The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

I'm putting together just such a rod at the moment for my next visit to Scotland on my friends small holding. The burn that runs though her land is very small and so are the wild brownies.

I seem to remember a lovely 9ft3in rod only recently called the Wallington Greenheart it was a real gem.Reelmaker.

Jeremy Croxall wrote: ↑Sun Nov 20, 2022 9:29 am It's so nice to cobble something together with odds and sods from salvaged cane sections.
I've done several although only have one in my rod rack at present.
Wal is the Grandmaster of the art and has produced some really beautiful rods from bits and pieces.
I like Terry's idea about a "bitsa rod" category in the Traditional Rods section, it may well encourage others to have a go and there's plenty of advice available from those who have had a bash.
It's fairly easy to produce a really nice useable rod for next to nothing, and if it doesn't quite work out as you'd hoped it can be modified to suit.

Absolutely Jeremy, Wal actually made me my favourite rod from an impregnated salmon fly rod and even fashioned two matching bank sticks from the blank!
Turned green heart spikes and screw in rests.
It's a work of art.
If we get a dedicated section I have a fair few rods to post about including my 100 year old hardy gudgeon rod!

ReelMaker wrote: ↑Sun Nov 20, 2022 10:28 am I seem to remember a lovely 9ft3in rod only recently called the Wallington Greenheart it was a real gem.Reelmaker.

The rod is residing at Chateau Mole.

It has been designated my go to ultra light ledger rod for the Wallington. Used it but a few days ago on a high Wally, burst banks, with the barbed wire fencing as rod rest. Remarkably effective at dace, eels and Gonk slaughter.....they did not stand a chance.

Bite detection was a plastic bottle top which given the conditions worked like a charm, as did the new to me ledger rig. Tangle free and fish friendly in line running rig. More experimentation needed but should it pass all the tests will offer to show it to
any one interested on this site in the future.

So far so good.


As ever,....

Moley

Worry yea not they all went back to fight another day!

Maybe this idea not one for the purists then?

Wal has repurposed a few rods for me over the years... my "Tiffin" Rod was just a knackered tip and middle section of a non-descript rod, he turned it into a Chapman-esque ledger rod, my Wally Wizard was an un-named fly blank turned into the most delightful Gudgeon rod ever made, and a Chinese spinning rod was re-ringed and handle extended to make a superb bream rod... I have to say that the rods that have been created from odd sections, or repurposed other rods, tend to be used most often... with all my rods by named makers seem to only get occasional use...

I built my own specific rod for its own specific task.

It was meant to be a new build from culm upward to meet a certain task. As it transpired my stock of bamboo was already earmarked for specific projects and experience has taught not to re-route culms pre earmarked to other projects. It just causes more problems longer term than it solves, especially with matched sets of rods.

So for this specific build which was a rod for the River Wallington I chose to go with different surplus bits of rods for a ‘Bitsa’ build. I wanted 10’ as I found shorter rods not of benefit to me, wanted a whole cane butt for a bit of umph when needed plus the lightness to hold it all day long, and two sections of split cane for the springiness and absorption needed on small tight swims. To get a 3 piece 10’ rod meant cutting each section down in incremental steps to keep the taper plus still fit the 3 existing ferrules.









I should think there are various ‘Bitsa’ rods out there to warrant a sub group

My latest rod was a repurposed whole cane butt and middle adapted and built by Rod Storey into a cracking Roach Rod
Light and a fast actioned its the perfect Roach rod
Hence it's "Carpe Rutilus" monicker

I think its a good idea for a separate section for "Bitsa's and Hybrids...

I endorse a separate section for rods classified as Bitsas , Hybrids and Mongrels with over 350 views in a week the interest is there. Inspirational to get fettling.

Cane Hybrid Rods forum now set up.

Let me know if there are any threads that need moving into here.