Bamboo. Before carbon fiber, graphite, or fiberglass there were bamboo fly rods. Heck, there still are bamboo fly rods, and devotees that would not fish anything else. However, I’ve never fished a bamboo fly rod. It’s something that has always appealed to me for whatever the reason. A respect for and interest in fly fishing history? The allure of a slower, fuller flex, and richer action? Not really sure. I just feel like it’s something I owe it to myself to try at some point, especially in those small mountain streams I like to fish.
When I was at the Fly Fishing Show in Atlanta a few weeks ago one of the booths that attracted me was ARC Fly Rods. It’s an outfit based out of Roswell, Georgia that doesn’t just sell bamboo fly rods, but offers week-long clinics focusing on how to build one. Your $1850 tuition covers instruction, materials, and at the end of the week you end up with a bamboo fly rod of your own fabrication.
I kind of helicoptered around their table for a bit, taking a peek at the rods and collateral from afar, but was reluctant to engage in conversation because I knew if I did I probably wouldn’t have left the show without either a rod in hand… or being signed up for a future class. That should have been the end of the story.
The tricky thing is, it’s been something that’s been percolating in the back of my head ever since I drove home from Atlanta. Even last night at dinner, I brought up the idea of building my own bamboo fly rod to my wife totally unsolicited. (And we never talk much about fly fishing as I know it’s a subject she’ll entertain because it interests me, but really does not interest her.)
To her credit, she didn’t totally dismiss my fantasy, but did wonder why they cost so much and why someone would even want one considering the modern, and generally less expensive options available… including the dozen or so carbon fiber and fiberglass fly and tenkara rods I already own.
Okay, revisiting the $1850 price tag, that’s not cheap. But it’s pretty consistent (in many cases a little less) than having a custom bamboo fly rod built for you by a reputable builder. And those such rods don’t come with the additional experience of learning from an expert and gaining a bit of knowledge into what goes into crafting an artisanal fishing tool. I’d imagine using such a rod would evoke a similar feeling as one experiences when catching a fish with a self-tied fly, just to another degree.
Now, don’t let me kid you, most of what I just wrote above is simply me trying to justify such a purchase and endeavor in my mind. I don’t consider myself particularly handy with woodworking tools, and there are a lot more wallet friendly ways to acquire a bamboo fly fishing rod. Used rods in particular, depending on condition or pedigree can go for a fraction of the price. And I’m sure they fish just fine, especially to someone who doesn’t know any better.
If you’re still reading, thank you for entertaining my bamboo ramble to this point. I’m still not sure what I’m going to end up doing, but I’m certainly open to any sign from the universe, no matter how slight, to convince me into making the bamboo leap.
Perhaps a rod builder that’s reading this might reach out and offer to take me under their wing as an apprentice… More realistically, maybe someone reading this has a 3 or 4 weight bamboo rod they might want to unload at a nice price…
While neither are very likely, at the moment I’m hanging my hat on the observation that one of the ARC classes spans my birthday weekend this year. Whatever it takes to persuade yourself it was meant to be, right?
There’s a guy who lives near me that’s been building and restoring bamboo rods for 30 years. His name is Tommy Thomas, he sells many of his rods downtown Waynesville at Twigs and Leaves. He did a rod building class at Haywood community college last fall for $350 with profits going to the local TU chapter.
Thanks Don, I’ll have to look him up. That sounds like a fantastic opportunity!