Taransky Bamboo Rods
Two cane-rod fans appraise an Australian maker's work.
Paul Bourne on a classic American
dry fly style swelled butt 7-ft #4
I’ve always been a fan of bamboo/split cane fly rods since my days back in Adelaide and the monthly Classic Rod Club meetings at Ray Brown’s place. I still remember everybody’s envious looks when I rolled up one evening with a beautiful Thomas & Thomas bamboo rod. At the time they were considered the ultimate in commercial rod build and quality. They possessed a sweet action as well.
I’ve been fishing a 7' #4 bamboo from friend and fishing mate Nick Taransky for the last 6 years. It has caught a few fish—about three thousand probably! Though it was still fishing well, we fly anglers can never have enough gear, so I ordered another rod from Nick. His present offerings were absolutely superb—and from memory were at least as good if not better made than the T&T I had owned a couple of decades or so ago.
I am of the opinion that 7'6" and under is where bamboo rods reign supreme. They simply load up well and offer control out to 25 feet that is hard for other rod materials to match. Many of the shorter graphites I’ve cast still load best at 30 feet and beyond. That’s simply not why I’m using a light, short rod in the first place. I’d say I’m not alone on this as it seems you never know who’ll pop up next on the pages of FlyLife with a bamboo rod in their hands.
I was definitely going for another 7-ft 4-weight, but wasn’t sure what to try. Nick suggested that as I had often commented on the smooth power and action of Thomas & Thomas fly rods, he could base a rod on that same classic American swelled butt dry-fly style.
I’ve now had the rod for a month or so and apart from its exquisite look and finish it casts superbly. The rod has a swelled butt and well-marked brown mallee burl reel seat, with clear wraps and blued nickel silver hardware. I’m rapt and now my much-loved previous rod has been reluctantly retired. Apart from its superb finish the new rod has a very precise casting ability and sweet action disguising its power.
Nick’s rods are world-renowned and he’s right here in our back yard. Well known American bamboo and fine fly- tackle dealer Len Codella describes Nick as a ‘Master’ of his craft and those accolades aren’t given lightly. Len was President of Thomas & Thomas in their heyday and his Heritage Sporting Collectables were around long before anyone had even thought of the Internet.
Troy Macnab on the ‘Bush Creek’ 6'6" #3/4/5
Moving the family to Cooma in 1999, it was my aim to become intimate with the streams of the Mountains, streams that have now become constant companions. It wasn’t until a few years later that I started fishing with Paul Bourne. He lived to fish streams and I knew I was in good company. Paul showed me some magnificent pieces of water and we discovered some together. Fly rods are a ‘minor’ obsession of mine and I quizzed Paul on his preferences. Bamboo rods came up and I was intrigued by the passion with which Paul lamented the loss of his Thomas & Thomas.
Soon after I learnt of Nick Taransky and hooked up with him for a cast on the lawn. I picked up a 7-ft 4-weight, based on a Paul Young ‘Driggs River’ taper, and proceeded to play with it. I was most impressed by the crisp, fluid feel it gave the cast. The wind was up and it was still a pleasure. I fell in love with the rod and ordered one.
Three seasons ago I ordered a second Taransky rod. It was a fast, darkly flamed 7-ft 4/5-weight based on a Digger DeGere ‘Fast’ taper, with blued hardware and a mallee up-sliding seat.
My latest order, a 3-piece 6'6" Bush Creek taper is not far from delivery. This is one of his own tapers and embodies what Nick believes a small stream rod should be. I fished with Nick’s own Bush Creek rod recently and was amazed that a short rod could do so much. It is light, quick and deadly accurate.
Nick Taransky offers customers their name or other inscription penned on the rod to add a personal touch. Excited by the accuracy of my new rod taper, I asked my young son what inscription it should carry. “The Trout Pistol” he said. Well, the Trout Pistol it will be.
www.taranskybamboo.com.au