Bamboo Tips - Contributors
Schaeffer, Jeff

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My name is Jeff Schaeffer. I became fascinated by bamboo rods after seeing Jonathan Clarke give a presentation for the Tampa Bay fly fishing club in 1996. Got married in 1998, and took my new bride to the midwest fly fishing expo in MI to get her a nice beginner outfit. She told me that the rod I had chosen was ugly, and she wanted the kind with the edges. Told her to look at that price tags, and she came back with a copy of Elser and Maurer and instructed me to make her one. So I did. I made several rods before discovering the list in about 2002. I was very active for a few years, then sort of dropped off the scene due to shoulder injuries. I am back making rods (healed completely through weightlifting), but only have time during the dead of winter to get a few done. I sold some, but found far more pleasure in surprising my friends and charitable foundations with gifts or donations. I have made many friends through the list, and although I rarely have time to post, I enjoy seeing new rodmakers join in and discover the pleasure of the journey. And I learn something now and then. My rodmaking has been simplified. Gone are the hand mill, the myriad of threads and parts for restoration, the tools that did not work for me, and most everything I found that just got in the way. My current interest is in making fewer but better, and this winter I plan to make a three piece rod (just never got around to trying one of those). See you at Grayrock this year, unless I move and can make it to the southern rodmakers gathering... or I may just attend both. .