I received your absolutely incredible rod late yesterday. One word can describe this rod...Perfection! This gives "exceeding expectations" a whole new meaning. Thanks and with my warmest regards,
Jim Cloud, Chesterfield, MO

"...yesterday as I went to the Chateau de La Hulpe south of Brussels - a beautiful estate of the once rich and famous Hulpe family with beautiful rolling perfectly manicured lawns - just made for casting. There was a slight frost on the grounds, but I found a spot where the sun had softened the grass and went there to assemble and string up Mike s rod. My children were busy feeding the ducks, so I had a moment of privacy as I spooled out enough line to take my first cast with the sun cresting over an evergreen forest and a Chateau to my back. My first casts were rushed with anticipation, but when the excitement began to focus on the task at hand, I just closed my eyes and felt the rod load and unload. When I opened my eyes again I had slowed my pace and was casting beautiful and graceful loops with gentle presentations (albeit orange tufts of yarn to oak leaves off in the distance). I was able to cast longer than I would ever need, and place my fly where I wanted. Gets back to what John says - Mike started making rods that worked long before he got lost in the details of fancy hardware. I was casting the work of a living legend (don t share this with Mike as I'm sure he's use to it, and will think I went off the deep end)!" Chris Ringlstetter, Brussels, Belgium
Chris Ringlstetter, Brussels, Belgium

I had a chance to fish the new rod (and reel) today. Our closest trout stream was blown out by a bunch of thunderstorms, so I headed out to my favorite ponds. I certainly hope you aren't offended that your work is being used on humble bass and panfish. The rod is the finest I've held. It is beautiful and casts like a dream. As I fished the rod, I remembered telling Mike that I liked the Anniversary Rod because I could feel everything from the butt to the tip. That comes through perfectly. One continuous, fluid, curve of cane making it easy to sense when the rod is loaded. A supreme fishing tool. 8'3" is perfect for the float tube. Powerful but not unwieldy.
Al Saulnier, Pitsburg, Ohio

"I have had a premiere with the new rod. I want to thank you for a beautiful rod that is just what I hoped for. I wanted to catch a special fish as the first one on the rod you built me so I took it to one of my favourite small Rivers. To cut a long story short, I finally hooked and landed a fish that I think will do the rod honour. A wild Browntrout of 24 inches that weighed in at around 6lb, perhaps a little TOO good even. There was a bit of nerves involved. I eventually landed it and here are the pictures, courtesy of Johan. The rod behaved excellently, the rodhandler perhaps not. Nevertheless, a great fish on a great rod."
Ulf Borjesson, Stenkullen, Sweden

"Last Saturday, I went to my home river and I used "Anita Rae". The pics is the first fish this year ,"Yamame". It was a small fish, Anita's grip size, but it pulled well. Next time, I'll send bigger fish. Anita and I affinity seems good. Because I got 12 fish within 4hours. She will be my good partner."
Kimito Hirai, Tokyo, Japan

"I just wanted to report that Serial Number 9916 and I got to go to up to Third Meadow on Slough Creek in Yellowstone this year... we both had a great time! 20" native cutts (none of those sissy hatchery fish!) on a 5-weight Mike Clark rod was about as much fun as a guy is ever supposed to have... thanks for making such a super rod!
Rob Pritchett, Hurst, TX

"I tied on a #16 delta wing Caddis to a 9 foot number seven knotted tapered leader and let the line drift down stream. I could feel the rod loading on the first back cast, and I didn't need to turn my head to look for it loading on the forward cast. It was like the great fly casting instructor in the sky had hold of my wrist. 'Well, I'll be damned.' That was my first thought about your rod. I know that's not what the Rock Star testimonials say. Looking back on it, I was so wrong imagining what the experience would be like. I was thinking it would be like finally getting to drive a high performance sports car. I found out it was like casting a fly rod, a very, very good fly rod. Mike, the rod you made me performs exceptionally well, and is incredibly beautiful. More importantly, I appreciate you letting me participate in the creation process while getting the full benefit of all your experience.
Monty Murty, Arlington, VA

"Just back from a week of fishing in Northern Michigan. I fished the new 8' 5 WT. South Creek Ltd. rod and would like you to know that I am very pleased. I had been in the back yard a few times with the rod since receipt but this was my first time on the water. The rod is an extremely smooth casting rod. I can feel the rod load at very short distances and can push it out beyond any sensible fishing distance. I expected the rod to be a performer with smaller flies but I was most impressed with the ease of casting with a size 10 Brown Drake attached to a 4X leader. One afternoon when the fishing was on the slow side I found myself totally relaxed and content to be casting. Completely effortless, so effortless that I suggested my companion listen while I cast. Total silence! Long story short, the cosmetics are right on the money and better yet the rod fishes. I am very pleased and plan to fish the SHIT out this one."
Robert Sowers, Zanesville, OH

"As you know, I have been a collector of fine split cane bamboo fly rods for sometime now. This collection consists of a variety of rods and includes Paynes, Leonards, Paul Youngs, Dickersons, etc. I fish the majority of these rods. Over a year ago, you built me an 8-foot-6 5-weight rod along the lines of John Gierach and A.K. Best s rod and I have fished it constantly since. I thought you would like to know that notwithstanding my collection, this is the rod that goes with me on every fishing trip and that I fish it almost to the exclusion of the others. It is my rod of choice."
Steven Binder, Golden, Colorado

"Spent pleasant moments Thursday evening, after getting home, and Friday casting the rod. I did fish it on the Arkansas today and it was heavy duty wind. This is a fabulous rod! It handled the conditions very well...it does it all. Best thing is it has made me a much better caster. Thank you both."
Herb Luhman, Edwards, Colorado

"Dear Mike, The rod is wonderful! It s perfect for the size streams I have fished for trout in Colorado, Oklahoma, & Arkansas. It roll casts like a dream and when you assemble it ~ you can feel the trout in it. It s the perfect size & taper for what I do. I couldn t be more pleased with it s performance and the fact that it is lovely to the eye is just a bonus. I have, of course, also used it for other species of fish here in Oklahoma & it has accounted for itself pretty well with one exception...I m afraid it didn t have the backbone to turn a foul hooked beaver (in the 30 pound class) and keep him from returning to his (or her) den with my $5.00 bass bug! Then again, maybe I m the one without the backbone since I broke him off as soon as I figured out what I had hooked that summer night. In spite of it s shortcomings as a beaver rod it is the finest rod I own and I favor it above all others."
Ed McCollum, Oklahoma City, OK

"I wanted to let you know how delighted I am with the 3 and 5 weight rods you built for me in 2004. Most of my trout fishing is on either very small streams or larger freestone rivers in mountainous terrain and the rods are very well-suited to these environments. As well as allowing me to present my flies accurately the rods have also proved to be very effective at cushioning the surges and runs of hooked fish. To date I have only used the Cortland Sylk lines that you recommended; I find these are well-balanced partners to the rods."
Michael Kearney, Pyrmont, Australia

"After fishing the bamboo a couple of times in Rocky Mountain National Park, I took it to the Frying Pan last week. WHAT A JOY!!!! We caught several fish, some of them over 14 inches. The Bamboo rod was just great. It casts great and fights a fish as well as anything I ve ever fished. Everyone who saw the rod marveled at the workmanship, design and overall beauty. Once again, thank you for building a rod of this quality and beauty."
Ken Hume, Aurora, Colorado

"Your rod is something wonderful. I have had a chance to cast it these last two days and can t find anything that it doesn t do perfectly or any line that it will not cast beautifully. It will be an exercise in sheer pleasure in casting it with different lines on the water to find its perfect match in my hands. It seems that no matter how close or how far the cast was or how little or how much energy I put into the cast, it invariably turns the fly over precisely and seemingly always in time to allow the fly to float to the water-even if you re aiming 6 inches above the water. It fits me perfectly, and I am so glad that I chose this rod. On top of all of that, it is drop dead gorgeous. As a rod builder myself I can use this as a benchmark to some day approach."
Syndey A. Smith, MD, Gulfport, MS

"Thank you so much for the beautiful rod, I am going to try it out today~ Unfortunately, the weather here in England has been so dry that the fly life has been drastically effected, but we shall see~ Thanks again ~ Tight Lines."
Eric Clapton

"I thought I would drop you a line to let Mike know just how delighted I am with the Gierach Signature Rod. It really is a beauty! Please let Mike know how pleased I am with it. It is far more than just a fishing rod, but rather a work of art, I shall treasure it always. I haven t yet decided whether to pass it on to my children or grand children in my will. But I m thinking I ll just give them the Hardys and Orvis and have it buried with me! Anyway, the rod has been to the Test, the Itchen and the Hampshire Avon already. It s not lost it s American flavour but I need to get it out to Colorado next year before it thinks it s British and goes all stiff on me! Thanks to you both again for all your help."
Graham Salmon, Minstead, Hants, United Kingdom