Most you've spent on a rod?

[G-ManBart]

Watching the big auctions (Lang's, etc) always makes me wonder about how many people there are out there spending so much money on fishing gear. Similarly, looking at some of the biggest names in custom rods often finds them with long waiting lists for rods costing multiple thousands of dollars. It always makes me wonder if it's just a small group of people buying a lot of rods, or if it's more common.

I have a modest cane collection at this point....quite a few Orvis rods, one Goodwin Granger, one Bob Summers, one Phillipson, one Leonard, one EW Edwards, two Ron Barch Alder Creek, and even an old Shakespeare rod. So far the most I've spent was $1,250 and the rest were usually in the $200-800 range. To be fair, a couple of those were extremely lucky deals from an auction where nobody knew what they were looking at and almost don't count.

This isn't a debate about whether more expensive rods are worth it, or whether prices are ridiculous, etc. It's really nothing more than curiosity. If you like spending lots of money on fly rods looking for the best of the best I support you, and if you like bargain hunting to get the best bang for your buck I support you just the same!

I'm not involved in the fly fishing industry in any way and have nothing to gain from the outcome.

[hatch]

$1000--$2000

[joep]

Most spent 2650 for a bob Taylor 6'6 3/4 wt. Just under that 2500 bolt 3/2 8.5' 5wt. That is more than I would like to spend, and with the exception of maybe a third bob Taylor the rods I would like are sub 2k.

[PYochim]

Too much if you ask my accountant (wife).

[red 1]

4750. But I agree with the previous poster if the right Bob Taylor rod poped up I would consider opening up my wallet.

[blackdog]

My most expensive is a very custom Don Schroeder rod, a copy of the 1938 Heddon Princess - 7’6” 3wt.

[steeliefool]

And folks roll their eyes at soulless graphite rods topping a grand now! Is it supply and demand at work here? I understand it's hard work spanning many hours, like 40 yes?but $2500+??
A poor man's thoughts.
Please don't get me wrong as I can very much apprieciate the "art" of making such a thing but these "things" have been made for well over 100yrs,
by small sole practitioners to major tackle houses.
And, I have to ask, what is the point of such a thread???
Vanity????

[G-ManBart]

And, I have to ask, what is the point of such a thread???
Vanity????

I thought I explained it pretty clearly in my first post. I said:

It's really nothing more than curiosity. If you like spending lots of money on fly rods looking for the best of the best I support you, and if you like bargain hunting to get the best bang for your buck I support you just the same!

Vanity? I can't even imagine how that could be possible. Like I said above, the most I've spent on a rod was $1,250. That was for a rod and reel package on eBay and the reel is worth $400+ by itself. That's a pretty tame number when I see rods selling for $10K with some frequency.

[PYochim]

And folks roll their eyes at soulless graphite rods topping a grand now!

What is "soulless" about them? I get sick and tired of the derogatory comments made toward high end graphite rods and large arbor disc drag reels. These rods and reels use the latest technology and materials and are made to tolerances a lot tighter than the "classic" reels of old. I know a guy who got crap at a bamboo rod get-together for having a large arbor Ross reel on his cane rod. He was told that it disrespected the tradition.

It's products like this that are selling and keeping the doors open on our favorite fly shops, keeping the sport alive.

[DrLogik]

A number of years ago I bought my Kusse Magnum O'pus rod from a very reputable maker for around $1500.00 as I recall. It's a stunning rod. It had not been fished and still had the plastic on the handle. It was a once in a lifetime rod purchase. That rod was made in 1991 and is still unfished. I just can't bring myself to do it. Maybe when I retire.......

[hatch]

For what it's worth I think this is an interesting post. I would like to see that original graph when 100 responses can be logged.

[cappy]

And folks roll their eyes at soulless graphite rods topping a grand now!

What is "soulless" about them? I get sick and tired of the derogatory comments made toward high end graphite rods and large arbor disc drag reels. These rods and reels use the latest technology and materials and are made to tolerances a lot tighter than the "classic" reels of old. I know a guy who got crap at a bamboo rod get-together for having a large arbor Ross reel on his cane rod. He was told that it disrespected the tradition.

It's products like this that are selling and keeping the doors open on our favorite fly shops, keeping the sport alive.

Agree 100%. I'm not married to one blank material. They all have a place, graphite, fiberglass, cane and Tenkara rods, use them all. With regard to reels, I've replaced all my reels, some were classics with LA reels. IMHO they are popular for a reason, superior design, and if they were available back in the day, they would have been just as popular as they are today.

Sometimes I wonder, are many folks into fly fishing for the sport or the gear, as for me it's the sport.

[scarlet>fire]

And folks roll their eyes at soulless graphite rods topping a grand now!

What is "soulless" about them? I get sick and tired of the derogatory comments made toward high end graphite rods and large arbor disc drag reels. These rods and reels use the latest technology and materials and are made to tolerances a lot tighter than the "classic" reels of old. I know a guy who got crap at a bamboo rod get-together for having a large arbor Ross reel on his cane rod. He was told that it disrespected the tradition.

It's products like this that are selling and keeping the doors open on our favorite fly shops, keeping the sport alive.

Totally agree. I have a wonderful collection of bamboo that I love and fish with but I still also have graphite rods that I do the same. Reels the same. Cheers, Chris

[spruce grouse]

On advice of counsel, I invoke my fifth amendment privilege.

[quashnet]

The question doesn't mean much unless you add context by adjusting for the purchaser's wealth and income; otherwise, steeliefool is quite right to ask, "what's the point?" A millionaire can pretty much buy any fly rod he wants, at any time it becomes available, for any asking price. My most expensive bamboo fly rod was my first one - the Summers 275 that Bob S. made for me, and for which I paid $625 - because in 1985 this purchase caused a very big hit in my wallet, and required some serious budgeting. But now that I've owned this rod for thirty-five years, you can also argue that at $17.85 per year it is the cheapest bamboo fly rod I've ever bought. Context is everything.

[hatch]

In an attempt to get us back on topic and away from a debate that has no right or wrong answer (Glass, Graphite or Cane) I would like to say the stuff I like seems to hover just under $1000. But then I have Steve Campbell up in Brewer work his magic on some missing wraps or guides and that usually pushes the overall price up over $1000. This "Gun Stamp" Leonard is an example. The cat is my fly tying partner. She seems to have an interest in anything bird related.

[cdmoore]

I think the results are interesting. Possibly good info for makers who sell their wares, too. OTOH, might be better to have a new survey where answers are pegged to a particular year (let's say the current year, but could be different) and a link to a good bidirectional money inflation calculator to make life easier for participants.

[BearE]

It's also possible that there are subgroups within the main group, mainly those who like to collect specific rods and those who just like fishing with bamboo. I would venture to guess the upper price threshold between those two groups would differ by a pretty good amount. I personally like the feel of bamboo and don't really have an interest in collecting. To me they are damn fine fishing tools.

Sent from NW Montana

[G-ManBart]

The question doesn't mean much unless you add context by adjusting for the purchaser's wealth and income; otherwise, steeliefool is quite right to ask, "what's the point?" A millionaire can pretty much buy any fly rod he wants, at any time it becomes available, for any asking price.

With a big enough sample size the results will include answers from people across all financial statuses. At that point the results will reflect a fairly comprehensive view of the fly fishing community who likes bamboo rods and happen to be members here. It's really no more complicated than wondering what most folks set as their own top limit.

There's no doubt that there are a lot of people out there who have a cane rod or two and aren't really enthusiasts or members here. Similarly, there's no doubt that there are wealthy bamboo collectors who aren't members here. I think those two probably cancel each other out and my guess is that the folks here are pretty representative of typical bamboo enthusiasts. I may be wrong, but there's nothing riding on the results, so it doesn't really matter one way or the other

If nothing else, this might give people a way to tell their spouses "Look at what all these other people are spending" after they bring home a new rod!

[G-ManBart]

I think the results are interesting. Possibly good info for makers who sell their wares, too. OTOH, might be better to have a new survey where answers are pegged to a particular year (let's say the current year, but could be different) and a link to a good bidirectional money inflation calculator to make life easier for participants.

I thought about that after I posted it! Maybe a moderator could lock it next December and call it the 2022 survey or something like that? I don't think having Dec 2021 data would hurt anything.