"You know, there's never a time when I'm not fishing - just days when I can't do it in the water."
The Makers Rod '98 was an extraordinary bamboo fly-rod presentation package raffled for a special cause - stream conservation projects on the fabled AuSable and Manistee rivers of north central Michigan. For the rod makers who are participated in construction of The Makers Rod '98, the project was an opportunity to demonstrate love of their craft and concern for our fisheries resources.
The cane rod that was the centerpiece of the grand prize presentation package was a 7' 6" 4 weight, 3-piece, 2 tipped rod. Twenty-eight [28] different rod makers from across the United States took part in its construction. The rod was fitted with ferrules provided by Classic Sporting Enterprises and a reel seat by Bellinger Reel seats. After the fly rod was assembled each maker signed their work. Never before has such an impressive national cross-section of cane rod makers collaborated in the construction of a single rod.
In addition to this very special cane rod, The Makers Rod '98 grand prize presentation package included: an exquisite handmade Italian briar-wood reel; a one-of-a-kind fly line designed and produced specifically for the Makers Rod by Bruce Richards of 3M-Scientific Anglers; a custom suede rod sack stitched by Dorothy Schramm of FFF and Flygirls; and, an elegant hand tooled and engraved leather rod case from James Acord of Turtlemoon Studios.
Over 350 Makers Rod raffle tickets were sold and, due to the generous efforts of the RODMAKERS who participated in the project, proceeds totaling $15,000 were presented by the George Mason Chapter of Trout Unlimited. Plus, An Additional $9,000 to other Projects.
The complete listing of makers participating in the Makers Rod 2000 project follows:
The Makers Rod 2000 was an extraordinary bamboo fly-rod presentation package that was raffled for a special cause - stream conservation projects on the fabled AuSable and Manistee rivers of north central Michigan. The Makers Rod 2000 Raffle was sponsored by the George Mason Chapter of Trout Unlimited and was also supported by the Great Lakes Council of the Federation of Fly Fishers and the Trout Bum Bar-B-Q.
For the rod makers who participated in construction of the Makers Rod 2000, the project was an opportunity to demonstrate love of their craft and concern for our fisheries resources. For one lucky individual, it became be an opportunity to own one of the most unique bamboo fly rods ever made.
The Makers Rod 2000 Raffle project was a most unique undertaking in several respects. The cane rod that is the centerpiece of the grand prize presentation package is a 7' 6" 4 weight, 3-piece, 2 tipped rod. Twenty-four different rod makers from across the United States took part in its construction.
Each cane rod maker hand planed one of the triangular strips, six of which are glued together to for the familiar hexagonal shape of a bamboo fly rod; each rod maker signs his or her work. This was only the second time that such an impressive national cross-section of cane rod makers has collaborated in the construction of a single rod. The Makers Rod '98 Raffle was the first of these unique efforts.