Hi, I'm new to this board, and rod building. I'm mainly interested in rebuilding older rods for my own use. I have several old heavy two piece bamboo rods around 5' long that I'd like to repair and fish with. The blanks and handles are in good condition, but will need refinishing. The guides are missing and the ferrules are frozen together. One of the rods is a Horricks Ibbotson Potomac, the others aren't marked.

Does anyone have any experience with these types of rods, especially fishing with them?

Several specific questions: Looks like they only had one guide and a tip top originally. Would they fish better with more guides? The tip tops are the type which can be threaded from either side- they are useable, but would I be better off replacing them? What type and size of wrapping thread would be best for these rods?

Thanks to you all.

i know next to nothing about these rods except that the tip is designed so you can fish it "upside down" so it does not take a fishing set. if you always fished it one way it would take a set. some of these rods also had double guides all the way down the rod for this reason. my opinion, not backed up by any experience is that more guides would spread stresses and perhaps add to the longevity of the rod.

Roy -
Here's some info to get you started... I've just never had the time to finish the whole section...

[www.kensfishingrods.com]

HI

I re-build and use bamboo salt water rods. The HORROCKS-IBBOTSON you mention is probably from the 1940's. I use PAC BAY boat guides and tip-tops, yes you need to put more guides than original unless you are restoring the rod to original,(which is what I might do with the H-I). The original tip-tops were "stirrup" tops and were used for reversing the rod. I have a Montague 5' that I use on a regular basis, to fish reefs and wrecks, it is matched up with a PENN 1/0 Senator reel and Magicbraid line 20# test. I enjoy the experience an get off on the looks and questions from other fishermen on the boat. If you want more info and/or help E-mail me @ grimmlk@aol.com I will share my knowledge of Bamboo Boat Rods

Fished on a boat with a gentleman who brought his bamboo rod. I don't think he really enjoyed the looks he got. And when the reel slipped the drag and freespooled with a fish on the captain handed him a glass rod with a newer reel and everybody looked happier.

To Bill Moschler:

It sounds like the reel was the problem not the rod.