Dick Swan

[fishon]

Anybody use a Swan rod for some fishing? I heard he was retiring and getting rid of all his rods for $100 at the outdoor arama in Novi. I picked one up yesterday and am ready to give it a whirl this week-end either down at Flat Rock or the Clinton.

[Steve]

What kind of rod are they? Bamboo? Light trout rod? Steelhead?

[kingfisher 11]

When I lived up by Elk Rapids Dick would fish by the dam with his rods. He would catch fish when no one else would. He said it was because he could fish with such light line on his rods and land those big steelhead. I have not used his rods,but I sure seen them in action.

[Seldom]

Dick lived across the section from me in 1963 south of Midland MI. he was making rods at that time but not really the "noodles" I hear he's noted for today. At that time we fished small trout streams such as the branches of the Tobacco & Cedar rivers. Dick used flyrods he had built with a Shakespeare Underspin reel.

[trout]

I use a Browning Hi Power 10' 6" it fishes 4# real well,it has the dick swan name on it I paid about 50 bucks for it 8 years ago.

[Steve]

Does he sell anything shorter than that?

[This message has been edited by Steve (edited 03-03-2000).]

[trout]

My rod is a typical noodle rod,you need the length to be able to fish light lines.I don't know what Dick Swan offers in his line of rods.He is synonomous with steelhead and noodle rods here in Michigan.

[fishon]

The Swan rod I bought is a 9-1/2 ft noodle rod. I chose that because I already have an 11 ft St.Croix (which I am very loyal to and had landed lots of fish), but can be a little to long for some occasions. The thing that turned me on to buying the new swan rod was: 1-he is retiring and will not be making anymore rods & 2- They are extremly light and sensitive.& 3- He dropped the price, I was going to put my own together and the cost would have been about the same as buying one from Dick. He uses loomis blanks, now I just have to find the perfect reel so I can have a nice and balanced combo. Any suggestions on spinning reels?

[WEEZER]

try the shimano symetre or the stradic for reels.
As for the swan rods:
I started out on a browning gold medallion with swan's name on it. I cursed that guy everytime I went to the river! It wasn't really his fault though because browning(Zebco) used really cheap materials in that particular model. They have since upgraded the materials to Im6 and I think they feel pretty good now.

[toto]

I have 2 11 1/2 foot Browning Dick Swan rods. These are both noodle rods and I like them pretty well. I think they cost around $50 or so, but they are great for surf fishing for steel or salmon using light line, 8# main 6# leader. You haven't lived until you try to tackle a 20+ # salmon on this rig. Believe me you'll be there a while, but a lot of fun none the less.

[hypox]

With outdoor arama over, where could I get one of those dick swan rods you are talking about? I've been looking for a new steelie rod.

[fishon]

Well the Swan rod I bought was hand made by Dick Swan himself, he is retireing and getting out of the rod building business. But Browning does carry his name still and you could get one at any tackle shop that carried the Browning Rod names.

Fish-On

[hypox]

yeah...I was wondering where I can get his hand made rods. Does he have a store? Or a place that sells them? I want to pick one up before there all gone!!

[fishon]

He didn't have many rods left, I have his number somewhere and will dig it up tonight and repost. He lives in Clare MI` I will post his number shortly.

[ron]

i was with fishon when he got his swan & i got 1 last year at outdoorama & i like. he is retireing but i got his # off a package of slinkies that he also markets. his # is
517.386.3220

[HOSSUM]

I Bought A 9 Ft Dick Swan Noodle Rod. $99.00. It Is A Great Rod. It Broke Last Year On A Trip To The Betsie. It Said A 5 Year Warranty Was Included. When I Took It Back To Where I Bought It. They Informed Me That The Represenative Had Been Absent From Their Store For A While And Didn't Know If They Would Even See Him Again, Since Dick Was Retiring.
All I Would Like To Know Is; If Any One Has Any Information On Where I Can Get These Rods Replaced, Or At Least Get Them Fixed?

Thanx, Hossum.

[WBDoug]

I have a couple of Hand made Dick Swan rods,actually I have 5 of them,but I have a couple that I don't use too often,and since I'm moving and cleaning house,I'm looking for someone who might be interested in them.One is a 9 1/2 ft.and one is a 7 ft(a great rod for boat/lake fishing).My website is wbdoug@sbcglobal.net

[teamkpy2@gmail.com]

I have used Dick's noodle rods in lengths of 9-14 ft to fish for just about everything over the past 25 years.

We have caught salmon,trout,steelies,bones,reds, and tarpon as well as the largemouth bass we current fish the most now.

If anyone knows how to reach him,please email me at teamkpy@gmail.com

Thanks,Gary D Kaplan

[Fishndude]

I read a post, awhile ago - maybe 2 years?, that said he was no longer building rods, or even fishing. I want to say that someone said he was suffering from Alzheimers, which would be a terrible shame. He was instrumental in bringing Skamanias to the Great Lakes, and knows (knew?) more about Steelhead in Michigan than almost anybody.

[slayer]

I don't recall seeing Dick this season up at Manistee. He has a boat docked at the city marina, And of all the times i was there never seen him once. I know in the previous years seen him quite often up there. Hope all is well with him. One a side note i have one of his 9ft signature steelhead rods About 6 yrs ago he was up at tippy dam when i was fishing there. He came over to me and was looking at my rod and i told him yes it was one of his. He just grinned and walked away :D Very cool....

[Alpha Buck]

I don't recall seeing Dick this season up at Manistee. He has a boat docked at the city marina, And of all the times i was there never seen him once. I know in the previous years seen him quite often up there. Hope all is well with him. One a side note i have one of his 9ft signature steelhead rods About 6 yrs ago he was up at tippy dam when i was fishing there. He came over to me and was looking at my rod and i told him yes it was one of his. He just grinned and walked away :D Very cool....

We seen his boat out once when we were up there. He was trolling with one long noodle rod out just outside the harbor.

[TheUrbanMustache]

both times i was up there trolling i saw mr. swan. nice guy. but hes retired from the rod building biz.

[salmon_slayer06]

Insta launch campground tackle shop carried a bunch of swan rods. That was last spring when I was up there. I haven't been up there since so I don't know if they still do or not.

[BFG]

Wow...first post in this thread was from nearly 9 years ago!

Guess the SEARCH function works!

[fish-on]

He didn't have many rods left, I have his number somewhere and will dig it up tonight and repost. He lives in Clare MI` I will post his number shortly.

Hey, nice name ya got there :lol:.

[Michigander1]

I seen him on the betsie yrs ago.He was a jackass.Then a fish broke his rod into about 7 pieces.He acted like a baby.Man did alot of folks laugh t him,Mich

[dcal456]

I seen him on the betsie yrs ago.He was a jackass.Then a fish broke his rod into about 7 pieces.He acted like a baby.Man did alot of folks laugh t him,Mich
__________________________________________________ _
Michigander1 :lol:

Dick Swan started a revolution in 1972 when he had Gary Loomis, then with the Lamiglas rod company, design a 10 1/2-foot custom fibreglass blank capable of bending almost in a circle to cushion two- to four-pound-test lines without constant breakoffs. Bottom line he took fishing a huge step foreward.

[CAPT HEAVY]

Boy, I havent heard Dick Swan's name in awhile. I had a couple of his noodle rods some 20 plus years ago. I switched to StreamSide Rods for all of my custom rod needs. I didnt even know that he had a deal with Browning. Hope his health is well, he has to be getting up there. He was a legend of lite lining when I was cutting my teeth in the chase of 'heads

[Spanky]

He is also a member of the Lake Michigan citizens advisory comittee, like myself and Hamilton reef, he usually comes to the meetings, seemed to be doing well last time I seen him. He does have a reputation as a loudmouth, but he has done alot for our great lakes salmon and steelhead, and is still very involved in protecting the fisheries. He has forgoten more than most anglers know.;)

[thousandcasts]

If I may ask, how does one go about getting on this "Lake Michigan citizens advisory comittee?"

Thanks.