Another for Greg's data base, and a short story:
My first bamboo rod was an Orvis Battenkill, purchased used with a Young/Battenkill reel in 1970 for the sum of $125.00. Having spent some years fly fishing with some pretty low end glass rods, it was a revelation. It was quickly followed by another Battenkill and some high end rods that I was convinced would expand my horizons. I was right about that. There're some marvelous sticks to be had.
Time passed and I found myself in a personal situation that required some fast money. I got off my Orvis rods and some others, hanging on to just a few...Jenkins, Leonard, Jim Payne, T&T.... A few years ago I started feeling nostalgic for one of my old Orvis rods...an 8' 4 3/8 oz that I'd had a lot of fun with. It had served me well fishing ponds and streams in Indiana during the the 1970s. White bass to 3# from Raccoon Ck, Smallmouth to 2# from Sugar Ck....All things considered it was as good a 6wt fish pole as I've ever owned. So...I started the quest for another from the same time period and found one this past Spring. When it arrived I was dissappointed to find that it was in less than as stated condition, but worth retoring. I turned to this forum with questions about sending back to Orvis and got good advise. After a phone conversation with Charlie Hise I figured what the heck; in for a penny, in for a pound, and off it went to the Orvis repair shop. The rod is home again having had some TLC that cost me the grand total of $113.75...a bargain considering the extensive redo. So here she is: rod #57820 restored to all her glory and ready for a work out on the South Holston this Fall. A tip of the hat to folks here who gave me good advice about the Orvis repair shop and to Charlie Hise who's keeping things alive at Orvis.
My first bamboo rod was an Orvis Battenkill, purchased used with a Young/Battenkill reel in 1970 for the sum of $125.00. Having spent some years fly fishing with some pretty low end glass rods, it was a revelation. It was quickly followed by another Battenkill and some high end rods that I was convinced would expand my horizons. I was right about that. There're some marvelous sticks to be had.
Time passed and I found myself in a personal situation that required some fast money. I got off my Orvis rods and some others, hanging on to just a few...Jenkins, Leonard, Jim Payne, T&T.... A few years ago I started feeling nostalgic for one of my old Orvis rods...an 8' 4 3/8 oz that I'd had a lot of fun with. It had served me well fishing ponds and streams in Indiana during the the 1970s. White bass to 3# from Raccoon Ck, Smallmouth to 2# from Sugar Ck....All things considered it was as good a 6wt fish pole as I've ever owned. So...I started the quest for another from the same time period and found one this past Spring. When it arrived I was dissappointed to find that it was in less than as stated condition, but worth retoring. I turned to this forum with questions about sending back to Orvis and got good advise. After a phone conversation with Charlie Hise I figured what the heck; in for a penny, in for a pound, and off it went to the Orvis repair shop. The rod is home again having had some TLC that cost me the grand total of $113.75...a bargain considering the extensive redo. So here she is: rod #57820 restored to all her glory and ready for a work out on the South Holston this Fall. A tip of the hat to folks here who gave me good advice about the Orvis repair shop and to Charlie Hise who's keeping things alive at Orvis.
