreciate the hand workmanship and the small number of the ones made.




John Boyd

I used to fish silk lines regularly. The older rods I was using had the smaller line guides. Silk is 3 times denser and only 1/3 the diameter of modern lines. It's great to use but....it does have a care and feeding component. There are now modern equivalents that mimic silk's characteristics. Sylk was one.

Never used silk lines on any of my split cane rods--Have I missed out on something? Uncle Ed had a 3 pc. Montague "Rapidan" 81/2 ft. rod, Pflueger 1494 reel RHW-and always unspooled the silk line for the Winter "put-away" and then re-dressed it before the April opener-- I can see a silk line for dry fly work, but for nymphing and streamers, I am not so sure. Even if I wanted to use some, how do you match up a silk line with a modern synthetic line, ie" My favorite dry fly rig is: My Pre-fire Leonard 49- Bogdan reel and a Wulffm 4/5 trtiangle taper line and appropriate leaders. So what scale or chart do I need to match the action I get with that combo-- using No. 16 Adams, and No. 20 midges??RWTF

I realize it has been a common perception that silk lines are much thinner than modern day plastic lines. In a small survey done on the Classic Flyrod Forum, it was found that on average that DT4 silk fly lines are actually only about 11% thinner than DT4F plastic fly lines. Having found this, I have a Phoenix DT1 silk line that runs about the same diameter as an Orvis DT1F plastic line that I have.

http://classicflyrodforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=148326

Just like shooting a SxS adds to the experience, silk fly lines adds to the experience as well — it’s all part of the experience and tradition.

Some people just want their tools to work.

I think many vintage items are more like totems for their owners. They don’t actually get used. They mostly just get looked at and fondled.
Which is all cool with me.

I’d like a glass rod, because that’s what I grew up with.

I have other high tech rods that cast far better

But I like the feel of a glass rod. They load differently.

I fished for salmon, with an Orvis rod that was made in Scotland, that was just a treat to hold in my hand.
I’ve never cast with another rod that compared.

I probably have a bunch of silk flylines packed away in my warehouse. Inherited stuff.
Since I live right by scientific anglers, I tend to support the local team.

An Orvis rod made in Scotland, must be one rare bird, eh?

I’d be the first to say, IDK.
The keeper handed it to me.
I was instantly impressed with how are the rod handled, and he and I begin to talk about it.
I looked right at the labels.
Edited to add:
I may be misremembering the brand label, but not the country of manufacture.
I’ll make an effort tomorrow to locate pictures of the outfit.

It was important to the estate to be using locally produced equipment.
I have no idea of the age, or collectibility, or provenance of the rod.

I can fish any rod and be happy. It just has to feel right in my hand and the fly has to do what I want it to do.
That’s why rod designers have jobs. A rod for every hand that pleases the owner.

I am definitely more in the “it has to work“ category.