I made my first bamboo fly rod in 1999, taught by A.J. Thramer. Allen offered me a wealth of
information about working with bamboo that would have taken many years to learn on my own.
I am in his debt. Oregon has a number of great bamboo rod makers, many of whom have been very
generous with their rod making knowledge. Al Bellinger is a great rod maker from Salem, Oregon.
Al was always ready to talk rods and answer my questions. Chris McDowell of Eugene was also very
helpful. My friend Rob Clarke and I have shared many discussions about rod construction and techniques.
The late Bill Baldwin of Westfir taught me many things about finishing bamboo rods. Rod collector
and vintage tackle expert Dan Brock of Lowell, Oregon was very generous with his knowledge and
very willing to share information about his wonderful collection of bamboo rods from the classic era. In
addition to these helpful folks, I made an attempt to read everything ever written about making bamboo
rods. Although this was not possible, I did find a wealth of information in the books listed on
the books page.
Research & Development
The McKenzie River - my home waters
A bamboo rod is an organic solution to a mechanical fly fishing problem, such as how to present delicate fly without
spooking a skittish brook trout at the edge of a mill pond, or casting into a blustery autumn wind
on the river, extending your fly line while gently turning over a long leader and fly to a rising cutthroat. Being made
of a natural material, bamboo fly rods are responsive and flexible, better suited than other materials to connect you to a fish.
I find bamboo to be the superior material for making fly rods under 8 feet. Larger rods suffer from bamboo's slightly higher
weight when compared to fiberglass, graphite, or boron. Oregon's rivers and Cascade lakes provide the natural fly fishing
environment I use to evaluate both old and newer rod tapers because there is an intangible "feel" of a good design that can
only be realized by casting to a rising fish.
