The Classic Fly Rod Forum at 20 Years

[czkid]

I modeled the Bamboo Bash on what we did in Potter County way back when. Fond memories of Rolf's hospitality, picking me up at the airport and slepping me around. Those were the days. Hopefully we'll have the Bash again in April 2021, come one, come all!

Nightshirt Ralph

[Greg Reynolds]

Photos from those early gatherings...

Bill Taylor's rods at the 2nd Potter County, Pennsylvania meet in 2005:


'Banjo's rods:


Mill Pond Cottage on the Gunpowder River, Maryland in 2006. This one was organized by Spruce Grouse and is a favorite of mine. It's a wonderful venue and the fishing was great:


Center Mills B&B on Elk Creek in central Pennsylvania in 2007. Another great place:


A very nice Leonard Model 35 (I think) brought by Sal Fontinalis--Matt has way too many nice pre-fire Leonards:




A few from our 2008 Savage River, Maryland meet--Andre and most of the group:



If anyone has photos of the 2007 (I think) meet in Boiling Springs, Pennsylvania hosted by Bill Taylor, please post a few. Mine aren't worth sharing.

[andre49]

I have this from the Center Mills trip...upper Penns Creek and nice Trico hatch the morning everyone left

[andre49]

For those that don’t know from L to R are: Vladimir, Howard (Spruce Grouse), Matt, Eric, (Bucktrout), Greg, Marty, (Tommasini) and Bob Grambor

[Rolf Jacobsen]

I believe these are from the "Drought Gathering" in Potter County. If I remember correctly, the idea for this started out as two forum members from opposite sides of Pennsylvania, wanting to get together to fish. I had to open my big mouth and say, "Hey, I know a place that might work". We started by renting a cabin that slept four and ended up with renting the entire lodge for a long weekend.

Matt, Bill, Greg, Tim, Howard and Marc


The "Rod Father", Banjo, GoatRoper and the one responsible for much of what this board is today..


Andre, aka "The Giver"


Jan, (Leaky Waders), Bill T., Tim, Greg and Matt


Bill Taylor........

[adkfan]

Great pix... I was a member in the 2002/3 days but don’t even recall my username then and changed it with each re register we had to do. It’s been a great run, I have attended some of the Catskill get togethers but not in many years, I don’t think I have any pix

[gt05254]

It says I joined in 2007, but I'm pretty sure I joined some time before that, but got really mad about something and left for quite awhile, as did my old friend Wally Murray. I see him infrequently; he doesn't do forums anymore.
Gary

[Greg Reynolds]

Our loss Gary. Very glad you're back...

[DrLogik]

I think I joined in December 2002. It is a testament to the people on this forum that it is still very active and relevant after 20 years.

[teter]

I started looking at posts in late 2001 when I was getting ready to have my grandfather's old salmon rod refinished. All the gorgeous rods! That's what got me into this. I joined sometime in 2003 and posted a few times before the old posts were lost in the reshuffle. A lot of members who are listed as joining on Dec. 20 or 21, 2004, were members before that; as noted, memberships were reset at that time.

[Flykuni3]

Hat's off to mods who've slaved on for that big pay check that comes every two weeks.

I'm not sure when I joined as I've had to re-join a few times, hence the 3 on my name. But am a big fan of the board, a daily stop for me -- fun, info, reels, flies, tactics, history and the Classifieds. I like posting a trip report now and then with photos, and it's been nice to receive good wishes from fellow members. To me it means you've taken my words and experiences and understood them, which then means that though we may not have met, we have shared similar experiences. That's nice how we all experience the joy of our sport. Yes we collect, but I would bet most of us enjoy going fishing.

Possibly a touchy-feely word, joy, but if you read Rev. Harry's Easter missive yesterday (on Facebook), I think joy fits.

I've bought several rods and reels over the years from this group, and have nothing but good deals (save for one, but it was resolved). So hat's off to the board.

[Boo]

I've been around since the early Clark Davis days. Over 2 decades later and hundreds of rods passing through my hands, my, how things have changed since then. Met Sante, Thramer, C. McDowell, and several others at the Camp Sherman shows way back when.

[Gnome]

I was on the board while I was living in Maine and left there in April 2001 so I must have been here in 2000. Sante asked me to moderate in 2004 when he took over board. For awhile it was just him and me and that was no fun. Do miss the gatherings though. Bellafonte, Potter County, Fishing creek, Boiling Springs, Savage River and the farm we used to rent in Roscoe with a bass pond.

Andre

Andre has forgotten that the gnome was also a moderator at that time (Was one of the first asked by Clark to help) and saw it through as a moderator to Sante and even was an owner with Dr. Todd and Pat Garner for a short time after Sante got sick and before it was passed on to Dr. Todd. And that is some of the history of the forum.

[gofish60]

You guys will never know how close Clark came to pulling the plug when he gave up attempting to control the outrageous behavior that was going on. One of the finest gentlemen I've ever met, and he was thoroughly disgusted by the petty bickering and outright hostility that was happening on his forum. He asked both me and Sante to take it, and I had zero knowledge of how to do anything but turn on a computer, much less run a forum. Thank goodness Sante stepped up and we're still here.
Most of the antagonists of old are gone, thank goodness, or at least changed their names and manners. The moderators now are doing a GREAT job of keeping a handle on bad behavior.
gofish

[Flyman615]

Yep, it says I've been here since 2004, but I lived through at least one "re-set" which started things over before that here on The Little Forum That Time Forgot.

No matter. I just hope most of my particular contributions to date have (mostly) been worthwhile. I certainly still enjoy the exchange of valuable and correct information as well as the many wonderful photos of classic bamboo fly rods and fly fishing equipment.

Here's to another 20 years...

Scott Z.

[andre49]

I was on the board while I was living in Maine and left there in April 2001 so I must have been here in 2000. Sante asked me to moderate in 2004 when he took over board. For awhile it was just him and me and that was no fun. Do miss the gatherings though. Bellafonte, Potter County, Fishing creek, Boiling Springs, Savage River and the farm we used to rent in Roscoe with a bass pond.

Andre

Andre has forgotten that the gnome was also a moderator at that time (Was one of the first asked by Clark to help) and saw it through as a moderator to Sante and even was an owner with Dr. Todd and Pat Garner for a short time after Sante got sick and before it was passed on to Dr. Todd. And that is some of the history of the forum.

Gnome I can only speak to my recollection of Sante’s first taking over of board and still believe it was only him and I that were listed as Moderators in his announcement of taking over the board. If I’m wrong then I apologize for omitting you. It does mean a great deal to me who was when...only pointing out how difficult it was with a few moderators. Many moderators came in the weeks to follow.

[Gnome]

Andre,

I was right in there with the first ones asked to help Clark, I remember how hard we worked in the pitt to get to where we got Dr. Todd to take over when Sante got sick, That is all archived there and you are right it was tough going at times, Apology accepted. To say I was not there at that time is not historically true.

[cdmoore]

Here's a post from Banjo, recalling the early days...

viewtopic.php?f=70&t=116154&p=814045&hi ... ku#p814045

I think I lurked for a couple years before joining. I have a Kineya catalog from 2002 and I know I joined well before that. Hard to tell because the forum and my email accounts have changed since then.

Does this look familiar? (give it a minute to load)

http://www.oocities.org/fishcane/

This was the next address but Way Back Machine doesn't seem to have it:

http://pub12.ezboard.com/bclarksclassicflyrodforum

[adrien schnee]

Greg, Rolf, Andre - thanks very much for posting these photos from 12 or 13 years ago of your gatherings and putting names to the faces of folk’s I have read so many informative posts from here.

[Flyfishbill]

I first joined in late 2000. I had by-pass surgery on September 15, 2000 and during my recovery I was searching for bamboo fly rod info. I visit this site almost daily. It has been a great resource and I have met great people though the board.
Bill