Fishing Real Seats - Brendan O'Farrell
Sudbury, ON
My most recent passion in life is to find out about all the really cool things that people use my wood for and this tops the list of one of the most unique applications.
Brendan obviously is passionate about fishing and has slaved for years learning all there is about the tool of the trade. As a Fisheries and Wildlife Technician he certainly has an inside track on fishing knowledge
He’s taken the basic fishing rod apart and rebuilt it according to his own standards and compulsions, kind of like what I do with my bicycle… so I totally understand!
The wood component involves custom turning the “reel seat” or bracket that holds the fishing line reel to the rod itself, that’s MY non-techie lingo..
He’s made them out of exotic woods like Cocobolo, Bocote, Ebony, both African Blackwood and Rosewood as well as some figured and burled Canadian Maple. All wood species that we carry in small quantities in our shop in Sudbury Ontario.
He insists that the key ingredient is beautiful wood and an equally beautiful finish so many of his woods, especially the more porous ones he puts through a special process to “stabilize” and harden the wood. This prevents degradation of the wood fibres after constant exposure to dirty hands, water and fish guts.
He combines that with some customized cork handles and quality brand name rods to create a whole collection of specialized rods: Float and Steelhead, 2 Handed Spey, Single Handed Fly, Spinning/Jigging and basic Bait Casting.
Note: I don’t have a clue what all this means. I just repeat what he tells me, and then shop at the local fish market…. Karen