This is exactly what I like about ORCA and Reel Talk in particular. One obscure reference to Edward Cave and many nuggets of information pour forth!
Here is a letter I found tucked inside a copy of Perry Frazer's 'Amateur Rod Building' book:
And here is my transcript of the entire letter:
Oct 5, 1907
Mr. Chas. C. Elliott
Elgin, Ill
My dear friend,
Your kind letter and book came in due time, and I thank you for both.
Have ordered copy of McClelland’s book and will return yours when it comes.
Don’t bother about your vise. Will wait until the new one comes. All I need one now for, is that I am tying such tournament flies as I need. Am progressing slowly, and have made a few flies that give promise of something in the future that I need not hide. Just now am content with a red fly that will show plainly in distance casting, or in dry fly.
Mr. Grinnell has a lot of old English angling books he promised me, and as soon as he returns from Wyoming, will bring them home. Perhaps I may strike a gold mine among them, for they are all very old. I already have several works in my own library, and others at the office that I am pouring over.
Wish I had more time to read, but am working on my book, which I hope to bring out before the holidays. It will deal with amateur rod-making, repairing, etc. at first, and as there is a constant demand for something modern, think it will take. Second edition can be much larger in size and scope.
I won our first salmon cup last week- in the rain, too- and today the LaBranche cup for accuracy bait in Prospect Park- also in the rain and squall.
Will have a 15 foot Bethabara salmon rod to try next Saturday. The wood is some of the best Shipley has had, and I have an idea it will work well. It will cost much less than split bamboo, and has good action that some bamboo rods lack.
Some of the pictures Cave and I made with high speed shutters cause us all to wonder how any rod can stand the strain of a heavy salmon line. The curves are almost like an S. I believe my bamboo salmon rod is much better than the new Leonards used. They have not proved very satisfactory with heavy lines, or any lines in fact. One thing salmon casting does, is to make the ten-ounce rods seem light, and I fancy I can do better casting with single-hand rod after using the salmon rod. It gives splendid practice in handling both back and forward casts. You can feel the line, and get a better idea when you are casting correctly.
Will write you again soon. Four of us are going up in the Hackensack woods tomorrow for some canoe and “trout fishing” pictures!
Yours sincerely,
Perry D. Frazer
