Tag Archives: buildling bamboo rods

My Bamboo Switch Rod for Steelhead.

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Mary Ann and I just got back from 3 days of camping on the Deschutes River in search of steelhead.  We met up with a great group of folks and camped at a Rebar Campground.  We had a wonderful time but the steelhead action was very slow.  Among 12 accomplished steelheaders, only 2 steelhead were landed over 3 days…none by Mary Ann nor I.  I took along my 10′  6″  5 wt Hollow Built Bamboo Switch Rod for the trip, and split my time between swinging hairwing streamers on sinking leaders and nymphing with large stonefly nymph immtations.  I manged to pick up a handful of nice rainbows, two whitefish, and one very large sucker nymphing but had no success swinging.  Overall, not great fishing success but we had a great time camping out with group.  Here are a few photos of our trip:

Our campsite at Rebar Campground.

Our campsite at Rebar Campground.

Swinging through Steelhead Flats Run.

Swinging through Steelhead Flats Run.

Nymphing below Halfway Bar Island.

Nymphing below Halfway Bar Island.

A decent rainbow I caught right at camp that took a brown stonefly nymph.

A decent rainbow I caught right at camp that took a brown stonefly nymph.

Putting a bend in a bamboo fly rod!

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My good friend, Noel from Australia, just sent me a photo of a day he and I had on Loon Creek in Idaho this Summer.  Take a look at the bend a nice cutthroat is putting in this rod…an 8′  3″  5 wt rod I built for him a couple of years ago.  I’m now building Noel another rod to compliment this one…a 7′  3″  4 wt/3 piece rod.  This new rod will be a great travel rod for Noel when he is out on smaller water.

Putting a bend in a bamboo rod!

Putting a bend in a bamboo rod!

Let’s help clean up our rivers.

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No, I’m not bait fishing with my bamboo fly rods.  I’ve made a commitment to take a small step in helping clean up our rivers.  Each time I get out fishing, I make sure I pick up some trash I find along the river.  It’s usually a Styrofoam bait cup or a beer can.  I pick it up, put it in my vest, and haul it out with me to dispose of in the appropriate waste container after I’m done fishing.  If we all do a little, we can make a big difference.

Let's help clean up our rivers. Pick up something each time you're on the river.

Let’s help clean up our rivers. Pick up something each time you’re on the river.

 

 

 

Bamboo Rods on the Deschutes River

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Mary Ann and I got the chance to camp for a few days on the Deschutes River last week.  She spent 3 days searching for steelhead…she hooked two steelhead…lost both of them!  I spent my time with my 8′  3″  5 wt bamboo rod tempting trout.  I didn’t get many but did manage to pick up a few nice rainbows on stonefly nymphs. Here are a few photos of our time on the Deschutes.

Our campsite at Grassy Camp.

Our campsite at Grassy Camp.

Fighting a nice fish.

Fighting a nice fish.

A nice rainbow that took a #6 orange and brown Jimmy Leggs Nymph Pattern.

A nice rainbow that took a #6 orange and brown Jimmy Leggs Nymph Pattern.

Bamboo Switch Rods on the Salmon River, Idaho

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I’ve been out on the Salmon River this week with my 10′  6″  5 wt hollow-built switch rod trying to entice some of the larger fish that might be lying to ambush a fly presented in ‘just-the-right-way’ to them.  I’ve been swinging weighted streamers on intermediate leaders through the deeper runs.  I’ve also been trying skating an assortment of large dry flies on the surface with furled switch rod leaders from Cutthroat Leaders through the calmer water.  Here are a couple  of the fish I was able to get to the bank for photos.

A nice Bull Trout that took a #6 Black Wooley Bugger with a weighted gold conehead.

A nice Bull Trout that took a #6 Black Wooley Bugger with a weighted gold conehead.

A beautiful native Cutthroat Trout that took a #12 foam bodied Black Caddis skated across the surface of a shallow run.

A beautiful native Cutthroat Trout that took a #12 foam bodied Black Caddis skated across the surface of a shallow run.