Some Thoughts on My Costs of Building Bamboo Fly Rods, Nets, and Wading Staffs.

I do my best at keeping the prices of my bamboo fly rods, nets, and wading staffs down so they are affordable to many anglers.  Yes, bamboo fly rods cost more than graphite fly rods of today…but really,…when did the cost of high-end graphite rods increase to $1600???   Every couple of years, I do an assessment of my costs for building my bamboo fly rods.  Unfortunately, costs continue to go up. Over the past 3 years, I’m seeing these increases:

  1. Cost of raw Bamboo has risen by 85%
  2. Cost of silk thread has risen by 20%
  3. Cost of ferrules has risen by 35%
  4. Cost of reel seat hardware has risen by 15%
  5. Cost of shipping through FedEx or UPS has risen by 20%
  6. Cost of consumable materials (sand paper, varnish, glue) has risen by 10 to 25%

As a result of these increasing costs, I’m feeling that I need to increase the prices of my fly rods, nets and wading staffs.  Any orders placed over the last days of this year will be at my current prices.  Starting January 1st, 2025, the updated prices will be in place.

All two tip bamboo fly rods will be $2395

All nets will be $600

All wading staffs will be $600

 

Best Regards,

Dave Dozer

Summer Fishing In Idaho

Mary Ann and I spend a week fishing in Stanley, Idaho this summer on the Salmon River.  Here are a few shots our time out with our 4 wt bamboo fly rods.

All about Bamboo!

My 7′ 9″ fast action 4 wt rod.

Mary Ann working a nice run.

More “fishy” water with Mary Ann.

 

Some of the local wildlife.

Starting a new Bamboo Trout Net

I’m getting started on a new Bamboo Trout Net today to add to my inventory.  It will be available for the Christmas Holidays…would make a fantastic Christmas Present for that special angler!

The 5 long strips will make up the hoop section of the net.  They are 72″ x .75″ x .070″.  The shorter pieces will make up the handle of the net.  They are 13″ x .625″ x .200″.

The first step is to start gluing up the handle pieces.

Getting started on a new Bamboo Trout Net

Closer view of handle and hoop sections.

Gluing up sections.

Two handle sections. These will get glued up together.

Both handle sections have now been glued together and shaped.

The handle section for my new Bamboo Net.

Time to glue up the whole net!

Clamped and glued up!

Roughed out net ready for hand sanding.

Finished Net #1

Finished Net #2

Finished Net #3

Recovering from the holidays!

I’ve had a very busy holiday season with several rods and nets heading out the door, as well as participating in multiple virtual rod building/fly fishing events.  So, I haven’t posted for a few months.  But, I’m back in the normal swing of things in the workshop now.  I normally try to keep a handful of completed rods and nets in my inventory for those folks who call me up looking for something but can’t wait for a few months for me to get a new custom rod/net built for them.  The holiday rush put a noticeable dent in my inventory so today I started on a new rod and a net…it’s always a fun time to get started and “split some bamboo”.  Newly split strips for a 7′  9″  4 wt. Spring Creek Series rod and a new 27″ bamboo trout net are now on my workbench…starting to make progress.

Bamboo strips for a new rod and a net net.

My Bamboo EuroNymphing Rod on the Lower Deschutes River

I got out on the Lower Deschutes River yesterday for a day float with Mary Ann, and our good friends Alice and Mike, who are both guides from West Yellowstone, MT. Mary Ann, Alice, and Mike took out their two hand rods and chased steelhead for the day. But, I was more interested in looking for the larger rainbows in the Deschutes River with my 9′ 0″ 4 wt bamboo EuroNymphing rod. I had some great action with small #18 and #20 mayfly nymphs, with several fish in the 15″ to 19″ range landed. My 4 wt rod managed these larger fish very well, and I never felt I wasn’t in complete control. And the sensitivity of the rod made it easy to detect the light takes on these small flies. I even hooked a nice steelhead momentarily on one of my small nymphs, but after a few head shakes, it easily broke my 4X tippet…not sure how well my 4 wt rod would have handled that fish.! Here are a few photos of my day.

Fighting a nice fish.
First fish of the day.
Another nice one.
Colorful Deschutes River Redside.