Friends of GW
The Friends of Golden Witch page is a place where you can find contact info for folks across, and outside, our industry. Generally speaking, if an individual or company lands a spot here, we have some sort of reciprocal relationship, but not necessarily a financial one. Since we’re just launching this page, it’s nearly empty, but it will fill over time. For example, we support a lot of rodmaking groups, but we don’t have many listed yet.
Rodmakers
Rod & Image by Chris Carlin
Hobbyist or Professional, if you use Golden Witch or Arcane components, tools, and so forth – and if you advertise this fact on your website, please let us know. We’ll work up a reciprocal link.
Chris Carlin, Maker. Far North Rodsmiths. http://carlinbamboo.com/. Chris Carlin has been making bamboo rods professionally for over a decade based out of his small shop located in Anchorage, Alaska. He makes both rods and blanks utilizing custom designed or classic tapers in hexagonal and quadrate configurations.
Restorationists
These gentlemen are the go-to fellows if you need a venerable old rod restored. When I discover a lady restorationist, I’ll put her at the top of the list – ladies first! – and I’ll change the wording on this preface.
Michael Sinclair’s Cane Clinic. http://www.caneclinic.com/ Michael makes the famous Color Guard color preserver which we now sell on the Golden Witch website. If you need the book on rod restoration, please contact Michael through his website. You’ll be seeking The Bamboo Rod Restoration Handbook.
Instructors
George Deagle – Rainbow Alley Cane Rods
Philosophy: This activity has to be both enjoyable for participants, as well as a source of pride in acquired skills and knowledge. As a bonus, each student will take home a rod that will only require final guide wrapping and finish application. The course represents a very economical way to acquire a cane rod, but of equal value will be the chance to see and try out a variety of rodmaking tools and techniques. This will be especially useful for those hoping to continue the craft of making bamboo rods.
Location: The shop is on Quadra Island, a short 10 min. ferry ride from Campbell River, B.C.; this modest city is the self-proclaimed “Salmon Capital Of The World” and home to the famous “Tyee Club”.
Contact information: Telephone: (250) 285-3599 (home)
E-mail is: bamboofishers@gmail.com.
Course details:
Instruction is available either on the traditional planing form, or using the Morgan Hand Mill.
Course duration is an introductory Friday evening, followed by 5 full days of instruction and workshop time. Lunches are provided on-site.
The usual rod choice for class instruction is a two-piece 7 1/2 ft. fly rod. Every effort is made to consult participants, so that they end up with a rod that suits their angling opportunities. A fine rod bag and quality case are provided to facilitate getting your new rod back home, safe and sound!
At least one class each year will feature construction of a bamboo trolling rod: these light tackle “3/6” boat rods are a blast to build and to fish with, especially useful if using light tackle and fishing them by rowing a small skiff. Cane “3/6” boat rods are noted for their sensitivity and strength, having been used to catch chinook or “spring” salmon over 70 lb. in the Tyee Club’s annual competition.
Only the best high quality cane and rod components are provided to each participant for construction of their rod. There is just too much time, energy and care invested in making a cane rod to depreciate the experience by utilizing inferior components; others might say “too much blood, sweat and tears” are invested, but that is not my experience.
We can accommodate up to 3 students at a time. There is flexibility in the dates that future classes will be scheduled; at the moment class space is available for both early and late autumn 2017, as well as early in 2018.
Anyone interested in this potential experience is warmly invited to give us a call or to send us an E-mail. References are available from established rodmakers, as well as from former students.
References & Journals
The Planing Form. TPF is now on the web at www.clamriverclassics.com . This is THE print journal for bamboo rod enthusiasts in the US, and there’s plenty within each issue to tempt overseas makers and anglers, too. You can contact the editor, Kirk Brumels, at clamriverclassics@yahoo.com, or you can mail him the old fashioned way at: P.O. Box 131, Macatawa, MI 49434, USA.
Groups We Support
If we support your group and you’re not listed, please kick us. If you’d like us to support you with a donation, we’ll give you a hint if you want to be considered: we are bombarded with donation requests and there’s only so much we can give away and still remain in business so we can make future donations…and here’s the hint….personal notes are the ones that make it past Nikki’s trash can and onto Russ’s desk for consideration. It also helps if the person making the request is a client. It helps even more if the group is Devoted (note the capital D) to rodmaking. If we’ve helped your group on the past and members of your group have reached out to say “thanks!,” well, trust us, that means a lot. And to put “bombarded” in perspective, we receive more donation requests by mail each week than we receive orders by mail (thankfully, there’s the internet for most orders). Everyone wants free stuff. We do our level best to be generous within certain sustainable limits.
Pennsylvania Fly Fishing Museum http://www.paflyfishing.org/
Lockhaven University Fly Fishing Club https://www.facebook.com/LHU-Fly-Fishing-Club-462472253825497/
The Southern Rodmakers Gathering http://southernrodmakers.blogspot.com/
Rodmakers at Grayrock http://rodmakersatgrayrock.org/
Colorado Rodmakers Reunion http://coloradorodmakers.org/
The Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum http://www.cffcm.com/
Cressy Cane http://www.troutbeat.com/cressycane/cressy-cane.html