Tag Archives: making bamboo fly rods

FIshing on Hat Creek, California

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I got to spend a few days with my “California fishing buddies” this past Memorial Day weekend…an annual trip that we’ve been taking for the past 30 years.  The lower section of Hat Creek is a mostly broken riffles, and doesn’t get much fishing pressure.

A sunny afternoon with a 8' 0" 5 wt bamboo rod on Hat Creek.

A sunny afternoon with a 8′ 0″ 5 wt bamboo rod on Hat Creek.

Fishing was a little slow as we were just coming out of some cold weather.  But the stoneflies were just starting to move around and I picked up a few nice fish on Kauffmans Stonefly Nymphs, using a EuroNymphing technique.  Here is a nice 16″ fish:

A Beautiful 16" Hat Creek Rainbow.

A Beautiful 16″ Hat Creek Rainbow.

 

New Fly Rods Heading Out The Door

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I’ve been working feverishly on several new bamboo fly rods over the past several weeks.  Here are two nice one’s heading out the door this week to customers.  A beautiful 7′  0″  4 wt medium fast action rod built with tiger maple reel seat, classic reel seat hardware, and wrapped with highland green and black wraps.  This rod small stream rod is heading to Idaho.   And, a second 10′  6″  5 wt hollow-built progressive action switch rod.  It’s built with figured English Walnut reel seat and butt cap, a black banded agate stripping guide, and wrapped with black silk thread and straw and claret tipping.  This rod is headed to New Mexico.  Here is a photo of both rods:

7' 0" 4 wt medium-fast action two piece rod and a 10' 6" 5 wt 3 piece hollow-built switch rod.

7′ 0″ 4 wt medium-fast action two piece rod and a 10′ 6″ 5 wt 3 piece hollow-built switch rod.

Northwest Fly Tyers Expo

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I’ve been busy getting ready for the Northwest Fly Tyer and Fly Fishing Expo (www.nwexpo.com) in Albany, Oregon this coming Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  I’ll be there in Booth #3 with my bamboo fly rods.  This is one of the largest fly tying/fishing shows on the west coast with great opportunities to learn about fly tying, take classes in fly fishing and casting, and visit with many equipment vendors and lodge/resort owners as well.  If you make it to the show, please stop by my booth.

Show Update:  It was a good show this year, although attendance was down a little.  I always enjoy this show because it’s in my home territory and I know so many folks here.  A lot of my good friends stopped by the booth and chatted.  Here I am at the show:

2014 NW Fly Tyers and Fly Fishing Expo.

2014 NW Fly Tyers and Fly Fishing Expo.

 

Fishing Bamboo on the Williamson River.

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With all the cold weather and snow we have right now, we’ve been catching up on some old “to-do” items.  We spent a few days last May at Yamsi Ranch in Southern Oregon fishing the headwaters of the Williamson River.  It’s amazing fishing for highly educated rainbows and brook trout on spring creek water…requiring long, light tippets and plenty of stealth…perfect for bamboo fly rods.  Here is a little video of Mary Ann stalking and catching a nice rainbow one sunny morning.

Swinging with my Switch Rod for Steelhead.

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Mary Ann and I hit a local river with one of my bamboo switch rods two days ago, hoping to scare up a steelhead.  I took out my 10′  6″  5 wt. switch rod…a little under gunned if I happened into a large winter fish.  I swung a #6 bucktail coachman on an intermediate leader….yes, Paul, you’ve had an influence on my fly selection!  The weather was cold (33 degrees) and foggy, and all we caught were frozen extremities and iced-up guides.  But it was still fun to get out.

A #6 Bucktail Coachman

A #6 Bucktail Coachman

Swinging with my bamboo switch rod

Swinging with my bamboo switch rod