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Orvis 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.
Equinox - 3-pc.
8' #6 4½ oz. $400
8½' #6 5½ oz. $275
9' #5 6 oz. $225
Arlington - 3-pc.
8' #6 4½ oz. $400
8½' #6 5½ oz. $275
9' #6 6 oz. $225
9½ #6 6¾ oz. $225
Manchester - Trout - 2-pc.
7½' #5 3¾ oz. $450
8' #5 4½ oz. $425
Manchester - Trout - 3-pc.
7½' #5 3¾ oz. $450
8' #5 4¾ oz. $400
8½' #6 5¼ oz. $300
9' #6 6 oz. $250
9½ #6 6½ oz. $250
Model 99 - Impregnated, 2-pc.
7' #5 3½ oz. $450
7½' #5 3¾ oz. $450
7½' #6 4 oz. $425
8' #5 4¼ oz. $400
8½' #6 5 oz. $300
8½' #7 5½ oz $275
9' #6 6 oz. $275
9½' #7 7 oz. $260
Battenkill - Impregnated, 2-piece
6½' #5 2½ oz. $650
7' #5 2-7/8 oz. $625
7½' #5 3½ oz. $600
7½' #6 3¾ oz $575
8' #5 4¼ oz. $500
8' #6 4-3/8 oz. $475
8½ #6 4¾ oz. $375
8½' #7 5¼ oz. $360
Battenkill - Impregnated, 3-piece
7½' #5 4¼oz. $575
8' #6 4½oz. $525
8½' #7 4¾ oz. $450
9' #7 5¾ oz. $375
9½' #7 6½ oz. $375
Battenkill Salmon - Impregnated, 3-piece
8½' #7 6½ oz. $375
9' #8 7 oz. $325
9½' #8 7¾ oz. $325
10' #9 8½ oz. $350
10½' #9 9½ oz. $375
11' #9 10½ $400
Battenkill Salmon/Steelhead - Impregnated, 2-piece
8½' #7 5½ oz. $400
9' #8 5¾ oz. $350
Madison Series Fly Rods - Single Tip
5' 1½oz. #4 Mitey Mite $550
5'9" 2 oz. #4 Five/Nine $550
6' 1-7/8 oz. #6 Superfine 1-pc. $595
6½' 3-3/8 oz. #4 Flea $575
7½' 3¼ oz. #5 MCL Midge $575
6½' 2¾ oz. #4 2-piece $525
6½' 2-7/8 oz. #6 2-piece $500
7' 3-3/8 oz. #6 2-piece $475
7½' 3-5/8 oz. #5 2-piece $450
7½' 3-7/8 oz. #6 2-piece $425
8' 4-3/8 oz. #8 2-piece $375
8½' 4¾ oz. #8 2-piece $300
8½' 5-1/8 oz. #9 2-piece $275
Battenkill Series Specialty Rods - Two Tips
6½' 2¼ oz. #6 Superfine $650
6½' 2 oz. #4 Deluxe $650
7' 2-5/8 oz. #6 Superfine $600
7' 2¾ oz. #3 Seven/Three $695
7' 2¾ oz. #4 Seven/Four $695
7' 2-5/8 oz. #4 Deluxe $625
7/7'3" 3 oz. #6 Pace Changer $650
7½' 3-5/8 oz. #5 Midge $600
7½' 3¼ oz. #6 Superfine $550
7½' 2-7/8 oz. #4 Deluxe $600
7½/7'9" 3½ oz. #5 Midge Nymph $600
7½' 3-7/8 oz. #5 Far & Fine $575
7½' 4 oz. #6 Trout $550
8' 3¾ oz. #4 Nymph $525
8' 4¼ oz. #6 Trout $475
8½' 5 oz. #5 Limestone $425
8½' 5-3/8 oz. #9 Shooting Star $450
8'9" 5¾ oz. #10 S/S/S $450
9' 6 oz. #9 Shooting Star $425
Wes Jordan Rods - 2-piece, 2-tip - Leather Case
7½' 3-7/8 oz. #6 2-piece $850
8' 4-3/8 oz. #8 2-piece $800
8½' 5-1/8 oz. #9 2-piece $750
C. F. Orvis 125 Rods
6½' 2¾ oz. #4 2-piece $600
7' 3¼ oz. #3 2-piece $550
7' 3½ oz. #4 3-piece $550
7½' 3¾ oz. #5 2-piece $525
7½' 3¾ oz. #6 2-piece $500
8' 4¼ oz. #6 2-piece $500
8' 4½ oz. #6 3-piece $450
8' 4¾ oz. #7 2-piece $475
Rocky Mountain Fly Rods - Two Tips
6½' 3¼ oz. #5 3-pc. $850
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