Last year I was able to bend a few rod makers ears for a few minutes and run a quick chat forum with them. A kind of “get to know you” with a few new hot up-coming makers and a few local favorites. I am hoping to do a few for 2011 as well. Marty Geller, Lee Faulk, Bob Orr, Clint Bova, and Ben McGuire.
Clint Bova owner and rodmaker from Mad River Rod Co. in Urbana Ohio gave me a few minutes of his time and had a great discussion in regards to rod making influences, his business values, and taper insights. Here are a few of his comments...
Dave: “So Clint I own a few of your rods and really like them. I was wondering what influences and inspires you to move down the path of rod making.”
Clint: “I suppose I have been around a lot of older rods and men that have a certain lore and energy about them, many of which unfortunately are no longer in production or living today. It’s kind of sad really. The caring souls of these men left great artifacts that represent their characters. They were passionate about the craft and driven not by money but a modest level of perfection. They left a finger print in time. The artifacts today, or lack there of, is disturbing to me because they lack a discernable finger print or point of view. I am inspired by my hands because I’ve always liked to use them, however trite and sentimental that sounds, I suppose it’s a kind of flattery to the Gods”
Dave: “What aspect of rod making do you enjoy the most?”
Clint: “I enjoy the entire process, but I would have to say handling the cane is most satisfying to me. From heating and straightening, to node pressing, planing, and binding. It’s the steps in the process where you are really bringing the rod to fruition”
Dave: “Is the rod making industry going in a good direction currently?”
Clint: “Industry is a word that brings factories to mind. I would hope that it does not come to that! I think that theinternet is doing more harm than good currently. There is a lot of bad rumors floating about, bad information and most of all it is devaluing the hand made artifact, whatever that may be, by making it more of a commodity. It’s pretty tragic really. What’s deeply disturbing is just recently a few great rod makers have passed away and these rod making forums immediately have people jump on the band wagon, collectors, and alike looking to scoop up these rods with no intention to fish them. Then these internet bidding wars kick in. Jackals is the word that comes to mind. The internet really is the seedy underbelly of the rodmaking world, unfortunately it has come to this. Every year that pases I spend less time bothering with this alternate circle of reality, it has no bearing on me personally my state of mind or passion. On a lighter note there are a lot of great makers all over the world! I love to communicate with them on many different levels, they are a really nice group of people in general. The internet seems to draw in greed, illicit information, rumors, collector mentalities, and again slowly niches the craft into more of a commodity. If I was to give one bit of advice to young makers it would be to find one good mentor and nurture the relationship. Read actual books on the subject and stay off the internet for consistent reliable well intentioned information.
If we could act like gentleman and have our personal differences in check the planet would be filled with more peaceful loving sorts of fisher-peoples”
Dave: “How do you best describe your tapers?”
Clint: “I suppose I can answer this question by first saying I fish primarily with dry fly’s...or in the surface film. So my favorite tapers best exemplify a dry fly crispness and action. But I make overall a more progressive action rod, crisp, quick, good in close, and good out far. I lean in this direction generally. I’ve made everything from spinning rods, smallmouth rods, and of course trout rods so I’m pretty familiar with different actions. Honestly I try to get a good idea of a customers rituals when it comes to lines, flys, etc...Its usually a good identifier for the best suited taper for the individual. In the end I want a happy customer and I make no excuses, period.
Dave: “Where do you want to take rod making personallyand professionally?”
Clint: “Well I hope to be influential to younger people as well as my son in whatever craft he decides to pick up. I will continue to make rods the way I always have, one at a time, up close and personal. I have no desire to knock out large batches of rods. I don’t think the quality of the process or the joy factor would stay in tact for me personally. I’d like to instill a discernable fingerprint on my tapers and my rod patterns so they fish and feel like the rod singularly came to life from my hands.”
Dave: “Any parting words?”
Clint: “let everything you say be your prayer, and everything you do be your religion...and spend more time on the water and less time fussing about.
Dave: “Thanks for your time Clint”
Clint Bova’s website is:
www.cjbovarods.com and he is always available for a good chat, well most of the time if he’s not gluing up a rod”
-Dave
