i am a newbe to this site, and appreciate any info i can get about a new tip section for my fathers custom rod. my dads name was marc kirchner, and he used to fish the big manistee alot in the 70s and 80s. he died in 2010, and i now have his custom steelhead drift rod. i would like to try to get a new tip section made for it as there is about a foot or more broke off. the rod is signed by Boyd # 683283. i am assuming that this is the blank #, but im not sure. i believe it was originally 10ft, with glow in the dark guides. the blank is brown. sage maybe? anyway, i am trying to track down the original builder, or someone who can get a matching tip section for this rod, and tie it to match the bottom section. i can post photos of the rod if need be. im not even sure if you can still get the right blank. it would be nice to restore it and fish with it, as i am a huge steelheader myself. thanks again. anyone may email me at steeliechaser79 at gmail.

It may be a tough search, but you could get lucky. I hope you do.

Is there any other identifying information on the rod anywhere? What part of the country are you from?

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

Jason,
unhide your email.
Mike Barkley is from MI; he may be able to help you.
Good luck

"It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble.It's what you know for sure that just ain't so." Mark Twain
John in Wethersfield, CT

I bet you have a Boyd Dingledine steelhead rod, he did mostly spinning rods as far as I remember. He put a hard ring of material or wood in front of the reelseat as part of the foregrip to give better sensitivity in this area on the rods I seen. Found it in my old journals, writing things down was the best idea anyone ever gave me.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 07/09/2012 12:48AM by Spencer Phipps.

thanks for all the help guys. i am from howell mi. not sure if dad had the rod built by someone from the livingston co. area or someone up north. i have seen Boyd Dingledine's name on the net. does anyone know how to contact him? there is no wood in front of the reel seat, unless its under the cork? but that doesnt make much sense to me. however dingledine is the only rod builder by the name of boyd ive come across. also, how can i contact Mike Barkley? im not sure what you mean by unhide my email? sorry, im not very computer literate. i am going to attempt to post a few pics of the rod. thank you again everyone.

there is no other identifying info on the rod. just by Boyd #683283, and my dads name Marc Kirchner, written in white paint. it was 10ft light spinning rod. metal reel seat with dual locking rings.

You can find Mike's and other Michigan rod builders information on the Michigan Rod Builders Website. Click the link in my signature.

______________________________________
Super Tight Lines......Don

I know this is an old post and I hope you found what you were looking for. I know the Dingledine family personally, and unfortunately Boyd is in very poor health and as far as I know he no longer builds rods. he lives in Northern Kalamazoo County, just north of Gull Lake.