Tag Archives: making bamboo fly rods

Starting a new Bamboo Trout Net

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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

Fishing Hat Creek, CA

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I met up with my fishing buddies from California last week and spent 4 days fishing Hat Creek near Redding.  I’ve been fishing with these guys for over 30 years so it’s always great to get together with them on our “Guys Fishing Trip” once a year.  The creek was in great shape.  It proved to be pretty challenging fishing during the day but much better each evening.  Lots of Salmonflies, Golden Stoneflies, Yellow Sallies, and Caddis were out.  For all my fishing, I used my 9′  0″  4 wt Euronymphing rod.  It did great during the day throwing all sorts of nymphs, and then switching over to a dry line during the evenings for the hatch.  Here are a few photos of my trip.

Hat Creek, CA

Salmon Fly

Salmon Fly

Hat Creek Rainbow that took a Yellow Sally.

This guy took a golden stonefly.

 

 

A couple of rods finished this week….

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I put the finishing touches on two bamboo fly rods this past week.  Both are the same taper…an 8′  0″  5 wt medium progressive action rod from my Spring Creek series of rods.  One rod will be going to the Seattle area to a regular customer who wanted to add a 5 wt. rod to his collection.  The second rod will be mine…I get to build a rod for me once-in-a-while!!!  Here they are:

A nice 8′ 0″ 5 wt rod.

Article about Olivia Elia

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Our good friend and bamboo fly rod builder, Olivia Elia, was just profiled in the latest Journal of The Italian Bamboo Rodmakers Association.  IBRA is one of the most prestigeous bamboo rod organizations in the world, and they just published a wonderful article on Olivia’s journey that took her to becoming a gifted bamboo rod maker.  I’m proud to have contributed to her journey and to have her in my workshop as she builds her custom bamboo fly rods.  Her article appears in the April edition of IBRA, and can be found at:  Documento senza titolo (rodmakers.eu).  Let’s all celebrate Olivia’s accomplishments by raising a glass.

Celebrating Olivia’s Article in IBRA

 

Olivia is back in my workshop

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Olivia Elia, is back in my workshop this week.  She was with family for several days but is back in Sisters now it’s great to have her back.  It’s fun to have another builder in the shop with me to bounce ideas off of, and I think we do a great job at challenging each other in our bamboo rod building efforts. She started a new 7′ 9″ 4 wt bambo fly rod this week as a custom order from a new client.  Here is Olivia at work!!!

Splitting Bamboo Strips

 

Running the Bellinger Beveller