WV Local Bamboo Rod Maker Talent: Bob Henderson

I met Bob last year at the Somerset Show and loved some of his warm water bamboo tapers. So this year I asked him if I could do a quick review on my blog about his rodmaking venture. His unique and niched skillset makes him a standout local talent in West Virginia.

 D-Bob what inspired you to build your first fly rod?
B-I suppose I had the bug from my father at a young age. He taught me some very basic skills about hand planing but I did not start using them till I was in my late 40’s for turnkeying a bamboo fly rod. Honestly I could not afford the rods that I took a liking to so out of sheer necessity I started delving into crafting my own. After making around a half dozen rods I decided that I should give some to my fishing buddies and it took off from there.
D-Have you sold many rods lately?
B- I probably have sold about a dozen or so in the last year. The economy has really put the skids on a lot of things around here in WV. Flyfishing in general has experienced some real hardships in the last few years from a retailers standpoint. I have friends in Charleston that had to lay a bunch of people off in their fly shop. Its sad but I suppose it allows everyone to sit back and realize that it cannot always be peachy and profitable like in the 90’s. I like to think of my rod making venture as a slow and blossoming personal quest. I have a small group of guys down south that keep me busy making not only trout rods but bamboo panfish rods both for baitcasting and flyfishing. I’d say 60 percent of the rods I’m currently making are for smallmouth and panfish. They really go for rods such as these in the state of Texas too. Whereas a trout rod may not float their boat as much.
D-What kind of tapers have inspired you in regards to warm water bamboo rods?
B- Some of the more renown parabolic makers such as Paul Young have great tapers for heavier bushy fly’s. Some of his Para series can be really tweaked and beefed up to make great Smallie or Largemouth rods. Paul Young tapers have a lot of reserve power so if you start out with his taper dimensions and push the numbers around a bit what you end up with is a really great warm water rod suitable for many kinds of fish especially carp when you get it up to 8 and 9 weights. I just made a carp bamboo fly rod for a gentleman down south, its a 9wt. and he really is a carp specialist at heart but also loves the bamboo feel.
D- Do you have any recommendations for a guy like myself that wants to build his first warm water rod?
B- Most definitely break out of the trout mindset when it comes to taper design. Think about how and where you want to use the rod and most of all the fly’s you wish to use.Expore tried and true heavier tapers and don’t be afraid to beef them up a bit for Largemouth or Carp on the fly. Take risks and enjoy the journey.
D- Thanks Bob.

Bob Henderson has now been making rods coming on fifteen or so years for both warm water and cold water fishers. He made his first set of forms out of kiln dried hickory and still uses them to this day. He’s a sworn “West Virginia Boy” who “would rather spend time on the water than in church”.

WV Fish & Game Alert

Anglers are reminded that West Virginia law prohibits the release of fish or other aquatic organisms into public waters, unless a stocking permit is issued by the Director of the Division of Natural Resources. Stocking permits are not required for trout and black bass stocking provided that disease-free certifications are obtained prior to stocking, or if trout originate from a source within the state. A permit is not required for stocking native or established fish into privately owned ponds.
 
Moving live fish or other aquatic animals and plants from one body of water to another can cause long-term damage to the ecological stability of lakes and streams and can threaten recreational fishing.

My Likings of Bamboo Rod Tapers

Casting my first cane rod as a 17 year old boy was quite a thrill. It was my fathers 9' Paul Young. I loved casting bamboo because of its intuitive nature and natural beauty. Today I still get goose bumps when I pick up a new rod for the first time and give it a spin. I have a collection of older rods ranging from Paul Young, Heddons, Grangers, T&T's, and Dickersons, and love them dearly. Tapers really have not come all that far from the good olde' days other than the fact that glues we use now and finishes are much more durable and heat treating has made a few hurdles in action as well. Tapers all have their own uniqueness and work well with different fishing styles and flys. My newer bamboo rods range from a few Orvis rods, G. Maurer, Chris Bogart, Per Brandin, Pezon et Michel, Clint Bova, Walt Carpenter, and Mike Clark. This quiver of rods pretty much covers my needs for fishing altogether including satiating my taste buds for flat out beautiful rods in every detail.

My tastes for rods is a bit “old school” cosmetically speaking, but I enjoys a crisp dry fly taper overall and the above mentioned rods makers fulfill that requirement very well. The younger rod makers are really doing some excellent work today and the level of detail and craftsmanship is outstanding as well as bringing back some older hardware details to present day like Clint Bova's rods (Baby Leonard style seat interpretation) as an example. I suppose in order to be successful at rod making today and stand out in the crowd you need a point of view and stick with it so that when people see your rods and cast them right away they know who's rod is who's. It was most evident back turn of the century, the styles and casting styles were quite distinctive, i.e. Leonard's, F.E. Thomas, Fred Divine, etc...

My buddy Sam and I once a year pull out some of our favorite oldies and do some “baby swapping” as we call it. Then hit our favorite WV stream with some silk line. I think Sam still has one of my old Leonards in his stash from years before, I have threatened him repeatedly that I will call out for an Amber Alert if he does not return it soon. Sam if you see me driving around in your vintage Cherokee in the next few weeks you'll know why!

Dave

WV Sweat Lodge

Sam and I hit the river early, early relative to heat not time. So at 4 am on our home water in WV we figured we had maybe 3 hours max of decent fishing before the temperature would rise to a bazillion degrees Fahrenheit. Just as we were leaving the rainy, humid, Cambodian purple hazed humidity Sam caught a lunker near a sweeper. His 7'3" 4wt. bent and bobbed like a pit bull was at the other end chasing a squirrel. Limp as a wet tube sock after the boxing match Sam pulled the trout in with his net looked up at me and said “I'm done” let's find the nearest air vent with 69 degree temperatures. When we got out of the haze this morning we made a beeline for a local McDonald's, and nursed some Egg McMuffins and coffee and enjoyed a break from the near fatal outbreaks of humidity in this region. After Sam nursed his coffee for a bit he said “I dunno what feels better catching that lunker or soaking in this air conditioning” The summer of no love.
Dave

Copper River Trip

Sam and I just got back from our Copper River trip. It was a breathtaking trip to say the least as well as some Rainbow dry fly action that made our pacemakers run on overdrive. We fished our brains out and then some, had some great guides, great food, spooky float plane trip, and missed some sad fishing (at least here in WV) back here in the lower 48! 

We brought both bamboo and graphite rods with us to Alaska. My Winston WT 9' 6wt. got a workout and was considered a light rod by standards by our guides but was a blast to hookup with the average 18" plus Bows. Sam fished his 8wt. Temple Forks rod and swapped it in and out with his Clint Bova bamboo rod an 8' 3pc. 6wt. that handled the big Bows great, no sets to speak of! The rod I made last winter a Paul Young Para 17 taper an 8wt. worked great for me especially when casting deer hair mouse patterns. These really worked well along with buggy looking “Fast Freddies” a dry pattern our guide introduced to us that looks like a hybrid of an Adams and Champaign Crystal Egg pattern.

Now finally back on our home waters Sam and I both looked at one another the other day and let out a harumff. I had to tear Sam out of two bars in Juneau that he took a liking to. I feel like he's gonna ditch me and move up there when I'm not looking. We are both already planning our next trip for 2102 and planning on bringing a few more friends with us.

A few of our home waters are fishing decent but no hoots or hollers just a lot of reminiscing of the Copper.

Dave

Outstanding Putnam County Gunsmith

GUNSMITH

Head to Putnam county for your one stop custom gun shop.

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EYEWITNESS ONLINE WEBCAST VIDEO C L I C K   T O   P L A Y

From early on in his life, Steven Cale had a passion for hunting, outdoor adventure and especially guns. Not just shooting but the mechanics f all types of shotguns and rifles. After graduating from Trinidad State Junior College in Colorado with a degree in gunsmithing, Steven returned to West Virginia and opened Timberline Outfitters in Putnam County. Cale is truly a full service, full-time gunsmith. He specializes in welding, woodcrafting, machine work, metallurgy, chemical processes for blueing, restorations and custom gun building. If you are looking for a one of a kind, custom made shotgun or rifle, look no further than Scott Depot and Steven Cale's Timberline Outfitters

Special Thanks to WCHS for video bio

Finding Nemo

The mountain streams of West Virginia offer a multitude of prolific hatches as well as tons of trout in pocket water. Its worth fishing WV because all the days I spend fishing for trout only a hand full of these will I see someone else on the water. If you like solitude then you’ll love fishing in West Virginia. These streams have shorter runs and amazingly deep pockets to hold large trout. Brown, rainbow and brook trout are most abundant and willing to take a fly. You can be successful year round with good nymphing techniques. Most times of the season dry fly fishing can be outstanding. If this sounds a bit like WV propaganda it kind of is. But I am always inspired to bring others into the state because it fosters revenue as well as stream rehab and restoration. Out of state money is always good money for us. I encourage all to explore and even get lost...hey It's not call “Wild & Wonderful West Virginia” for nothing!
Have a great 2010 fishing season


see you on the river

Dave

WV Local Guides

 I have gotten some inquiries in regards to good local guide services. The following are some great guide services:

Last Chance Outfitters - 304-774-0883
Contact John Lewis for professionally guided smallmouth trips on the New River. Offering Half day and full day trips with generous shore lunches. Accommodating both spin cast and fly fishing anglers.
Appalachian BackCountry - 304-228-7048
Bill Handy
Focus Species: Small Mouth Bass. Guided Fishing tours, shuttle service, cabin rentals. Located 2miles from Sandstone Falls Boardwalk.
Mountain State Anglers - 304-574-0515
PJ Stevenson - pj@rivermen.com
Focus Species: Smallmouth & Trout. Half-day, full-day and overnight smallmouth float trips. Trout Walk & Wade trips and clinics. Lodging and meal packages available. Tackle provided.

Dave

One of West Virginia's Temptations

Tucker's Clover Run
A great piece of water for dry fly and wet fly enthusiasts alike. I have personally fished it consistently for the last eight years and love not only the fishing but the scenery in and around the river. A nice piece of water for a 7'-8' bamboo fly rod and a 4 or 5 wt. line. My average fish size is typically between 8"-15" with some whompers lurking about mid summer early morning, late evening. Great early season hatches, and get my butt outta bed summer early morning sessions.

-Dave

Stocked from bridge on WV Secondary Rt. 21, one a half miles south of St. George, upstream 4 miles to WV Secondary Rt. 23 bridge at the mouth of Valley Fork.
Stocked once each month February through May 

The Orvis Trout Bum Pull Over

Sam and I both have been wearing these for winter steelheading purposes. The pullovers are great because your sweat wicks and you do not get that steamy sweaty feeling after the day is done. I have tried Under Armour and some Patagonia under garments but these pullovers seem to do the trick!

Dave

Rade Hawkins Custom Knives

I recently purchased one of these knives and highly recommend them as far as edge quality and overall craftsmanship. The picture above is the Mamoth Ivory Hunter with a fixed blade. Rade is a superior craftsman and a great guy and has been making knives for 30 plus years.

http://www.radehawkinscustomknives.com/

Seneca River Update

Sam and I fished yesterday late on the Seneca, fished wet flies mostly, saw some risers to midges in the afternoon hours. The fish are still sleepy but managed to catch a few. Took my Clint Bova “Moluntha” out for a spin and caught a few on a pink Lady and some Parmachene Belle's. Spring is knockin at the door.
Sam brought some Gentleman Jack so we tripped a few times out of the stream but got home safe and sound.

       Dave

Favorite Small Stream Bamboo Fly Rods

Here are four of my all time favorites:

Paul Young Midge 6’3”

Some small bamboo rods just have a presence and action that lends themselves to Brook Trout fishing. I’m not talking about just any fairy wand, but truly special rods. The first one is Paul Youngs Midge rod 6’3”. The first one I casted was around 1987 up in MI. It was the rod that really inspired me to get into small stream fishing. Since then I own two of them and continue to fish them readily. Parabolic rods lend themselves to wet fly fishing but I fish this rod with dry’s mostly. I find most of Paul Youngs rods great for larger stream situations and they have a lot of guts as far as casting distance goes. The Midge represents a softer side of PY tapers. It’s hard to find rod makers that really delve into small stream rods.

H.L. Leonard The Baby Catskill Model 36-3

With a beautiful swell in the butt section, this rod speaks volumes about olde world meets new casting styles. Casting this rod may just be like stepping back in time. A nice dry fly action in a tiny 6’ package. I fished this rod heavily one summer and really enjoyed it. Although being a 3wt. it had its limitations but nevertheless when a small stream just down the road why not grab a 3wt.

Chris Bogart’s Yellow Rose 7’ 2wt.

So when I take a trip to the Smokies this is my go to rod. Buttery smooth with enough umph to cast in a slight breeze, great for midging, and casting lil beetles. I typicallycast this rod with silk line, it eats it up.

Clint Bova Mad River Rod Co. Little Mecoche 6’9” 4wt.

I took a fishing trip across PA and a friend from Wilkes Barr loaned me his Little Mecoche 4wt. for a small stream walkabout. I wished I owned one. This all around is one of my favorite “small stream” rods. Although I used it on mid sized water and it casted and performed great as well. It loads in close and out far, buttery smooth, and I fought some large fish on it and it tamed the big uns. Its a beautiful rod to boot, I mean dreamy. A 6’9” just seems like it’s shorter than a 7’ but larger than a 6’3” so it’s got potential everywhere in the small stream network.


-Dave

From the West Virginia DNR

“The brook trout is the only trout species native to West Virginia streams.  Native brook trout live and reproduce in only the coldest and purest of our mountain streams.  These streams are generally less than 15 feet wide, well shaded, and have numerous pools.  Although these streams often support large numbers of brook trout, the trout tend to be small fish that average five to six inches in length and seldom exceed 10 inches.

Brook trout are characterized by a dark green back covered with lighter worm-shaped markings, bluish sides and a pink to scarlet belly.  The sides of the trout are profusely sprinkled with yellow spots, interspersed with red ones.  The lower fins are orange-red with a distinctive white stripe on the front edge. 

Given its beauty and the fact that the brook trout is our only native trout, it’s no wonder that in 1973 it was selected to be the official state fish.

Brook trout spawn primarily during October.  Their nests, called redds, are built near the lower end of the pools where the gravel is swept clean of silt and fresh oxygenated water is abundant.  Since these streams are generally low and clear during the fall, spawning activity can be readily observed in many of the small, cold headwater streams of the Elk, Greenbrier and Williams rivers, as well as Seneca and Gandy creeks. 

While there are 500 miles of native trout streams in West Virginia, the streams are small and represent only two percent of the total miles of stream in the state.

Brook trout are not picky eaters and feed on a wide variety of food items.  During the winter and early spring, much of their food consists of aquatic insects and other fish. The insects include mayflies, caddisflies and stoneflies. 

In the summer and early fall, their diet changes to terrestrial insects.  These are insects like grasshoppers, Japanese beetles and bees that normally live on the land but become fish food when they fall or are washed into the stream.”

The WV DNR did a great job on this synopsis of the Native Brookie and its habitat and mentions Gandy creeks which have been hot lately.

~D

Winter Doldrums with Sam

Sam and I went to the river today. He hummed a bit, actually a lot, maybe even to the point of being annoying. I suppose he's just bored with the winter doldrums. He's tied just about every fly in the book and then some. He perked up a bit after receiving a catalog from Mad River Rod Co. saw one of Clint Bova's rods at a gathering last year and decided maybe it's time to bite the bullet and get one. That's something to look forward to...sam you paying attention? He fell asleep in my truck last week after work and his head bumped the dashboard twice before he finally woke up. I'm about ready to drive him straight to the Seneca and drop him off with his rod to get him out of his funk.

~D

Just Got My “Moluntha” 7'3" 4wt.

So I just purchased a Mad River Rod Co. 7'3"4wt “Moluntha”. this thing is a piece of art. Truly remarkable craftsmanship. Casted it in late November on the Seneca and its now my favorite rod of my quiver. Clint's attention to detail and design is awesome! Sam Carleton and Marty Barnes are looking to order a couple rods from Clint. Marty took my 7'3" to the Catskills late fall and loved it.

Can't wait to bust it out next spring for some Letort action.

Just finished booking the big trip to The Copper this summer Sam and I are furiously tying flies for the big Rainbows.

Cheers Dave

THE BLACKWATER RIVER

A brief commentary on the Blackwater River an all time favorite of mine
”Tucker County's Blackwater River is a study in contrast with the Cranberry and the Williams - not because it holds any fewer trout, but because of its unique nature.

The Cranberry and Williams are classic mountain freestone streams, tumbling from riffle to pool over stones worn smooth by their currents. Most of the Blackwater's stocked section flows quietly through Canaan Valley, a boggy wetland complex perched more than 3,000 feet above sea level.

In its upper reaches, the Blackwater is a small stream, sand- and gravel-bottomed, with deeply undercut banks. It meanders aimlessly through wet meadows, occasionally breaking over the odd beaver dam. Farther downstream, as it picks up gradient, it begins to look more like the trout streams most West Virginians are used to.

The most productive stretch lies almost within the town limits of Davis, downstream of an acid-treatment station built to counteract the effects of acid mine drainage.

From the treatment station downstream to the Blackwater's confluence with its North Fork, it is prime trout habitat.

The 3.5-mile section from Blackwater Falls State Park downstream to the North Fork is managed under catch-and-release regulations, but the rest receives heavy weekly stockings.

The Blackwater's headwaters and the segments near Davis can be reached from state Route 32. The middle section of the river runs through private land and the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge, and is accessible by secondary roads“

Hopefully this is a good description of the Blackwater and it's personality, location, and stream geometry. It is an all time favorite trout stream of mine and spend a significant amount of time on it during the fly fishing season. Sam is a huge fan as well.

~D

February Blues

I suppose today would be a great day if any so far this month to try and get wet. It will be warming up by mid-day so Sam and I are gathering our waders and rods to hit the Paw Paw. Brrr. Bringing some classic wet fly's with us wish me luck because I'm about to become an ice cube.
~D

WV Cane Rod Mecca

One of my home streams. A great location for a sweet 7' 4wt. to cast to a nice Brook or Brown Trout.
On a day like this the anticipation builds to bear the cold and do some casting to some very cold trout.
Brrr. Oh well I'm going to go stare at my new Clint Bova bamboo rod some more and dream about some nice fish. Armchair angling today...all day! Frozen river
~Stay warm Dave

One of my favorite WV Rivers: The Cranberry

“Of all the stocked waters, the Cranberry River arguably has the largest and most loyal band of followers. Born in the highlands of Pocahontas County, the Cranberry tumbles 27 miles through parts of Greenbrier, Webster and Nicholas counties. From its headwaters to its mouth, it is trout water all the way.

Sixteen miles of the river flow through the Cranberry Backcountry and are closed to vehicle traffic. Access is anything but limited, however. Forest Service Route 76 parallels the stream from its headwaters to the Woodbine Recreation Area, just six miles upstream from the mouth. Anglers usually walk or ride bicycles into the 16-mile gated section.”
 

“Two segments of the river have been set aside for catch-and-release fishing. The 4.3-mile stretch between the North Fork of the Cranberry and the Dogway Fork Bridge lies behind the gates, but the 1.2-mile stretch between Woodbine and Camp Splinter is vehicle-accessible.


Two large acid-neutralization stations ensure the river's status as a year-round fishery, but early-season fishing conditions can be harsh. Spring comes late to the high Alleghenies, and it isn't uncommon for anglers to leave Charleston on a balmy spring day and wade through snow to reach the Cranberry.

Hatchery crews begin making weekly stockings as soon as the river road is passable. In addition, the Cranberry receives supplemental stockings of fingerling brown trout. Most fly fishermen would be startled to learn just how many fish - wild and stocked - the river holds from year to year.”

Poaching Info

Help us stop poaching and other fish and game violations! When you see a violation in progress, all you have to do is report it to WVDNR Law Enforcement. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO CONFRONT THE VIOLATORS!! Use the form below to gather all of the relevant information. Get as much detail as you can. Call the DNR Communications Center nearest to where you witnessed the violation and give them the information. They will take it from there. We have had a remarkable increase in fish & game arrests since 2002 because of the increased cooperation of sportsmen in reporting violators. It’s up to all of us to help protect our fish & game resources. Print out the form below or copy the information onto a card or notepad that you can carry with you either onstream or in your vehicle. Our fine Conservation Officers do great work but they can not be everywhere and that's where we need to help and stand up and protect our own streams and work with them. LET’S ALL WORK TOGETHER TO STOP POACHING!

Division of Natural Resources in Elkins at 637-0245

Paw Paw Creek

Paw Paw Creek  is stocked from a point a half mile upstream of Rivesville, 8 miles to Basnettville, along WV Secondary Rt. 17. Stocked once in February and once every two weeks from March through May

The Paw Paw this last year fished well. Dean Baker and I found some nice new runs in the spring. And some feeder streams that held some hidden Brookies. Dean Just got his back fixed so he was especially glad to get back out fishing. Looking forward to fishing with Dean in the spring during the first caddis hatch. Going to bring my Mad River Rod Co. “Moluntha” just spoke with Clint Bova today to order a new 6'9" rod, his “Little Mecoche”. Mark Brindle has one and he compares it to some of the really nice smaller Leonard rods but with a more progressive taper. Definitely a nice brook trout rod

Prospective Stream Conditions for The Mountain State Trout

In a state with no closed season, cane WV caneheads are gearing up for some of the year's best angling for rainbows, brookies, browns and more. 


If West Virginia's trout stocking season goes as well as expected this year, we will have a great season. Wetter than normal conditions during the summer and fall of 2008 have allowed the state's seven hatcheries to produce more and bigger trout than usual. By May 31, almost all of those trout will be stocked in 199 waters, providing Mountain State fly fishermen with great potential

~D

More to come on West Virginia path ways

next entry The Seneca

Mad River Rod Co. info

I met Clint Bova about four years ago on the Mad River in Ohio his site http://www.madriverodco.com. I was over visiting some friends in Springfield. He's a pretty talented caster let alone rod maker. Watched him do a jaw dropping mid air curve cast to a brown on a far bank with a little dry. Hooked a nice 17 incher. He let me cast his 7' 4wt. sweet casting little Rod I think it was his Johnny Logan Model.

~D

Yes. Clint Bova's site is www.madriverrodco.com he specializes in light bamboo trout rods mostly 3-7 wts. I found out about him through Gray's Sporting Journal and the Somerset Show. He's been selling rods up in Ontario and UK for a while check him out, see you Walter.

Dave