Bjarne Fries rods

[Adam.podlaha]

I was able to get my hands on few BF models over the past few months (thanks members) and saw quite a few differences in finish, glue used, cork ring size, inscriptions etc.
Does anyone have a good overview of how Bjarne evolved through time?
The rods are (left to right)
- garrison 209e
- katana 764
- connoisseur 733
If you have any pictures to share that would be great
Thank you









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[Cross Creek]

That’s an impressive collection of Bjarne Fries rods! I had a 5wt Katana some years ago (NS ferrule) that I sold to a Swedish rod maker friend with the vague hope of finding a light-line, more parabolic model with FIBH ferrule. That hasn’t happened so far, and it appears that Bjarne has stopped making rods or is on extended sabbatical exploring his artistic (painting) talents. His rods, however, are top-drawer, and values will only increase as time goes by.

[maruoff]

Very nice collection and great to see that some of Bjarnes rods are treasured in the US!

Bjarne has stopped rodmaking many years ago by the way albeit.

I have know his rods for many years and also got to know one of his disciples (who surpassed his superb quality at some time even IMHO) very well.
Have had examples of most of his models and have cast some others I didnt own.

Bjarne Fries for me is a rodbuilding legend and one of the very few if not the only rodmaker(s) who has brought tapers into the modern flyfishing era.

Some of this tapers might be extreme (e.g. his Antigravity 8.5ft #2/3) but he is the only one I am aware of who has built such rods in the past 30 years.

In any case indeed his rodbuilding and cosmetics evolved/changed over the time as you can see in the rods you have. Resourcinol glue, brown windings (later olive), stepped up ferrules, FIBH... you name it. In any case I have never seen a really bad Fries rod.
Mind you they were mighty expensive so they better be good :-)!

I would say that his best rods are from the late 90ies/start 2000s.

[ibookje]

Bjarne sent me a couple rods for a review back in 2016.
Should have kept them....
Here's my review: https://bassbug.blogspot.com/2016/03/bj ... maker.html

[Adam.podlaha]

Thanks guys for the info. @Maruoff - actually I am in the U.K. not US so the rods stayed “home” . Yes it’s a shame that Bjarne stopped making rods. Also interesting to see that in the later rods he started to use different type, brighter one, which shows the bamboo profile nicer. Yes, you should have kept the rods. As I fish those in the season I will try to report on them - guessing from reading the catalogue casting wise they will be very different.


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[New2Bambootoo]

I REALLY regret selling my Katana. Early in my bamboo collecting career I was buying and selling like crazy and sold a couple good ones that I really regret now. This is one of them. Adam, if you ever decide you want to sell the Katana, let me know. I'm a willing buyer.

Another rod I really regret selling was a Scott 7' 4wt built by Bernard Ramanaskus. Great casting rod out to about 40ft. Maybe not the best rod for big rivers but it had its place in my quiver.

The last rod that I REALLY regret selling was a Mario Wojnicki 7'2" GF rod. I couldn't really afford it when I bought it so I sold it quickly to put the $ back in the bank. But that was an AMAZING rod and like the Fries rod, is one I truly regret selling.

Bill - N2B

[ibookje]

Wow welcome back Bill. I remember you buying several very nice rods about 10-12 years ago.

[New2Bambootoo]

Thanks, ibookje. I went through a phase of a LOT of buying / selling on the board. The only 2 rods I primarily fish for boo anymore is an 8ft 3/78th oz Howell's rod and an FE Thomas Fairy copy by AJ Thramer. I'm looking to get back to purchasing a few more and have my eye on a couple of things from Mario that I'm contemplating.

Bill

[YellowGoshawk]

Dear fellow Flyfishermen,
many years ago I bought an Anti-Gravity #5 fly rod and a three piece Katana fly rod, which at that time Bjarne Fries made especially as a three section rod for me. Due to work and family reasons I could not use either rod for fishing, but now, as I looked at them I noticed, that on the Katana rod the female ferrule on the butt section has cracked lengthwise. I used the rod after purchase only twice.
I have no explanation for this, the rod was hanging in its rod-cloth in a board.
My question now is as if anyone has the current contact facts of Bjarne Fries, as I want to ask him, whether a repair ( replacement ) of the ferrule could be performed by him. His email ( bjarne@fries-rods.dk ) which I found in the internet is not working.
It would be a great help to receive some information, as in this status the rod is not fishable.
Thank you for your help
Michael
Berlin, Germany

[Adam.podlaha]

Contact him via Facebook / messenger. He is there.


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[Cross Creek]

Bjarne is retired from rod making, but he’s fairly active on Facebook. Recently he posted some photos of a long combination glass/bamboo rod he made for personal use, and the photos showed that he still has his shop (the nickel silver ferrules were made by him). If you contact him on Facebook, he might be able to repair your rod.

[YellowGoshawk]

Dear Sir,
thank you for this tip, I will try this.
best regards form Berlin
Michael