DICKERSON 8616 SPECIAL * 1949

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carl otto
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DICKERSON 8616 SPECIAL * 1949

#1

Post by carl otto »

Finally had time to measure this rod.

I fish some big guns, Young Bobby Doerr, Young Para 17, 5 1/8 and 5 1/4 OZ Winstons, Leonard Steelhead Special... Of all these rods this Dickerson posts a fly line out into the distance with amazing line speed and power. It the only rod I can consistently cast into the backing on a good day, if necessary. People who cast it just smile. It yanks the reel on a release demanding more. It is obvious it was well loved and used in its life before mine, as it is down about 3/4" in the tips.

Salmon, Steelhead, Pike.... I do not think one would be unhappy with this rod. It's no poker. With an 8 weight line on board it just sings from 10 feet and out.

Without varnish

0 6/64 tip
4 G
5 .107
9 G
10 .125
15 .147 & G
20 .168
21.5 G
25 .182
28.5 G
30 .196
35 .212

36 G
40 .215
44 G
45 .237
50 .251

16/64 SD Ferrule
53 G
55 .273
60 .289

61.5 G
65 .309
70 .323

72.75 Stripping guide
75 .340
80 .350
85 .360
90 .380

90+ Top of grip
Full wells grip
97+ Bottom of Grip
101+ Butt

Enjoy!!!

Carl @ Wanigas Rod Company

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canerodscom
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Re: DICKERSON 8616 SPECIAL * 1949

#2

Post by canerodscom »

Thanks for sharing Carl. Is there a significant drop in bamboo dimensions across the #16 ferrules?


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carl otto
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Re: DICKERSON 8616 SPECIAL * 1949

#3

Post by carl otto »

Shows about .020" across the ferrules.

Carl

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canerodscom
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Re: DICKERSON 8616 SPECIAL * 1949

#4

Post by canerodscom »

Thanks


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mrampant
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Re: DICKERSON 8616 SPECIAL * 1949

#5

Post by mrampant »

Thanks for this, I will give this a go. I have found the 7613 excellent so I figure this would be as good.
Cheers,
Mark
He who shall not be able to make a trout fly, after studying these diagrams and directions, must be deficient either in brains or in manual dexterity. : Edward Fitzgibbon 1853

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JHolton
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Re: DICKERSON 8616 SPECIAL * 1949

#6

Post by JHolton »

Carl,
Thanks for posting this taper. I have made 3 of the 8615 rod (with 15/64 Super Z ferrules) for friends and family. It is a stunningly perfect rod with 6 and 7 weight tips. Alan Kube was kind enough to measure his original and provide the taper. I made one for a friend in Oregon with the 7 weight tip and what I called at 7+. I will be making one for his dad and I was pondering an 8 weight. Now I can make the real thing.
Dickerson rods are my favorites, from the 7613 to the 8615. What makes them even better is that I grew up a Michigan boy, from Grand Haven. Thanks once again for the taper. I will let you know how it works for him on steelhead in Oregon.
Jack

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JHolton
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Re: DICKERSON 8616 SPECIAL * 1949

#7

Post by JHolton »

Carl,
What brand and type of 8 wt line do you like for your 8616?
Jack

kakaryan
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Re: DICKERSON 8616 SPECIAL * 1949

#8

Post by kakaryan »

What is the 3pc version of the 8616? Thanks

Recidivist13
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Re: DICKERSON 8616 SPECIAL * 1949

#9

Post by Recidivist13 »

If also be interested in a 3 pce version of this taper if there is one. I’m only new to this caper and not sure how to work it out correctly.

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Lee Koch
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Re: DICKERSON 8616 SPECIAL * 1949

#10

Post by Lee Koch »

Being a long-time appreciator of the 8615, and never having liked the 8015 or 8014G, you have persuaded me to try this taper. :-) I'm going to make it as a spliced joint, and we'll see how it comes out. Thanks for posting the numbers!

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Lee Koch
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Re: DICKERSON 8616 SPECIAL * 1949

#11

Post by Lee Koch »

I finished up this taper, built hollow, and a spliced joint instead of metal ferrule. I was kind of worried about the tip being too heavy, but I have to say, it is balanced in the hand, smooth, and just wants to suck line off the reel. I haven't got a reelseat attached yet, just taped one on, and put out 3/4 of a WF8 line with a couple of strokes.. Then the reelseat fell off, and I decided I'd wait until I got it all together to really push it. A really nice rod! Thanks for posting Carl!

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carl otto
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Re: DICKERSON 8616 SPECIAL * 1949

#12

Post by carl otto »

Lee:

You have added a new phrase to my casting comments....

"just wants to suck line off the reel"

You have aptly describe the sensation of casting the Dickerson 8616 Special.

Have great fun!!!!!

Carl

sanderson
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Re: DICKERSON 8616 SPECIAL * 1949

#13

Post by sanderson »

I am having a brain f**t trying to set my butt section numbers. I have the lower tip at about .255, where are you starting your numbers for the 51" butt section? I've done this before but for some reason I can't wrap my head around where ferrule end of butt should start/end.

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Lee Koch
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Re: DICKERSON 8616 SPECIAL * 1949

#14

Post by Lee Koch »

sanderson wrote:
06/14/23 19:48
I am having a brain f**t trying to set my butt section numbers. I have the lower tip at about .255, where are you starting your numbers for the 51" butt section? I've done this before but for some reason I can't wrap my head around where ferrule end of butt should start/end.
I can't tell you what I did, as I made my version with a spliced ferrule, but I can tell you what I would have done if I had put a metal ferrule on it: I would use a full-size 16/64 step-down, I would let the bottom of the tip be .251 at 50 inches, 51 and 52. For the butt, I would let the 51 inch mark be somewhere around .260, and the 55 inch mark still be, what is it, .271? This half-a-sixtyfourth drop over the ferrules was, by my observation, a very common practice of Lyle Dickerson's. Some people in the modern age argue that you should then use the next size up of ferrule, so as not to cut"too much" bamboo off the top of the butt (to get the ferrule to fit), but AJ Thramer (and others) have argued that Dickerson regularly cut down the butts that half-a-sixtyfourth, and his rods do not have any reputation of failing at the bottom end of the ferrule. My 2 cents :-)

sanderson
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Re: DICKERSON 8616 SPECIAL * 1949

#15

Post by sanderson »

Thanks Lee. I am using a 16 SD ferrule, I calculated the 51" mark on butt at .255 with the 55 mark still at .273. And that .255 is my calculation for the 51" on tip. I feel like I'm undersizing the butt ferrule station, but can't grasp how much/if I should beef it up. .260 may very well be the answer.

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Lee Koch
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Re: DICKERSON 8616 SPECIAL * 1949

#16

Post by Lee Koch »

Do .260, it'll be good.

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dnester
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Re: DICKERSON 8616 SPECIAL * 1949

#17

Post by dnester »

Hard to duplicate the action of certain Dickerson rods.
Owned and fished quite a few.
The Dickerson 901812-C -- Henry Hird-1937 rod was an outstanding Trout fishing rod !
Rod had wonderful balance , very accurate and could cast most of fly line without stripping in too much line prior to backcast .
Three piece negated the hinging effect. Used a Wulff 6/7 F triangle taper . A casting and Trout catching machine. Nine foot rod that fished like an eight foot rod !
Rod's design enabled use of 6x and 7x tippets. One of few rods I have owned and fished that could ' hold it's own ' against modern graphite rods .
Dickerson 901812-c was my all time favorite Trout rod !

DD Nester
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