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Cross Rod Co.
Wesley D. Jordan deserves an honored place in history as one of the truly innovative bamboo rodmakers who had a major
impact on the bamboo fly rod as we know it today. Jordan was involved with producing bamboo rods for more than 50 years, first
with the Cross Rod Co. of Lynn, Massachusetts, then with South Bend in Indiana and finally with Orvis in Manchester, Vermont.
His innovative genius and natural talent for craftsmanship turned all three companies into recognized leaders in the bamboo
rod business.
Jordan began his rod making career quite by accident shortly after serving two years in World War I. While on a fishing
trip to Maine with William Forsyth, Mr. Forsyth broke his fly rod and talked Wes into making him a new one. Jordan was an
accomplished fisherman and was familiar with good bamboo rods, so he spent nearly a year studying the construction of bamboo
rods and reading all the literature he could find. Through trial and error he finally produced several acceptable hand-planed
rods of Calcutta cane. Mr. Forsyth was so enthusiastic about the results of Jordan's efforts that he proposed a rod making
venture. In 1920 they formed the Cross Rod Co., named for Bill Cross, a friend of Forsyth's who bought stock in the new company
and also joined in learning the rod making trade.
Within a year Jordan had designed a milling machine and built it with the help of his brother Bill, so rods could be produced
faster and more economically to compete with companies such as F. E. Thomas and H. L. Leonard. The Cross Rod Co. built fly
rods, tournament rods and saltwater rods for trolling and surf casting. Most of the larger rods were double-built models for
power and strength. The company established a reputation for producing quality rods at reasonable prices. Cross also produced
rods under other brand names, such as Abbey & Imbrie in New York.
Mr. Forsyth died suddenly in 1925 and his heirs sold the Cross Rod Co. to the South Bend Tackle Co. in South Bend, Indiana.
As part of the agreement, Jordan moved to South Bend to set up the machinery, organize a rod production facility and train
the employees. This temporary arrangement lasted almost 15 years. During this period Wes designed methods and equipment to
facilitate making rods with very low production costs, to compete with Montague, Union Hardware, Horrocks-Ibbotson and Wright
& McGill. One such device was a power-driven ram for splitting bamboo culms destined for mass-market rods. South Bend
also made rods for other companies, such as Sears Roebuck for as little as 83 cents wholesale. Cane for the higher quality
rods built by South Bend and all the South Bend-Cross rods were split by hand or sawed. Rods and blanks of this higher quality
were also marketed to other companies, most notably to the Paul Young Co., for several years prior to 1930.
In 1939 Wes Jordan went to work for Charles F. Orvis Co. in Manchester, Vermont, shortly after the nearly defunct company
was rescued from receivership by Bart Arkell and D. C. Corcoran. He worked for Orvis until his retirement in 1970, during
which time he helped resurrect the company and take it to the forefront in rod production. During his tenure at Orvis he developed
the process for making impregnated rods, and designed and patented the famous Orvis screw lock reel seat.
The Cross Fly Rod (Double-Built)
15' 25 oz. Model 190 Salmon $325
13' 18 oz. Model 191 Salmon $325
10½' 7 oz. Model 192 Salmon $325
10' 6 oz. Model 193 Salmon $350
9½' 6 oz. Model 194 Salmon $350
10½' 7 oz. Model 180 Dry Fly $280
10' 6 oz. Model 181 Dry Fly $290
9½' 6 oz. Model 171 Tournament $340
9½' 5 oz. Model 169 Dry Fly $325
9' 5 oz. Model 164 Tournament $340
8½' 4 oz. Model 152 Dry Fly $350
9½' 5 oz. Model 186 Wet/Dry $275
9' 5 oz. Model 166 Wet/Dry $300
9' 4 oz. Model 166S Wet/Dry $300
8½' 4 oz. Model 154 Wet/Dry $325
8' 4 oz. Model 144 Wet/Dry $400
7½' 3 oz. Model 123 Wet/Dry $500
The Forsyth Fly Rod
9½' 5 oz. Model 170 Tournament $300
9' 4 oz. Model 159 Tournament $325
10½' 7 oz. Model 195 Salmon $250
10' 6 oz. Model 196 Salmon $250
9' 6 oz. Model 197 Salmon $275
10½' 7 oz. Model 184 Dry Fly $270
10' 6 oz. Model 182 Dry Fly $270
9½' 5 oz. Model 168 Dry Fly $285
9' 5 oz. Model 165 Dry Fly $300
8½' 4 oz. Model 151 Dry Fly $325
9½' 5 oz. Model 167 Wet/Dry $275
9' 5 oz. Model 160 Wet/Dry $290
8½' 4 oz. Model 143 Wet/Dry $325
8' 3 oz. Model 145 Wet/Dry $400
7½' 3 oz. Model 122 Wet/Dry $450
7' 2 oz. Model 112 Sylph 2 pc. $600
9½' 5 oz. Model 161 Wet Fly $260
9' 5 oz. Model 162 Wet Fly $275
8½' 4 oz. Model 141 Wet Fly $300
8' 3 oz. Model 142 Wet Fly $400
7½' 3 oz. Model 121 Wet Fly $450
The Essex Fly Rod
9½' 5 oz. Model 168 Tournament $275
9' 4 oz. Model 165 Tournament $300
10' 6 oz. Model 1820 Dry Fly $250
9½' 6 oz. Model 1680 Dry Fly $265
9' 5 oz. Model 1650 Dry Fly $275
8½' 4 oz. Model 1510 Dry Fly $300
9½' 5 oz. Model 1670 Wet/Dry $240
9' 5 oz. Model 1620 Wet/Dry $260
8½' 4 oz. Model 1430 Wet/Dry $280
8' 4 oz. Model 1450 Wet/Dry $350
8' 3 oz. Model 1220 Wet/Dry $375
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