Tag Archives: making bamboo fly rods

I’m now offering Custom Bamboo Wading Staffs

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For the past few years, I’ve been working at designing and building Custom Bamboo Wading Staffs, and I’m excited to announce that I’m now offering them to customers.  I build these Wading Staffs from the same Select Tonkin Bamboo that I build my fly rods with…they aren’t made from engineered bamboo flooring material.  I offer these Staffs in lengths from 48″ to 52″, and build them with a custom Cork grip, an English Walnut end cap, and Pearsalls Cardinal Silk wrapping thread.  I also include a retractor from Gear Keeper.  The cost for these Bamboo Wading Staffs is $600.

Custom Bamboo Wading Staff

Custom Bamboo Wading Staff

Bamboo Fly Rod Fishing in Colorado

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I just got back from 10 days of fishing with my best fishing buddy, Bill, who lives in Fort Collins, Colorado.  Had a fantastic time, and Bill did a great job playing the role of a “local guide” for me on his home waters.  We fished the Big Thompson River, the Pouder River, and the middle Fork of the South Platte River.  Most of the time I fished my 7′  9″  4 wt Signature Series bamboo or my 8′  0″  6 wt Fast Action Series bamboo.  We caught fish on Trico Mayflies, BWO Comparaduns, Ants, and Hoppers.  Here are a few random photos from our trip.

Bill and Dave’s Excellent Colorado Fishing Trip.

Nice little brown from the Big Thompson River.

Rainbow from the Pouder River.

A rare Green Back Cutthroat from the Pouder River.

The Poudre River.

Fishing the middle Fork of the South Platte River.

A big rainbow that took a #24 Trico Mayfly.

 

A new Series of bamboo fly rods.

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For the past 1 1/2 years I have been working at developing a new series of bamboo fly rods…a Fast Action Series.  I’ve designed these rods with a fast action for windy conditions, casting especially large flies, or for those anglers who just like fast action rods.  They also do great with smaller flies as well.  I’m pleased to now offer these rods to my clients as another option and offer them in 4 wt, 5wt, 6 wt, and 7 wt, configurations.  I build these rods with Custom Rosewood reel seats with engraved hardware, and dark claret, straw, and black thread wraps.

5 wt Fast Action Series

5 wt Fast Action Series #2

5 wt Fast Action Series #3

5 wt Fast Action Series #4

Getting Out Fishing Today With Our Bamboo Rods!

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I was able to get out fly fishing today with my good friend, Joe, on Whychus Creek, the small creek in the canyon below my house.  Whychus creek is one of my favorite spots here in Central Oregon…beautiful water and no other anglers around.  I took out my 6′  8″  3 wt. Fast Action Series Bamboo Rod and Joe took out his 7′  0″  4 wt bamboo rod he built with me in my workshop.  After a bug sampling that showed a lot of stonefly nymphs, I started with a #10 black rubber legged black stonefly nymph.  Joe started with a #16 Tan X-Caddis pattern.  We both were successful and caught several nice rainbows.  After an hour, I wanted some dry fly action so I changed over to a #12 Yellow Stimulator pattern…Joe stayed with his X-Caddis.  For the next 2 hours, we both raised a lot of feisty native rainbows, and by the end of the day, we each caught about 15 fish.  What a fun day with our bamboo rods on one of our small creeks here.

A Big, Black Stonefly Nymph

6′ 8 3 wt rod

Joe with a great Bow And Arrow cast.

One of the beautiful native rainbows we caught.

Why do each of us prefer different bambo rod tapers?

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A few years back I worked with Mary Ann and several other very experienced fly casters to look at how different fly casting styles impact that way a bamboo fly rod bends…i.e. how the motions of your hand/wrist/arm during the cast can bend different rod tapers differently.  My goal was to gain a better understanding of why each of us prefer different actions of bamboo fly rods.  Through extensive stop-action video analysis, we were able to show different rod bending motions which can impact the power and accuracy in your cast depending on what taper fly rod you cast. And if you cast a particular taper well, then it’s probably one you like. I pulled together a presentation that I presented at the 2022 Corbet Lake Bamboo Fly Rod Gathering, and I have also given it at other events.  One of these presentations was recorded and can be found at the following link:  VRG – 20200808 – Dozer – Casting Style Affecting Your Choice of Tapers (bamboorodmaking.com).  Check it out!!!