The
rod is absolutely super looking. "Understated Elegance" would
be a nice catalog description. The bamboo work is superb. All the corners
are sharp on the hex and it's straight as an arrow. The finish on this
blonde rod is a rubbed oil finish that has a wonderful satin sheen instead
of a high gloss finish you often see on bamboo. Very classy. The hardware
is bright, mostly nickel silver. The ferrule and guide wraps are a rich
brown color, like dark motor oil. They're tipped in very dark brown,
almost black. The silk wraps are somewhat transparent - you can see the
guide feet under them. This is a really nice look and absolutely comes
to life in the sunshine. The uplocking reel seat has a burl madrone insert.
From butt to tip the rod is seven feet. The rod performed exactly as
expected, maybe better. As soon as I adjusted to the pace casting became
very "automatic", almost like the rod is an extension of your
finger. That kind of casting quality made the rod a really efficient
tool to fish with. And what a pleasure! For the first time on small water
I really felt like I had complete control over the line. Every cast was
straight on the money, unfurling in the air like it's supposed to and
landing soft as a feather. The action of my rod was intended to be a
little on the fast side for bamboo.
Carl Hanson, St. Petersburg, FLCarl Hanson's remarks about his 5' 4wt rod: "I love it! I've been flyfishing for 75 years. This is the sweetest rod I have ever held in my hand."
Carl Hanson has been promoting, and teaching fly tying and fly casting every Tuesday night at his home continuously for the last 30 years. Carl also invented the Glass Minnow.
Carl passed away in 1998, he has had a profound and lasting impact on everyone that knew him.
Andrew Nowlan, Madison, WIIn the world of fly fishing, where "The Latest" in fly fishing equipment has such a prominent place in our sport, and I do like "The Latest" in equipment, I have always been drawn to bamboo. Was it the image that cane portrayed which drew me to cane? Perhaps at first, but as I developed as a fly fisherman fishing almost exclusively spring creeks, it became the casting qualities of bamboo that convinced me of my need for cane!
I met Jon in the most unlikely of places...the internet.
When I ordered my first Twin Pines rod, I had never even cast one before.
But somehow, I knew that Jon was indeed the builder for me. I was right!
My Twin Pines rod is everything I could have hoped for and more. Much
more.
Before my Twin Pines rod, I had not done a lot of casting with modern cane rods. For those of you who are unsure about the difference between old cane rods and modern cane rods, there is a great deal of difference. There is no comparison frankly. Old cane is slow or whippy, off balance and cumbersome. A Twin Pines is lively and smooth. My Twin Pines is a perfect balance of delicacy and power. I am not a great caster, but with my Twin Pines rod, even I can lay a dry fly down on the water without a ripple. I have graphite casting friends who feel they can cast just as far with my cane as they can cast with their graphite.
Granted, perhaps cane is not ideally suited for every situation, but for me, fishing to picky trout of spring creeks, cane is perfect. My Twin Pines fly rod is perfect.
(Check out Andrew Nowlan's Southern WI Flyfishing Page)
Jon's rods are perfect in design, taper, construction and performance. Compared to the classic fly rods I own, (Payne, Carlson, Thomas, Krieder, Leonard) and present day masters (Taylor, Clark, Howell, Thomas & Thomas), Jon is in their league.
He instructed me in the art of making cane rods. He exhausted me doing the number of quality steps and checks he makes, before and after each of the numerous stages of construction. His "Twin Pines" tapers make the rod seem alive. You get the impression it wants to cast for you.
I heartily endorse Jon and his rods.