RK Bolt Rod Series
Howells Rod Series
Two Piece, Two tip rods:
6’ ,1 3/4 oz, 3 weight
6’3” ,2 oz, 3 weight
6’6” ,2 1/8 oz, 3 weight
7’ ,2 ¼ oz, 3 weight
7’3” ,2 3/8 oz, 3 weight
8’ ,3 1/8 oz, 3 weight
6’ , 2 1/4 oz, 4 weight
6’6” ,2 3/8 oz, 4 weight
7’ , 2 1/2 oz, 4 weight
7’6” ,3 oz, 4 weight
8’ , 3 5/8 oz, 4 weight
7’ ,2 3/8 oz, 5 weight
7’ , 2 3/4 oz, 5 weight
7’6” ,3 1/8 oz, 5 weight
7’6” ,3 1/4 oz, 5 weight
8’ ,3 3/4 oz, 5 weight
8’ , 3 7/8 oz, 5 weight
8’6” ,4 oz, 5 weight
8’6” , 4 1/8 oz, 5 weight
8’ ,4 1/8 oz, 6 weight
8’6” ,4 1/4 oz, 6 weight
8’6” ,4 3/8 oz, 6 weight
8’6” ,4 1/2 oz, 7 weight
8’6” ,4 5/8 oz, 7 weight
8’9” ,4 5/8 oz, 7 weight
8’6” ,4 3/4 oz, 8 weight
8’9” ,4 3/4 oz, 8 weight
9’ , 5 oz, 8 weight
8’9” ,5 oz, 9 weight
9’ , 5 1/4 oz, 9 weight
9’ ,5 1/2 oz, 10 weight
9’3” ,5 3/8 oz, 10 weight
Price: $3,000.00.
Three piece, two-tip rods:
7’3”, 2 1/2 oz., 3 weight
7’6” 3 1/8 oz., 4 weight
8’0”, 4 1/8 oz., 5 weight
8’0”, 4 1/4 oz., 5/6 weight
8’6”, 3 7/8 oz., 5 weight
8’6”, 4 oz., 6 weight
8’9”, 4 1/4 oz., 7 weight
NEW! 8’0”, 4-1/4 oz. 6 weight. This is a new rod taper developed at the request of the well-known Chilean trout guide, Sebastian Letelier. He requested an all-rounder. This took several prototypes and some casting time to come up with a taper I thought would fulfill the request; dry flies, wet flies, light nymphing, streamers, and wind and weather.
I made one of these rods for John Sindland, too. It has his stamp of approval.
Sebastian is world famous for his presentation salmon flies, tied in hand without a vice. In addition, he is a fantastic fine artist with world class compositional skills and the greatest sensitivity to the quality of light, as with all great artists. His work in oil painting and fine line drawing is unparalleled.
Price: $3,250.00
If you are interested in rods built on blanks made by the late Gary H. Howells, please call me. The number of acceptable Howells blanks is so few, I will have to determine on an order-by-order basis whether I can make the requested rod.
Price: $3,000.00
The Guide Rod Series
8’3’, 5 weight
I know, this sounds like a rather ordinary specification, especially with all the bamboo rods going around today at this size in the neighborhood of this line weight. However, when you read how this rod came into being, you will understand how special this rod is.
For more than a few years, I have been going to the Bighorn River in Montana for dry fly fishing. Sometimes I go several times a year. It is one of the few places I know where you can schedule a trip a year in advance and find the hatch you are looking for. During these travels, many years ago, I met a guide named John Sindland. Back then, John was one of the few guides I knew who was not only sympathetic to the bamboo fly rod fisherman, but also owned and used several bamboo fly rods. A lot has changed since then and more guides are accepting of a client using a bamboo fly rod, particularly for dry fly fishing.
John Sindland has worked as a guide on the Bighorn River for over 20 years and is well known as one of the best. If he can’t find fish rising, the fish aren’t rising. This approach fit right in with what I wanted to do and so we hit it off right away. John is a great caster and fisherman, being on the pro staff of a well-known fly fishing company and appearing in magazine articles. John tells me that he has cast and used about every type and taper of rod made, including glass, graphite and bamboo.
Over the last three years, John and I started discussing what an ideal bamboo rod would be for his use throughout Montana, but most particularly for dry fly fishing on tough, technical water like the Henry’s Fork, one of his favorite places. These discussions became very detailed very quickly and it has been a real pleasure trying to work out what the words John used to describe a desired rod meant in terms of actual taper measurements.
Finally, after the end of the fishing season last year, 2018, I started making a series of prototypes in an attempt to fulfill John’s wishes. We would talk by phone while this was going on so I could understand what he was seeking. After many months, and a lot of prototypes, I arrived at what I thought would fill the bill. I made two of these rods, one for John and one for me and sent his rod to him.
I was a little nervous about this rod, since John Sindland is such a great caster and fisherman and I did not want to miss the mark with him. Fortunately, I did not miss the mark. In fact, when John got the rod he took it fishing immediately, even though the day was cold and rainy with a lot of wind. After that day of fishing, John got back to me and told me this rod was exactly what he wanted. At one point he told me that he thought this might be the best rod for the purposes intended he had ever cast, made out of any material, glass, graphite or bamboo.
John Sindland loves this rod and I think you will, too.
Price: $3,250.00
2. 8’2”, 4 weight
This is another rod devised at the suggestion of John Sindland, who is one of the finest anglers I’ve ever met. While eating lunch in the drift boat watching the water for signs of birds, bugs and fish, he turned to me and said he thought an 8 foot 2 inch 4 weight made for western spring creek conditions would be a good thing. I hesitated, knowing how much work developing a new taper is, but eventually said I thought I could do that.
And so, the process starts again: thinking about tapers, mapping out tapers, making multiple prototypes based on these ideas, casting them, throwing them aside, taking them up again, thinking some more, making others, casting, evaluating, thinking, and on and on. The way in which I make rods helps facilitate this process and speed it up, in that I make batches of blanks, albeit very small batches by historical standards, using production methods I’ve learned and honed over the years.
I eventually landed on two prototypes that seemed close to what I wanted and, after much more casting and cogitation, I ended up with this rod. I made one for John and one for me and sent the rod to John.
He can speak for himself about this rod: “It’s light in hand, crisp and responsive. It is capable of great line speed and tight loops without having to haul. I cast it from 20 to 60 feet with minimal effort. It is as perfect as a 4 wt dry (fly) rod can be.”
Price: $3,250.00
P.S. - “No Excuses” bamboo rods
I recently met a person who’s been in the fly fishing industry for quite a while. Also, he has a nice bamboo rod collection. He told me he has been searching for a “no excuses” bamboo rod for some time. You know how, with a bamboo rod, you can always find an excuse not to use it: too much wind, too big flies, too big water, too big fish, combinations of these excuses, and more.
I asked him to give these Guide rods a try. He did and said, “These are truly ‘no excuses’ bamboo rods.”
I like that: “No excuses rods”.
Terms
Customers may choose the type of real seat: (1) Slide band, cork or zebra wood, up- or down-locking; or (2) Screw up-locking over zebra wood, again up or down locking. All rods are finished in Howells style with Howells original brown silk with yellow tipping unless otherwise noted. All rods will be varnish finished.
No deposit needed to place order. Non refundable $500 deposit due at commencement of construction for each individual rod. Final payment due upon completion. Shipping and handling extra. California residents, please add California sales tax. Paypal, international money transfers, VISA & Mastercard accepted.
PLEASE NOTE - The delivery time varies. If desired, a time estimate may be given at time of ordering. Weight designations are model designations and may not reflect true final weight of the rod.