Post by Chee Yung on Dec 1, 2007 21:49:59 GMT 8
Rod Story # 10: Marc Aroner Hunt 7’6” 3/2 4wt
Hi Bobs,
This is the season of the classic swelled butt rod for me while waiting for innovative rods from my favourite makers. I started off with a T&T and now one from the same illustrious lineage… an Aroner Hunt.
As I have mentioned before, the best living masters are considered to be Brandin, Wojnicki, Summers, Carpenter, Kusse and Aroner. I have started to work up this list with orders from Mario and Bob years ago(Carpenter and Brandin being way out of my league as they have so much backlog.. 8 years I think.. that orders are suspended). Of course there is the other list of innovators Jeff Hatton, Marcelo, Maca, Thramer, Bogart, Fries, Zumbrun and poetic makers Clark, Jennings, Jenkins, Bradford & Japanese makers that I’m pursuing with higher priority… so many works, so little budget.
Recently an Aroner Hunt was offered and I jumped on it… and what a beauty! Marc Aroner’s skills can be traced back to T&T and HL Leonard Rods under Maxwell. He is considered to be top notch in terms of producing fine tipped swelled butt dry fly rods based on the legendary Leonard Hunt rods. His finish work is also considered among the best.
The rod arrived from Dave Ruedlinger of Boulder Colorado in almost pristine condition for a used rod. Flamed cane, perfectly straight blank with swelled butt, diminutive grip of high quality cork, Chinese red wraps over gold under wrap, blued hardware with fine decorative knurling, mortised walnut burl reel seat, glassy finish. A Saracione Trout reel also arrived from NYC the next day and the perfect marriage was made!
The rod is among the smoothest casting rods I have. So silent that I could hardly exhale as the line zipped overhead.. and the dry fly taking flight as if I breathe life into it. The loops were tight and roll casts were similarly smooth with a final punch from the swelled butt. It is not a distance casting rod nor as agile as the Drow but with the leader out up to 65ft, the rod danced like a ballerina. I can imagine that it will really shine during a midge or mayfly hatch.
The rod did not connect during the YBVST mayfly hatch due to my incompetence but it was really fun just presenting the fly well with little effort. I was so confident casting the 4wt DT that to uncle’s mirth I was doing ‘shadow casting’ CYK style. It probably looked like the fly was a bee swarming around me instead of simulating a hatch.
The next morning, we decided to attack PBs with streamers and the rod did perfectly well paired with a more modern Lamson Litespeed fishing my version of uncle’s black chilly flies. PBs were blitzing in NZ and we hit more than 30 fish that morning.. watch the bend!
Another treasure to experience and learn from..
CY
Hi Bobs,
This is the season of the classic swelled butt rod for me while waiting for innovative rods from my favourite makers. I started off with a T&T and now one from the same illustrious lineage… an Aroner Hunt.
As I have mentioned before, the best living masters are considered to be Brandin, Wojnicki, Summers, Carpenter, Kusse and Aroner. I have started to work up this list with orders from Mario and Bob years ago(Carpenter and Brandin being way out of my league as they have so much backlog.. 8 years I think.. that orders are suspended). Of course there is the other list of innovators Jeff Hatton, Marcelo, Maca, Thramer, Bogart, Fries, Zumbrun and poetic makers Clark, Jennings, Jenkins, Bradford & Japanese makers that I’m pursuing with higher priority… so many works, so little budget.
Recently an Aroner Hunt was offered and I jumped on it… and what a beauty! Marc Aroner’s skills can be traced back to T&T and HL Leonard Rods under Maxwell. He is considered to be top notch in terms of producing fine tipped swelled butt dry fly rods based on the legendary Leonard Hunt rods. His finish work is also considered among the best.
The rod arrived from Dave Ruedlinger of Boulder Colorado in almost pristine condition for a used rod. Flamed cane, perfectly straight blank with swelled butt, diminutive grip of high quality cork, Chinese red wraps over gold under wrap, blued hardware with fine decorative knurling, mortised walnut burl reel seat, glassy finish. A Saracione Trout reel also arrived from NYC the next day and the perfect marriage was made!
The rod is among the smoothest casting rods I have. So silent that I could hardly exhale as the line zipped overhead.. and the dry fly taking flight as if I breathe life into it. The loops were tight and roll casts were similarly smooth with a final punch from the swelled butt. It is not a distance casting rod nor as agile as the Drow but with the leader out up to 65ft, the rod danced like a ballerina. I can imagine that it will really shine during a midge or mayfly hatch.
The rod did not connect during the YBVST mayfly hatch due to my incompetence but it was really fun just presenting the fly well with little effort. I was so confident casting the 4wt DT that to uncle’s mirth I was doing ‘shadow casting’ CYK style. It probably looked like the fly was a bee swarming around me instead of simulating a hatch.
The next morning, we decided to attack PBs with streamers and the rod did perfectly well paired with a more modern Lamson Litespeed fishing my version of uncle’s black chilly flies. PBs were blitzing in NZ and we hit more than 30 fish that morning.. watch the bend!
Another treasure to experience and learn from..
CY
