The Dickerson Collection of Michigan's Tom Clark

I think I first heard of Tom Clark in the early 1990s when reading Schaaf-Stein’s book, Dickerson: The Man and His Rods. Tom was mentioned several times in the book. Ernest Schwiebert wrote the Introduction Section and described an afternoon fishing excursion in Tom’s long boat on the Au Sable. Schwiebert’s words left a deeply ingrained impression on me with regards to the mystique of Dickerson rods, more so than any other part of the book. His words ooze nostalgia, and I am a sucker for nostalgia.

It was just a couple of years later that I spoke to Tom for the first time. A Michigan rod dealer, likely Phil Heck or Andy Sekora, informed me that Tom had a Dickerson rod for sale. The rod was a 9016 Soo Special which I ended up purchasing. I can’t say I knew Tom or that he was a friend of mine. The few phone interactions and tackle show meetings were pleasant but brief and would likely have left no impression on him. Tom was a man of few words; definitely fell under the now seldom applicable “strong silent type.” My knowledge of Tom and his collection of Dickerson rods was acquired mostly through Per Brandin, a mutual friend of ours. I regret not knowing Tom better as I think I could have learned a lot about Dickerson rods from him.

Over the past few years, Per brokered several Dickerson rod deals between Tom and me. After Tom’s passing, Per was asked by the family to sell Tom’s fly rod collection. Several month’s later he drove from Massachusetts to Michigan to pick up the rods. Per called me on the drive home from Michigan excited to report that he had picked up no less than 14 Dickerson rods at Tom’s house! Per will be offering the Dickersons and the rest of Tom’s rod collection for sale individually on his web site in the coming months.

I wanted to take the opportunity to recognize and document Tom's collection prior to its sale. Collections such as this are becoming less common. I would like to thank Per Brandin for giving me access to the rods and allowing me to post them on the site.

There are some interesting and unusual rods in Tom’s collection. Some might be one of a kind. A few of the standouts are spotlighted below...

Above- Dickerson tubes galore! Tom Clark's collection.

(Above and below) 7011 Special- A unique lightweight rod made in 1952. I believe Dickerson only made four of these special lightweight 7011s. Dickerson’s cataloged weight for his standard 7011 is 3 ¼ oz. This group of 2 ¼ oz. 7011 Specials were likely the only three-weight rods Dickerson made and all were finished between 1951 and 1953. The two 7011 Specials I have examined firsthand featured a snake guide in place of a stripping guide, ala Leonard Fairy Catskill rods. Tom’s 7011 Special is unique in that it came with three tips, each a slightly different taper. The original bag has three tip compartments which distinguishes it as a true three-tip rod. It also features Dickerson’s very rare lightweight aluminum cap and ring slide band reel seat.

(Above) 8016 Guide Special- Dickerson put together a few heavy eight footers for his own use during winters in Florida where he enjoyed coastal fishing for Snook and other species. Tim Bedford also mentions owning a model 8016 in his writings. I have not found any 8016 or 8016 Guides in Dickerson’s order ledger. Tom’s 8016 Guide was made in 1957 for Dr. Arthur Hammond. It features a wells grip and weighs just over 5 oz. The action is fast but its flex profile is not just in the tip.

(Above and below) 8’6” Calcutta rod made in 1941- This rod was made in the 861711 configuration from Calcutta cane and is one of three rods that Dickerson put together from this special batch of bamboo. It is a nicely made rod and lighter in weight and action than a standard 861711. It has the wide thread reel seat barrel that was used mostly on pre-1940 rods but is occasionally seen on rods after ’40. As seen in the photos, the rod is not signed in Dickerson’s normal manner, but rather has a material description and is signed by L.L. Dickerson- Detroit 1941.

The Dickerson Collection of Michigan's Tom Clark

Above- Dickerson tubes galore! Tom Clark's collection.

Tom Clark collection (top to bottom)