THE HIDY ROD COMPANY
Personal History and Philosophy
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Growing up, I enjoyed the legacy of an established family of flyfishermen. My cousin, Pete Hidy, in addition to being a noted fly tier, was also the author of many books. Among them is the now famous Art of Tying the Wet Fly and Fishing the Flymph. It details tying and fishing the wet fly according to the methods of the late, great Pennsylvania fisherman Jim Leisenring. |
Pete Hidy, author of The Art of Tying the Wet Fly and Fishing the Flymph |
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It was this family history that ultimately led to meeting and subsequent mentoring by two great California rod makers, Mario Wojnicki and Jim Schaaf. California and the San Francisco Bay Area have a long standing reputation for their many talented and noted rod makers as well as world class casters and fishermen. |
Jim Schaaf in his shop |
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San Francisco is also home to the now legendary Golden Gate Angling and Casting Club (GGACC). I had the good fortune of living right next to this famous facility. The GGACC has always had a substantial influence on the design and building of fine bamboo rods. From the “golden era” of bamboo (1930’s to l950’s) GGACC stood at the very center of the development of revolutionary methods and designs for building bamboo rods - rods which would be lighter and cast further than anything seen before. The GGACC became the testing ground for cutting edge design for such makers as E.C. and Walton Powell, R.L. Winston, and many others. |
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Golden Gate Angling and Casting Club, San
Francisco |
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aerial photograph of Yosemite |
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cannot overstate the value of these prominent figures in my development as a
rod maker and understanding of the bamboo rod. I was able to meet and build
upon the expertise of some of the greatest casters in the world, such as Mel
Kreiger, Andre Puyans, Chris Korich, and the Rajeffs. I met and was
influenced by the many legendary individuals involved in the design and
construction of some of the finest bamboo rods ever made, such as Doug
Merrick, Walton Powell, Gary Howells, Per Brandin, Jim Schaaf and Mario Wojnicki. These
distinguished casters and builders have greatly helped me to refine and
improve the casting characteristics of my rods. |
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At the very core of a
fishing rod’s action is its taper. The taper will determine the rod’s ability
to transfer and dissipate the energy supplied by the caster, “the heart of
the cast.” After development in the laboratory conditions of the casting
ponds, my rods have been tested and tempered in the real world conditions of
the prolific blue ribbon waters of California’s streams and rivers; such as
the Klamath, Trinity, Sacramento, McCloud and Pitt Rivers. My rods have also
been extensively tested and used in the beautiful lakes and streams of the
Sierra, including the Merced River in Yosemite and the Golden Trout
Wilderness. My rods reflect the challenges of these varied environments. |
Flyfishing author Ed Engle with |
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My
rods are primarily progressive tapers with moderate actions, making them
suitable for both wet and dry style fishing. The lower and middle sections
start to function early in lengthening the line while allowing for a very
powerful cast. This makes for a rod that is fun and effective to fish in
close, yet able to deliver long casts with ease. Coupled with a process of
hollow building well into the upper part of the rod, the result is a
combination of lightness, quicker recovery (dampening) and pleasure of
fishing. |
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I agree with the late rod maker Lyle Dickerson who said; “The relationship between a man and his equipment is very personal.” That is why I am honored and grateful for the consistent comments from my customers that their Hidy rods deliver that intangible and elusive quality to which my efforts are devoted: the right “feel”. |
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6 weight Hidy Rod fights a 5 pound stillwater rainbow trout below Mount Shasta |
-- Jim Hidy, August 2003
Split Bamboo Rods by Jim Hidy
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