Bamboo Tips - Contributors
Caron, Jim

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My name is Jim, and I have been hooked since around the turn of the century. I got started by deciding that the bamboo rod from the 40's that I had inherited from my granddad deserved to be refinished. I then started buying old 9 footers on Ebay, converting them to 6 footers suited to the mountain stream fishing here in Virginia.  Close to home I have a cabin on a little brook trout stream where it flows out of the National Park. Next came a couple of blanks on Ebay. Then I realized that I HAD to start planing cane, and I am on Rod #18, a Garrison 193. I started acquiring the books, and pretty much settled on Wayne's as my "bible". Then I found this list, which continues to be invaluable. And I love it just the way it is, grits and all. Next came the inevitable plethora of tools, some made, some purchased, but all "needed". (And that beat goes on and on) The biggest step forward for me was my first gathering in the Catskills. Would hate to miss one now. Not only for the hands on and the technical, but especially for the people. Putting faces to the names from the list, getting the books autographed (Hoagy, Kat, George Barnes, Harms and Whittle, Kim, Rolf) has been special. I'm 67, like Peter, and aware of the limitations. So as I continue to extricate myself from my business as owner of a Mfg. Rep agency selling industrial valves, I will keep building...so many tapers, so little time. Just finished a Chris Bogart Blue Ridge Banty, love my Garrison 212, next will be a Dickerson 6611.................Thanks to all of you, and I hope to meet a lot of you.