And now about my spinning rod for pike.

I began pike fishing in 1950 together with my father (who is now 93 years old).

We used live baitfish and every pike was killed and eaten at that time, with no exception. The rods were long poles of natural bamboo; many times no reel was used at all. The waters we fished were small, actually ditches in the so called “polders,” which are artificially dry areas (which is most of the Netherlands). The pike were roughly pulled out of the water and killed.

Since then, the total outlook on fishing has changed. In the 1950s, I could not have imagined that I would ever be a rodbuilder, although my interest in split-bamboo fishing rods was already present.

Ninety percent of my fishing is flyfishing, also when fishing for pike. Despite that, I never quit fishing for pike with spinning lures which are, by far, the most effective lures in our area. Between about 1970 and 2000, I built various spinning rods and most of these are still in use by me and our two sons.

In 2003 while restoring some old rods I put together two pieces (tip and butt) of two different bamboo rods and found my final spinning rod this way. Simply by coincidence!!! The rod was then modified a little and the length reduced to 7 ft. It casts weights of between 7 and 15 grams (1/4 to 1/2 ounce) effortlessly. This rod has landed many pike over 1 meter (39 inches) long. It is simply the best spinning rod I have ever seen for the purpose of pike fishing with spinning lures in relatively small waters.


The guides are also of a lined type (see pictures) and the weight is 154 grams (a little less than 5 ½ ounces). The grip is 26 cm (about 10 inches) and has two sliding rings (picture). Truly the one and only, I recommend it!!


Leen Huisman, Tjerkwerd, 14 July 2008

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