Hi fellow fly fishers. I've been fly fishing and tying for over a decade. Currently I have some great rods including Sage and Orvis. Most of my fly fishing is for bass in central texas with an occasional foray into Colorodo and Montana. Lately for some reason I've just got an itch to try and fish with an old traditional bamboo rod. I know that they are experiencing a resurgence. So here's my question. What's it like to cast with traditional bamboo vs graphite? Is it worth a few hundred bucks to acquire a nice modern day bamboo rod? I know they are super expensive but when one considers the work that goes into building one, is it any wonder? Any of you guys with bamboo experience let me know your thoughts.
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They are slower but well worth it if you really want to relax. They are more fragile so be mindful.
Micheal -
Bamboo is heavier and much slower/more flexible than graphite. You have to adjust your timing if you're used to fishing extra fast graphite rods. Bamboo isn't great for casting big bulky or heavy flies. But for casting dry flies to trout or panfish, they can be a lot of fun. Fiberglass rods are closer to bamboo than graphite, if that gives you an idea.Comment
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I know nothing about bamboo but there is a world of difference with my fiberglass rod vs a graphite. thanks for the info aboveComment
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I've fished bamboo a bit. An old Orvis that was loaned to me for the day. It's heavy, it's slow, it roll casts like a dream, and it's an awesome experience to catch fish on it.
But if you aren't spending a couple grand on new bamboo, I don't think you're going to get a very good rod.Comment
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If you learned on graphite then I wouldn't do it. You have a good chance of breaking it while casting. Get a quality fiberglass and use it for a while until your casting slows down enough to get good with it, then get the bamboo.Comment
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I've got a old 1912 Tonkin two pcs with two ends and cotton carry case that was my great grandfather's. It's a little slow. Takes a bit of finness. Got my first reel on it I got when I was 10. It's fun for small bass and panfish.
The fish are biting and there's hogs to be kill-t. Gotta go!Comment
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My grandfather taught me how to fly fish on an OLD 2 piece bamboo fly rod. They don't compare to the new stuff out there today but the nostalgia is certainly makes for a cool experience.Comment
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You can still find used one’s at garage or estate sales occasionally for reasonable prices, but they are few and far between.Originally posted by Trumpkin View PostComment
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I have one of my dads old bamboo fly rods. I grew up learning how to fly fish with the bamboos, then went to fiberglass and on to graphite. I still like a slower moderately fast action on my fly rods for the simple reason I can feel the line load the rod more easily. I have little desire to go back to bamboo with the warping and breaking of tips. There is a reason most came with 2 tip sections. One little nick or bruise and they break...at the worst time. They do look great for the nostalgia image and make nice wall art with an old creel and net though.Comment
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Thanks all for the responses. Sounds like the universal thing here is that one needs to SLOW DOWN the cast. Thanks again all.Comment
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Yep. And don't over-line the rod. You can get away with putting a 7wt line on a 6wt graphite rod. Extra-fast graphite rods often do better that way. But don't over-line a bamboo rod. And don't expect to cast the whole fly line. Think of it like hunting with a stick bow vs hunting with a crossbow.Originally posted by djohnson View PostComment
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My grandpa had some old bamboo fly rods - that I used as a kid to learn to fly cast. Left them when I went to serve and the years and moves, family moved, they ended up getting pieces lost and or destroyed. I've been looking for another bamboo stick from that era, ferals are a challenge though, many that I've run across are not in good shape and some of the ferals are stuck as well together.
So I went with Blue Halo fiberglass blanks, and made a few fly rods using these blanks.
It's an intermediate feel between graphite and bamboo. They have a lot of parabolic give, and the cast is a good platform, to slow the rhythm down as the blank loads.
I used Snake Eye fly guides and a Fuji Titanium SIC for the Stripping guide.
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Very pretty rod!Originally posted by AtTheWall View PostMy grandpa had some old bamboo fly rods - that I used as a kid to learn to fly cast. Left them when I went to serve and the years and moves, family moved, they ended up getting pieces lost and or destroyed. I've been looking for another bamboo stick from that era, ferals are a challenge though, many that I've run across are not in good shape and some of the ferals are stuck as well together.
So I went with Blue Halo fiberglass blanks, and made a few fly rods using these blanks.
It's an intermediate feel between graphite and bamboo. They have a lot of parabolic give, and the cast is a good platform, to slow the rhythm down as the blank loads.
I used Snake Eye fly guides and a Fuji Titanium SIC for the Stripping guide.
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Originally posted by AtTheWall View PostMy grandpa had some old bamboo fly rods - that I used as a kid to learn to fly cast. Left them when I went to serve and the years and moves, family moved, they ended up getting pieces lost and or destroyed. I've been looking for another bamboo stick from that era, ferals are a challenge though, many that I've run across are not in good shape and some of the ferals are stuck as well together.
So I went with Blue Halo fiberglass blanks, and made a few fly rods using these blanks.
It's an intermediate feel between graphite and bamboo. They have a lot of parabolic give, and the cast is a good platform, to slow the rhythm down as the blank loads.
I used Snake Eye fly guides and a Fuji Titanium SIC for the Stripping guide.
That is a sweet looking rod.Comment
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