Updates to my WEB site.

I haven’t posted for quite a while so I wanted to provide an update.  I’m in the process of re-designing and updating my WEB site.  I’m pretty excited about some new additions.  This past several months, I’ve been working on a new Fast Action Series of bamboo fly rods that will be available very soon.  These rods are great for anyone looking for a faster action rod that throws large flies well in windy conditions, or, just looking for something with a very nice fast action.  Also, I will now be offering custom Bamboo Wading Staffs that I’ve been building.  These are one-piece wading staffs built from the same select Tonkin bamboo that I use for my fly rods.  Stay tuned in the weeks ahead for my updates.

Fishing my local creek in October

I made it out to my favorite local small creek this past week with my good friend, Joe.  I fished my 6′  8″ 3 wt bamboo and Joe took out his 7′ 0″  4 wt bamboo that he built in my workshop.  This creek runs right below my house and gets almost no fishing pressure,  so we had the water to ourselves for the afternoon.  This is some of my favorite kind of fly fishing…getting out on very small local waters with light bamboo fly rods.  We found several willing native rainbows in the 6″ t 11″ range ready to take assorted nymphs and dry flies.

My favorite small rod with a classic Pflueger 1492 reel.

Joe fighting a nice little rainbow

A nice fish landed!!!

We each caught several of these colorful native rainbows.

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

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.

Another Bamboo Trout Net…

I just finished another Bamboo Trout Net this week. This one is headed to my good friend and fishing buddy, Dale, who lives in Idaho. Dale is one of the best lake anglers I know, and since he does a lot of float tubing, he choose one of my 32″ Float Tube Nets. I know he’ll be very happy with this net.

A very nice 32″ Bamboo Float Tube Trout Net.
Nice Bamboo Grain.
Beautiful View of the Bamboo Fibers.