Interview with Bud Frasca

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adam
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Interview with Bud Frasca

Post by adam »

Recently, I’ve made the personal decision to exclusively fish bamboo. I was actually quite surprised to have made this decision based on my history fishing graphite fishing rods. “Plastic” fly rods are what I thought would take me into the future as a fly angler, little did I know that my future really was in the rear view mirror as I drove forward on my journey.

I started my fly-fishing pursuit on a small stream, the Little Colorado. Literally the Little Colorado emptied into my next pursuit; fly fishing a huge western river that cut the Grand Canyon, the Colorado River. From there, I began fishing the terminus of the Colorado, the Sea of Cortez.

This pursuit was all found on plastic fly rodding.

It only took a little bamboo fly rod made by a friend to make me realize that the course of my fly-fishing life would be dramatically changed; bamboo is a fine matrix, a great choice for all mediums so I began to research…

I had already tried to outfit myself for fishing saltwater with a bamboo fly rod. I had chosen a heavy rod, a South Bend #47, better suited for bass fishing along with a good choice of reels, a Medalist 1498 and a silk line. The problem was that I couldn’t shoot line like I wanted, the rod didn’t feel good in the hand and I didn’t have confidence in it. So I passed on the rod knowing that I simply did not have the right choice. I was still fishing graphite fly rods, bamboo was a fancy, something esoteric, and my choice was not by design. I had not done my research.

But now, I’m nearly fishing exclusively bamboo and I am definitely up for the challenge of saltwater fly-fishing. I started asking around for a good choice in fly rods and nearly all conversations included Orvis fly rods. Orvis has founded their successful bamboo fly rods on the impregnation process of saturating the fibers with a substance that fixes the power fibers in an impervious coating protecting the rod from easily becoming water damaged. Phew, what a mouthful. But it’s the process that has made these rods so important to the history of saltwater fly men.

I began collecting books as old as I could based on saltwater fly-fishing. There are not that many yet the best ones detail Orvis rods as excellent choices for bamboo in the salt. The pursuit of a good choice brought me to the various classic tackle venues searching for an Orvis “Shooting Star” a nine foot, nine weight rod in two piece, two tip configuration. My particular rod had been sent back to the Orvis Company for reworking. It was made in 1950 and the ferrules were changed to stainless steel, the guides changed out to “Aetna” oversized. The rod was set up to shoot line and that is exactly what I am going to do with it.

The same books detailed many choices in reels. I’ve already owned the full range of Tibor reels and what I wanted was a classic reel much like the Tibor, made in the era of the Orvis Shooting Star, I choose a Fin Nor.

Searching the Internet for a Fin Nor reel lead me in many different directions. I found that the price ranged from relatively affordable to downright expensive. I wanted a Fin Nor “Wedding Cake” that was the king of classic saltwater fly-fishing reels; the best price I could find one in left hand wind was nearly $2,000 on eBay. Very much out of my price range. Further research lead me to Northwest Classic Tackle and Bud Frasca, the owner.

I called Bud and told him that I wanted a reel for the salt and started the conversation with an inquiry on a Orvis CFO V that was a disc model especially manufactured in 1996 for saltwater. The reel was far too light but was a good second reel for a lighter fly rod for the salt that I looking for. The reel was inexpensive so I asked Bud about it. He immediately knew about the Shooting Star and told me a quick story about fishing it in the early 60’s in saltwater.

I knew I was on to an excellent resource.

We ended up choosing a Fin Nor #3 and I asked Bud if he would submit to a short interview of 10 or so questions of which follows.
adam wrote:Bud, can you tell us a little bit about yourself, how you came to fly-fishing?
Bud wrote:I started Fly Fishing at the age of 8 when I caught my first trout on a fly with a fellow named Harry Darbie behind his house on the Willowemoc River in New York’s Catskills. I was hooked. It was a brook trout about 8inches long and I was so proud of that fish I took it home and ate it. I have been fly fishing ever since and I still get excited with those little brook trout. I became a Trout Fishing Addict and was the first youth member of Theodore Gordon Flyfishers in New York City and also worked in a fly shop at the age of 13. It was called William Mills & Son in New York City. I worked there until they went out of business in 1971. They owned the Leonard Rod Company. I took a hiatus and went to Vietnam and when I returned I and my father started a book publishing company called Freshet Press and published Fishing & Hunting books. I also continued to work in Wm Mills & Son and went to college full time. I moved to California in 1977 and met Andre Puyans and Gary Howells and they both became good friends and I learned about the Western Bamboo Rod Makers. Gary was one of the Greatest Bamboo Rod Builders and Fishermen of all time and Andre was one of the Greatest Fly Tyers I have ever known along with Harry & Elsie Darbee and the Dettes.
adam wrote:Where are some of the places you have fished?
Bud wrote:I have fished all over the world but a few places have always been very special to me. I am an Atlantic Salmon Fanatic and the Gaspe has always been very special to me. The Matapedia and Restagouche and the St Anne and Cascapedia are all beautiful rivers and the Dartmouth & York and Bonnaventure & St Jeane. These are all Great Rivers on the Gaspe Peninsula of Quebec and nowhere in the World do the Salmon rise to a Dry Fly as well as the Gaspe. The Miramachi River is also a very special place for me as I caught my first Atlantic Salmon there and met Ted Willliams there who became a dear friend. I can close my eyes and see Ted wading in the River and yelling at me to move right or left as we waded together at the swinging bridge pool on the Miramachi. The Chalk Streams in Hampshire have always been special as Trout Fishing started there and my memories of fishing the Test and Itchen are like it was yesterday. My favorite Catskill Rivers are also very special as I started fishing there and most of my mentors were from there. I have such great memories of the Beaverkill and all the folks that I fished with there. My heart though has always been in the West since my first trip here in 1961. I have been in Yellowstone Park every year from 1961 to present with the exception of my two years in Vietnam. I would feel very empty if I missed seeing the park every year. My fishing has taken me all over the world and introduced me to so many great people and friends that I thank God every day that I fly fish!
adam wrote:Who are your favorite friends to fish with and where?
Bud wrote:I have always enjoyed fishing with my children and teaching young people to fly fish. I also enjoy fishing with friends in places that we have fished together for many years. I have about 5 people that I fish with regularly and the rest of my fishing is done with people that I am teaching or guiding.
adam wrote:Do you exclusively fish bamboo?
Bud wrote:I fish with Bamboo only when I am walking and wading or when I am floating with friends that also fish Bamboo. The rest of the time in Drift Boats or floating rivers in my pontoon boat I fish with Graphite Rods.
adam wrote:What do you think of the fairly recent resurgence in classic tackle?
Bud wrote:I do not think that there is a recent resurgence in Classic Tackle but I think that the Classic Tackle Market has been strong for many years. I think that there has been resurgence in Bamboo Rod Builders and today there are more builders that even in the Golden Years of Bamboo.
adam wrote:What lead you to become a classic tackle dealer?
Bud wrote:My becoming a Classic Tackle Dealer was brought on my Gary Howell’s Death. Gary had always told me that I should become the Marty Keane of the west and when I moved from California and Gary died I decided to start my website. It has been a growing thing since I started it about 8 years ago.
adam wrote:Can you tell us about some of your favorite rods and reels and do you fish them?
Bud wrote:My favorite Rods and reels are fished with all the time. I believe that if you have a rod or reel it should be fished as the maker built it with that use in mind. My favorite individual rods and reels change from time to time and I have many rods and reels that I can choose from. I have approximately 200 Bamboo rods at present and about 500 reels. I presently am fishing a 7ft 9in Quad that the Boo Boys built me about 10 years ago. It is a spectacular rod. I also this year have been fishing a few of my Pezon et Michel rods and a Gillum that Pinky made me for my 16th birthday. I have always loved Hardy Perfect Reels and fish them quite a bit. I also fish Hardy Sunbeam Reels and a few Leonard Reels and a Vom Hoff Perfection Trout Reel quite often. And I have a few Walker Reels that I fish occasionally.
adam wrote:Do you fish silk lines?
Bud wrote:I do not fish Silk Lines as I can remember what a pain they were to fish with. I haven’t fished a silk line since about 1970 and have do desire to fish one again.
adam wrote:Can you tell us your personal experience fishing the Orvis bamboo fly rods in the salt and what are your favorite models?
Bud wrote:I have fished the Orvis Rods in Salt Water in the late 60’s and Early 70’s as they were the best rods available at that time for Salt Water use. I occasionally fish with them today when I feel nostalgic and want to bring back old memories. I caught my first Bonefish over 10lbs with a Shooting Star and my first Tarpon over 100 pounds. The impregnated rods are much superior in the Salt than other Bamboo rods as they are sealed and handle the Salt better than standard Bamboo Rods.
adam wrote:Where do you see fly-fishing headed as we move forward in time?
Bud wrote:I see fly fishing needing to come back a bit as we have too many companies chasing the same dollar. New just because you want to show a new look gets out of hand and we have too many manufacturers already. The sport is showing growth with the women and salt water areas of the sport. If we want to see the sport grow further we will need to get younger people involved. When I attend functions of fly fishermen I mostly see folks over 50 years of age. We need to get the folks in their 20’s and 30’s involved more.
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Bamboo Addict
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Post by Bamboo Addict »

Adam, what a great interview. This should be done more often.
David
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Troutgetter
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Post by Troutgetter »

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Last edited by Troutgetter on Sun Jul 25, 2010 2:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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adam
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Post by adam »

Thank you.

You may not realize it, but I've been doing this all along. I've interviewed interesting people in the sport over the years and with software changes and time, the interviews get burried and lost.

No longer will they get lost.

I am very focused and intent on a methodical approach at my fishing and sharing my enthusiasm of it.

The next ten questions are already in the works...
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Gerard
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Location: Cape Town, South Africa

Post by Gerard »

Love that interview Addy. Man how soon we forget. I had a youngster telling me some time ago I must be getting “old” for fishing bamboo on our streams. So I told him about the outing I had with bamboo in the salt. He said it would be “fatal” to do since the salt will cause the glue to break down, splitting the sections. You know the story about superglue breaking down in the salt – he tied the two together… Man I wish I was that naive again... So I asked him what he reckoned the pioneers of saltwater fishing were using for rods...I just loved the look on his face when the penny dropped. :oops:
The fishing was so good I thought I was there yesterday.
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