A friend and I hit a small lake north of Snoqualmie for a few hours on Friday. The wind was shifting when we got there, and the water temp was 50 at the surface. There was a bit of a bite to the air, so a coat was necessary even in the sunshine. No hatches to see and no shucks on the surface...
Sorry to hear of Tom's passing. I remember him sharing his method for developing tapers and graphing the taper out up at a Corbett gathering. Tom was always open for chats and sharing his thoughts on rod design and making. RIP Tom
I think the idea of a lake gathering is nice, but it does present some issues. Personally, I'd be hesitant to leave eight or more rods and reels unattended in a public park to test cast a rod on the water from a floaty.
As an alternative I'd suggest a Bamboo Fishing Day (BFD ;) ). We could...
I currently have a Fat Cat and a Water Master, both have their place but most of the time the Fat Cat gets the nod unless it's a larger lake with more travel to require the oars.
It is true that bamboo fly rods are sensitive to line tapers, and also manufacturers. I have come to like the 406 fly lines out of Montana to fit my rods and casting style. You might even be able to go to a 6wt line from a different taper or manufacturer. Buth there is nothing wrong with...
That was a FUN day Cliff, thanks for bringing the pictures forward. That lake is one of the "tree farm" lakes we frequent. The catch is you have to buy the $300 permit to access the area.
For testing tie on an older heavy fly reel and try the balance. It should balance close to the nose of the grip or within an inch or two of the end of it. Once you find the right reel you can use any reel and line weight you have on hand, lay the testing line reel on the ground and peel off...