Michael Sinclair
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(1991) - out of print
(1995)
(1997) - out of print  |
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Please visit his website as well: newdivinerods.com, where with a group of bamboo rod makers he tries to resume the Fred Divine rod production.
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Interview with Mr Michael Sinclair (18 November 2009)
How long have you been researching Colorado rods? Started getting serious in about 1987.
Can you teel us a little bit about your background Mr Sinclair? I was born in Texas, family moved to Louisiana in 1969. Graduated from LSU (Louisiana State University) with degrees in history, archaeology and psychology. Moved to Colorado in 1984.
I managed to understand that you were a restorer and that’s how you got the knowledge started. But how did you start? I learned to restore rods because I couldn't afford to buy rods in really nice condition. I learned by reading Stuart Kirkfield's book " The Fine Bamboo Fly Rod and by trial and error. A lot of error. I have made only one bamboo rod "from scratch". I am currently working with a group of men to produce the New Divine Rods. (See the web site: newdivinerods.com).
Do you specialize mainly in Colorado rods? I specialize in rods by Goodwin Granger and Fred D. Divine of Utica, NY.
Do you have any preferred river where you fish? ” I especially enjoy fishing in the White River Valley in northwest Colorado near the town of Meeker. I no longer live in Colorado, having moved in 1998 to Paducah, Kentucky. We now fish for trout in the White River in Arkansas and the Little River near Townsend, Tennessee.
Are there still many bamboo rod makers in Colorado (I know about Mike Clark, only). Do you have yearly gatherings? There are several fine rod makers in Colorado. There are two annual gatherings, usually held in the summer.
Do you have any contact with European rod makers? No, I don't know any European rod makers.
Would you have expected such a success and career? I noticed that Colorado Cane Rods is a collection book, a cult book, on its own and reaches very high prices. Did you or your editor ever imagine that? Is there any future re-printing project ahead?
Actually, the books were done in this order: Colorado Classic Cane, 1991, Fishing Rods by Divine, 1993, The Bamboo Rod Restoration Handbook, 1995 and Heddon: The Rod with the Fighting Heart in 1997. I have plans to update some of these and reprint them, but the new Granger book is my priority. I never had any idea the prices would go so high on the books, but I always felt there would be a good amount of interest.
Did you also used the American Fly Fishing Museums records while writing your books? Or can you give us an example on how (difficultly) you managed to gather information? No - the museum has proven to be virtually useless in my research. Most information comes from old public records, newspapers, periodicals, personal interviews, and a lot of luck. Sometimes, hard work = good luck.
May I ask you who is the rod maker you like the most? Which rods? I'm still in love with Granger Rods, especially the rods from the 1920's. I am particularly fond of of the 8642 models. I also like Divine Rods, as they were among the most beautifully appointed rods - very classic in appearance. See my web site for more about them.
And about your soon-to-publish Granger book, what can you tell us? How many pages will there be? What’s inside (broadly). The new book will definitely be a reference book. It will contain company history, company catalogs and advertising and a complete and thorough history of each of the rod grades. Will cover Granger rods by Goodwin Granger, Wright & McGill and Gary Lacey. Will probably be about 320 pages, perhaps more. I imagine I'll announce the book, when it's ready, on the Classic Fly Rod Forum. You should visit the site - it has a lot of nice people who all love bamboo rods: http://clarksclassicflyrodforum.yuku.com/
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