LeoRod lost virginity on PB's

[TarponCraz]

LeoRod lost virginity on peacock basses

Yesterday morning took the made-in-Singapore LeoRod out from drying cabinet and buffed it with rotten stone powder in camellia oil. I could felt the blemishes due to varnish beads formed on the surfaces at few places as I did not thin down the varnish before I poured it into the dip tank. I could have spent some more time to rectify the blemishes but I was too earger to test it out. Hence I took it out for a test run at grass patch at LP yesterday afternoon before the tunder storm began. It threw out 3DT line to 50/60 ft without a problem but the 4WT line load it even better. With the 4WT line, I could feel the Leo alive in my hand. ;D ;D ;D Story of the long journey to letting out the lion will be posted on SFFC Blog in due course.

Decided to take the Leo out to NZ for a spin this morning dispite the threatening weather. When I arrived at the usual parking "lot", it was still dry. Just as I got out of the car, the sky broke loose and it poured! . I have no choice but to get back into my car and waited. Ten mins later, it slowed to mid drizzle and I dicided to proceed. Put on my rain jacket and collected my geard, I went in.

The rushing clear water has stopped flowing in the drain, only rain water gathered in the surrounding area flowed in it. This caused the water at head pool high turbidity. I moved further down to try out for PB. On 2nd cast, a PB followed my fly but was too late to grab it before it was lifted out of water. I casted to it and next thing I knew was my LeoRod bent like a bow from tip to butt. ;D ;D ;D. Tried to take photo of its bent but only managed to snap the butt section. After that the PB already spent. The power fibres I packed into Leo proved too strong for the PB.







Few more casts produced second PB, and again it didn't last long on the Leo.





The rain picked up again and became heavier. I knew nothing much could be achieved and left the place.

[Chee Yung]

Hi Uncle,

... a cool rod by a cool man!

Letting that big cat out of the bag is a real joy shared with us BOBs . Go get em sebbies!!!!

Congrats again... I'm proud to be able to view the various stages of your great and beautiful effort. Looking forward to the Leo Story ;D ;D

Cheers
CY

[BillyTeo]

Finally a Pure Singapore rod.
Could be the first in Singapore too.
Congratulation.

Maybe CY can add a LeoRod to his collection too.

[Qwek]

Hi Uncle Wong,

Nice catch and very nice rod! Soon Sincity will be well known it cane export beside caning.

Cheers
Qwek

[TarponCraz]

Billy,

CY is nursing his own cub and soon will turn into a lion! Roar! Roar! Kekekeke.

Qwek,

Thanks. I hope that day will come........ soon.

[ShadowCaster]

I can personally attest to the outstanding casting qualities and fine cosmetics of the LeoRod! I had the fortune to fish with uncle Wong on Thu evening, trying to get a Seb attached to the Leorod..... and was given a chance to make a few cast.

Wow! the castability and feel is outstanding! Nice medium fast action with a lively tip. The heat tempering on the cane was just right for the Garrison 209 taper. Tip damping was very natural, with no signs of waves even when I tried to over-power the cast. the 7'6" was holding 60' of WF4 easily in the air without double haul. The leader turn-over was graceful and gentle despite the fact that a #4 bead-eye clouser was at the end of the fly line instead of a #16 Blue Wing Olive. the lively rod tip transit smoothly into the powerful mid and butt section, resulting in excellent roll casting capability. Short cast was also easily supportable and graceful by just using the tip alone without involking the power of the mid section. I had 5 ft of fly line out and the 9ft leader and the heavy fly still turned over nicely.

Cosmetically, the cane sections are of perfect geometry and invisible glue lines. the varnish is even and nice.

In any case, I was not at all surprised at the fine quality of the LeoRod. I had a tour of his "rod shop" a week ago and was blown away by the details and effort put into the tools of the trade. No short cut for Uncle Wong! In fact, every single steps was given an extra mile of enhancement.

All I can say to conclude is : "Uncle Wong, don't forget my que number!"

[Chee Yung]

Hi BOBs,

I was there when we split the tonkin, with uncle completing solo the rough shaping, tapering and finally finishing but I never fished the Leo until this morning...

I didn't read TY's post above before I fished the rod but believe it or not, I do feel almost exactly the same about the amazing fishability and workmanship of the rod .. I was even blessed with a feisty PB on the Leo to make the experience complete ;D

The rod felt light at hand, very crisp and with point & shoot action with just the leader out and rollcasting up to 40ft or by slowing down the stroke, up to 70ft easy. I was casting a heavy charlie which was probably not the best fly to match such a sensitive rod due to the tugging but it was the most powerful 7.5ft 4wt I have tried to date.. and I do have a few from rather famous makers ( McKinley Granger 7633 Repro, Jennings, Mc Dowell tweaked 209, Zumbrunn).

Is the rod relaxing?... well at short distances it actually felt like my superfast Mike Montagne quad repro from Danny Hues.. that meant it had a light and fast tip, while at longer distances it felt a little like my Fries... which meant it had the 'slow down and relax' progressive action.. In fact, it was so progressive that when I held the rod just above the grip with the reel on, it 'bounced' as I trodded from spot to spot. Finally the rod literally bent to the butt when the PB latched on and that fight could be felt like my own heartbeat! It is exactly how Norman McLean would descibe a fly rod... a wobbly stick seemingly without live until it is casted and hooked a fish

In short, it is a great fishing rod made from a great taper and finished to exacting standards by a guy I'm proud to call partner and uncle ... BTW, this could be the only rod in Singapore other than my Fries and Beaverhead made to a spiral node pattern... this may explain it superior power and feel... but then again, TY did mention and I concur about the exact planing, gluing, heat treatment down to the self made snakes that made the difference... IMPRESSIVE! You cant export such a work bro Qwek, you lock it up zealously in Singapore ;D ;D

Cheers
CY

[TarponCraz]

Thanks TY and Chee Yung. I am glad you all felt the rod lively in hand, easy to cast and sensitive in fighting fish. I am very satisfied with the product coming out of my insistant on top quality tools and attending to details in every aspects in turning all raw materials of bamboo, spring wire and cork rings etc into a fishable rod. Any BOB here or BOB to be are most welcome to have a go with it when we meet on our waters.

[ShadowCaster]

Now Uncle Wong, all that's left to do is to get LeoRod connected to one of these :



After 2 weeks of daily dinner buffet, they are averaging about 3lbs, all muscle and guts. Pleanty of smarts too! Certainly a worthy quest for LeoRod!

[TarponCraz]

LeoRod Connected onto Sebarau

This afternoon just received my long awaited Peerless No 1. Without losing time, I immediately lined it up with backing and 4WF-F fly line.





I decided to take the setup to NZ to see if Peerless will bring me luck in connecting up to sebarau. The water was a bit like diluted coffee with milk. I tied up a chartuse colour clouser I tied 2 days ago and work on the water at head pool. I could see the fly in the water and I thought sebbies there would see it too. Unfortunately the fly ended up in a tree branch upon my 3rd cast. I then tied on a white clouser that I have been using on the water all the time. After a few roll cast, a quick moving fish with silver belly took the fly and ran like madness. Aha, a sebarau is on. ;D ;D ;D But it broke loose before I could land it. .

After a while TY came with dinner for sebbies. I tied on one hot orange colour clouser and soon a baby toman took it. Its sharp teeth cut off my bite leader before I could land it. I quickly tie on another fly and this time a PB took it readily. TY took his turn to try on the sebbies but they were too smart and avoid our fly. It was getting dark soon. I decided to have a last try at the head pool before we packed up and leave. The LeoRod roll cast with just the tip nicely in narrow quarter. There were 2 strikes but no hookup. Just as I was about to pack up, a mid size sebarau obliged. ;D ;D ;D ;DInstead of running downstream (that would make my Peerless sing), it dashed upstream into the floating leaves! The Leo proved its power again in reinning in the sebbie in no time. ;D ;D ;D

[TarponCraz]

Sebarau Ran, Leo Bent, Peerless Screamed

Yesterday morning went to the river with Billy. The water was flowing at full speed. Once our tackles were setup, I gave Billy one of my hot orange colour clouser and I tied one on myself. Shown Billy the direction to cast to and the way to strip. Soon he had a strike but his tippet broke! Alamah, Billy. It could had been your first sebarau!

Gave him another fly and he tried for a while but no more strike. He gave up the spot to me. On second cast, a black/white tilapia took my fly.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y99/TarponCraz/070506-0027-nzr.jpg

Then there was no more taker. I moved to the upper reach and rolled cast into the turbulence. After a while, I felt a strong take and raised my rod tip instantaneously. The Peerless started to screamed. The sebarau swam into the current and stayed there for a while. I shouted to Billy who came over to take some photos and took over the Leo to feel the Sebbie on Leo.






Unfortunately, the tippet broke when Billy tried to lift the sebbie out of the water. Judging from the size and pull, it could have been a 3 pounder.

[FrancisThong]

Hi Uncle Wong,

I have not had the pleasure to be introduced to you yet. However, I came across this thread this morning and really enjoyed reading it.

Although I have fly fished for a few years, I must admit I know nothing about bamboo rod. I did admire a few when I was in Japan recently but that's only the cosmetic parts! Nonetheless, I must say it is very well crafted! It is even better now that you have caught a Sebarau on it.

I hope to read more about your adventures with this MIS Bamboo rod!

Congratulations and WELL DONE!!!!

Cheers,
FT

[yong]

hi guys,please take care when casting the garrison as the 209 is a trout taper and not designed for long casts.it is ok to cast 30 to 40 feet of line but not more than that as the butt section will become over loaded.also when fighting fish be gentle and try not to use too much force.many casters ,including myself, just cant resist the urge to double haul and see how far it can cast and in the process damage a perfectly good rod.for our type of fishing we would need to modify the butt taper so that it is thicker to handle the extra loads and stronger fish.cheers.

[TarponCraz]

Peerless continued its scream on another Sebarau

This evening went to the river again. Water was flowing at even faster speed. Roll casted to the whitewater and let the current carried the fly in it. After several casts, yielded this handsome big fellow. Judging from its size and feel in hand, it was most likely a 3 pounder







Yong,

Thanks for your reminder.

[Chee Yung]

Wow!! When u cane them sebbies... you cane them good!! ;D

Master Yong, I think you are a little too nice to your Garrison ... it is designed for 20ft to 60ft www.farnorthrodsmiths.com/taper.htm ... I think uncle's can hit 70ft easy but TY's estimate of 60ft is right for fishing. Maybe if you use Tonkin and spiral node arrangement, you have your 4wt tarpon rod ;D ;D ;D.. just kidding, I suppose local boo can cut it ... but do try tonkin for great results!

Cheers
CY