Tragically, the worship of technology is rampant in today's society-new is always better. I went the show hoping to meet several cane dealers and came away slightly disappointed at seeing only three. The main attraction was not the beauty, naturalness and- dare I say- the comfortable slowness of bamboo. Rather, it was high speed, over- priced plastic that captured the desires of far too many fishermen. Appreciation for the genuine has been lost in the evolution from grass to graphite. This fact was illustrated to no small degree when two buddies walked up to where Lon Blauvelt was selling his rods. After checking out Blauvelt's bamboo, one guy said to the other in a tone suggesting that cane is antiquated, "So, this is where it all began!" It was a troubling remark to overhear. How could anyone look at such functional artistry and then write it off as something passe?

Lon Blauvelt started fly fishing in 1949 when glass and graphite were awaiting discovery. I think it is particularly interesting to note that glass and graphite are still awaiting discovery by Mr. Blauvelt. This guy is a friendly rod maker from Maine. His work is respectable and his pricing is right on the money. Also, he conducts rod building classes in his workshop. Class size is limited to four people, all of whom return home with a fishable piece of Tonkin fashioned by their own sweat and blood. You can contact Mr. Blauvelt directly at [email protected] or call (207) 781-5235.

Joe Garman and Thomas H. Clark are names you will want to remember. Both of these gentlemen deal in pre-owned bamboo. The stuff they had on display was absolutely magnificent. Most importantly, their rods are not crooked. As you know, used cane often comes with a set, but the sticks being sold by these two men are seriously straight. To the best of my knowledge, neither Garman nor Clark have an E-mail address, so their respective snail mail addresses are:

J. Garman
316 Hartford Road
Manchester, CT. 06040
860) 643-2401

Thomas H. Clark
10895 Dixon Road
Rives Jct. MI 49277
(517) 782-0491 or (517) 569-2432

My wife just told me to stop sounding like a bamboo snob. It is a good admonishment; my conscience condemns me. I could wax eloquent about the virtues of bamboo all day, but since confession is good for the soul, I must admit to owning two Orvis graphites and a few pieces of glass. Furthermore, I truly enjoy fishing them- but, please do not tell anyone.

If you are looking for a new graphite rod, one that you can actually afford, consider the 8-1/2, 4-weight produced by Castle Arms. I think the price I saw at the show was under $130.00. Contact Philip Castleman at Castle Arms, P.O. Box 30070, 1145 Main Street, Springfield, MA 01103. Call (413) 567-8268, or E-mail Mr. Castleman at [email protected]. The Springfield store is a sales room for distributors only, but Mr. Castleman will gladly tell you where to purchase his fly rods. Be prepared: there is a waiting list; they are that good. The only reason I did not come home with a Castle Arms graphite is because I am paying off a cane rod being built for me by Gary Dabrowski.

Some of the very best fishing in the world can be found in the pages of a book because literature awakens the imagination. Good writing transports your soul to mythical places harboring trout of legendary proportions, and the excitement of the situation really is all yours. The one vendor at the show that could have emptied my wallet was The Anglers Art. The Anglers Art advertises itself as the world's largest fly fishing bookseller. Whether that is hyperbole or not, I do not care. All I know is that the place sells hundreds of books detailing every conceivable angle of the sport we all love. Believe me, The Anglers Art carries titles you will rarely find anywhere else, not even in Barnes and Noble. For a catalog, call 1-800-420-7582.

Finally, if you go to this show next year or any show this year, plan to go for two days instead of one. The seminars are so worthwhile that you will want to spend the first day looking at the equipment so that you can spend the whole second day just soaking up some great education.