I know ATC bought Shikari and I understand they will be/are selling some of the same blank models. I was wondering if anyone has held the new blanks yet and what the general thoughts were on them. If it's something you do not want to post publically, please email me you thoughts privately if you dont mind doing so.

Thanks!

DR

Cheap oriental made blanks. Do NOT confuse them with the old Shikaris. Not even close. I bought two and will probably cut them up for reamer stock. Crooked, crooked, crooked. I guess I could use them for casting around corners.

I have been told that the old Shikari stuff is still in OK or where ever. The ATC stuff is not Shikari and it's not built on the same mandrels.

I'd stick with Batson Forecast or PacBay Tradition Series. Just as good or better for less money and companies that have been doing this for a lot longer than ATC.

It's my understanding that they are made in Washington

Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!

Shawn, are you sure? Though, looking over ATC PDF catalog I noticed that the declared weight of some models I know since they were Shikari's is somewhat higher...

Pavel,
Moscow, RU

I'm sure the ones I got were crooked. I can tell just by looking and they look like boomarangs. I'd call that crooked.

Last time I talked with anybody down there all the Shikari stuff was still in OK and nothing had been sent to WA. The ATC blanks being shipped now are imports. Shikari is dead.

Thanks, Shawn

Pavel,
Moscow, RU

I just ordered ATC fly blanks and assumed that they were the same as the Shikari SHIII's because they have identical specs, blank color etc. How naive is that! I''ve used many fly blanks from the three ranges Shikari provided and thought they were some of the very best blanks out there. The bottom range SHII 8'-6" 4 weight is still one of my all time favorite trout rods (if anyone has some gathering dust let me know). I know the Shikari SHIII's well and should be able to see a difference, but that wouldn't prove their imports, only that something changed between Oklahoma and Washington. I think the question is, are the Shikari mandrels still in Oklahoma, and if not were did they go. Perhaps ATC will shed some light on this. If it's true about the import blanks, and the machinery and mandrels are in Oklahoma, then what exactly did ATC acquire? I quess I'm not convinced yet that all the ATC blanks are imports. I'll remain hopeful - for now.

I really don't have that much information on this situation and certainly don't want to give out information that isn't correct. But as far as I know, and from what I've been told by folks that should know, all the machinery and mandrels are still in Oklahoma.

I would think you could call or write to ATC and they'd happy to provide you with more information. And remember, a lot of pretty decent blanks are made in the Orient these days.

..............

ATC also purchased the mandrels and equipment from the Cascade factory that was in existance a few years ago, so that is another option, as to what mandrels blanks are being built on. I did speak with Bobby Loomis about a week ago and he told me that the ATC blanks were being made at their factory in Washington state.

Bob McKamey -- Custom Tackle Supply

Shawn Moore Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Cheap oriental made blanks. Do NOT confuse them
> with the old Shikaris. Not even close. I bought
> two and will probably cut them up for reamer
> stock. Crooked, crooked, crooked. I guess I could
> use them for casting around corners.
>
> I have been told that the old Shikari stuff is
> still in OK or where ever. The ATC stuff is not
> Shikari and it's not built on the same mandrels.
>
> I'd stick with Batson Forecast or PacBay Tradition
> Series. Just as good or better for less money and
> companies that have been doing this for a lot
> longer than ATC.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I chuckle. Shawn,, Did you ever check to see where Batson blanks are made? Very few come from this country.






Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/06/2007 07:01PM by Bill Holsonback.

Shawn;
If those blanks are being made over seas then there will be a label on them stating in which country they are being made. I guess it would be possible, but extremely hard to get them through customs other wise.

The 2007 ATC blank catalog states... "built from scratch" American blanks. If I'm interpreting that right, I don't think they have blanks built outside the US.

I e-mailed ATC with a question about the fly blank line and got a nice response back from Fred Gasparach, sales manager. Mr. Gasparach stated that the ATCIII fly blank is the same as before, which I take to mean that it is the same as the Shikari SHIII. Great news! He also addressed the issue of where ATC blanks are made, and was very clear in saying that all ATC blanks are being produced at their facility in Wenatchee, Washington. More great news! I look forward to getting the two fly blanks I ordered.

John,

Anyway, the info you posted is interesting, IMHO. But as to me personally, I'm a little bit disappointed... Just because I did like (and still do) "original" Shikari's, I expected that ATC blanks will be as close to "originals" as possible. But, from what I red in this thread, I found out that, since original mandrels still are in OK, I couldn't expect that ATC blanks manufactured in WA at the moment are the same...

Pavel,
Moscow, RU



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/07/2007 04:47PM by Pavel Novolokin.

Pavel,

It seems the Shikari may be dead imo.....

DR

Will see, Duane...

Pavel,
Moscow, RU