• Orvis Madison Bamboo Fly Rod
• Serial Numbers Office

Jenkins Rod Co. Jennings, Homer; Karstetter, Marty; Kushner, Morris; Leonard, H.L. Maca, Wayne; Maurer, George; Montagne, Mike; Orvis; Payne, E.F. Peterson, Erik; Pezon et Michel; Phillipson; Pickard, John; Powell; Raine, Chris; Reams, Jim; Reid, James; Schroeder, Don; Simroe, Ted; South Creek Ltd. Summers, Bob; Sweetgrass.

• This forum began as Clark's Classic Bamboo Rod. But if there's a serial number missing in the Orvis database. Orvis didn't record kit rods and I don't.
• Orvis / Fly Fishing / Bamboo Fly Rod Information & Learning Resource Center. And countless Orvis bamboo rod. Orvis Fly Rod makers. Explanation of Serial.

I'm pretty knowledgable on cane rods. If you want send or post pictures of the markings on the rods and serial #'s. First are all the lengths the exact size? Are all the serial #'s matching? Are they original condition? Many factors to consider. I can tell you that Orvis is actually not on the high end of the cane rod market.

Wes Jorday worked for Orvis for a few years, also worked for South Bend and Montague to name a few. His Rods would be marked Wes Jordan, usually cork is hollowed out for thumb. This was his Patent idea. Are the rods Varnish or Impregnated. That's alot of info but we can start anyplace and go from there.

Seidner is right about the cost of an Orvis bamboo. They're definitely at the lower end of the bamboo fly rod spectrum. What you have there is a limited edition Ron White bamboo built on a Wes Jordan blank. I suspected Orvis would gouge people on them blanks when they started finishing them this year. Maybe in 50 years they'll be worth 5 LARGE.after having sat in a display case and in pristine condition. Our friend's rods in question were kept in a moist dark basement, more than likely he aint sitting on a gold mine like you think.

One things for sure, we're seeing a lot more bamboo rod users on the streams these days. Goodbye graphite. Any guesses as to when the rebirth of fiber glass will happen? If you can post a picture or two I can possibly give you an idea of when they were made. Look for a serial number near the ferrules.

If you email Orvis and tell them the serial number, they can usually tell you when it was made and who the builder was. The Orvis bamboo rods are excellent rods. Don't let anybody tell you differently. One of the reasons the prices are not as high as some others is that there were so many of them made and that they have endured because of the impregnated finish vs. Most used Orvis rods from the 60s and 70s sell for $400 to $900 today and they are a much better value than a new Orvis rod. (The $5000 price was for a special edition rod, not one of their regular rods.) One of the preceding posts also had some misinformation regarding Wes Jordan.

He worked for Orvis for several decades and was responsible for developing the impregnation process and for bringing the Orvis bamboo rod to it's highest level. Rods made during Wes Jordan's presence at Orvis are considered the most desirable. These rods are not identified by the Wes Jordan name and the hollowed out grip as was stated by Seidner. Orvis produced a Wes Jordan signature series of rods for several years and those are the ones with the Wes Jordan name on them and hollowed out grip. Some of these signature rods were made while Wes was there, some later. If you can post a picture or two I can possibly give you an idea of when they were made. Look for a serial number near the ferrules.

Orvis Madison Bamboo Fly Rod

If you email Orvis and tell them the serial number, they can usually tell you when it was made and who the builder was. The Orvis bamboo rods are excellent rods.

Don't let anybody tell you differently. One of the reasons the prices are not as high as some others is that there were so many of them made and that they have endured because of the impregnated finish vs. Most used Orvis rods from the 60s and 70s sell for $400 to $900 today and they are a much better value than a new Orvis rod. (The $5000 price was for a special edition rod, not one of their regular rods.) One of the preceding posts also had some misinformation regarding Wes Jordan. He worked for Orvis for several decades and was responsible for developing the impregnation process and for bringing the Orvis bamboo rod to it's highest level. Rods made during Wes Jordan's presence at Orvis are considered the most desirable. These rods are not identified by the Wes Jordan name and the hollowed out grip as was stated by Seidner.

Orvis produced a Wes Jordan signature series of rods for several years and those are the ones with the Wes Jordan name on them and hollowed out grip. Some of these signature rods were made while Wes was there, some later.

Actually the hollowed out thumb was on the South Bend rods, that is what I meant. Almost every Orvis Wes Jordan rod I have ever seen had his name on the rods, and came with a Leather case. You can't really quote a price unless you see the rod and it's condition. There's no way you could get 400.00 for a 9 1/2' madison. Almost every Orvis Wes Jordan rod I have ever seen had his name on the rods, and came with a Leather case.

The Wes Jordan signature series of Orvis rods have the Wes Jordan name on the rod along with the owner's name, the thumb relief (and sometimes palm relief), and the leather case. This does not have anything to do with whether or not Wes Jordan made the rod.

It was just a series of rods that Orvis came out with to honor Wes Jordan. I believe most of the rods in this series were the same tapers as Battenkill models. I know for a fact that the Wes Jordan 7 1/2' 3 7/8 oz. Rod is the same taper as the Battenkill 7 1/2' 3 7/8 oz. Rod, as I have measured them both myself. It was just some extra cosmetics and the leather case that differentiated the Battenkill Models from the 'Wes Jordan' models.

The Wes Jordan signature series of Orvis rods have the Wes Jordan name on the rod along with the owner's name, the thumb relief (and sometimes palm relief), and the leather case. This does not have anything to do with whether or not Wes Jordan made the rod. It was just a series of rods that Orvis came out with to honor Wes Jordan. I believe most of the rods in this series were the same tapers as Battenkill models.

Serial Numbers Office

I know for a fact that the Wes Jordan 7 1/2' 3 7/8 oz. Rod is the same taper as the Battenkill 7 1/2' 3 7/8 oz. Rod, as I have measured them both myself. It was just some extra cosmetics and the leather case that differentiated the Battenkill Models from the 'Wes Jordan' models.

The difference between the Wes Jordan rods and the Battenkill rods was strictly cosmetic. Same rods, same taper. As for Wes Jordan building rods, I'm pretty sure he just supervised the shop so actually building rods might be a strech, I'll look into this some more. When they say Wes Jordan rods, it's like when they say Maxwell rods at Leonard. This is used to denote time period rods were built, these guys supervised the shops.