How often do you fish a Bamboo rod? and why?

[tcorfey]

Thought this was a good winter time question, and it just so happens that I am considering fishing my Bamboo rods more this year.

I am considering fishing my Bamboo rods more this year because I do enjoy fishing them but I hate to leave them in the car and they are all two piece rods so it is harder to carry a spare with me.

I think I can keep the spare out of sight in the car and then carry a Keiryu (Heavy Tenkara) rod with me for high stick nymphing as they are longer/lighter rods but they pack down small. I prefer using my Bamboo's for dry and traditional wet fly fishing due to their sensitivity and there ability to protect lighter tippets. Besides a nice Bamboo rod puts a smile on my face.

Regards,
Tim C.

 

[Ard]

Hi Tim,

Here where I live now only a few times each year. I have a light salmon rod that I take now and then for silvers and trout and a six weight that I try to use every fall. When I lived back east I used cane rods on all small stream fishing and the 8 foot #6 rod for streamers on medium creeks. When I fished difficult places where the one hand Spey casts were the thing I used graphite because I thought all the twisting and torqueing would damage my bamboo rods.

Every now and then I take a trip outside AK. and always take cane then.

Might as well add a picture from last October since I have one

 

[tcorfey]

Hi Ard,

Very nice looking setup in that picture.

I will have to dig up some pictures but, I have several bamboo rods in 6wt, a 5wt, a 4wt and a 3wt. I love to fish them but, I usually only use them on day trips or a single overnight. For multi-day trips I will grab several graphite or glass rods. I have to get beyond the fear of having one stolen from the car while I am fishing.

Note that several years ago I had a Bamboo rod stolen from my car. Luckily the thief must of got nervous and stashed it. Then a good samaritan found it, saw my address/phone on the case and returned it to me. Ever since then I have been worried about it happening again. I don't worry about the glass or graphite rods as I can probably get a replacement. Each bamboo rod is unique in it's feel and action so it's a bigger loss or at least it seems that way to me.

Regards, Tim

 

[Ard]

That was luck to get it back Tim. I would never take more than one at a time years ago. I used them so often I had no fear of breakage or need for a backup rod so I have always been a one rod guy. Here I tote extras but only because I unload straight from truck to boat and from boat to camp. If I had to leave my rods in my truck in a parking lot I wouldn't do it buddy.

I don't have a good picture of my flea rod and maybe should try to change that. I liked the Orvis flea and years ago found that I could afford to have one custom built and I did. I had 3 tips made just in case and in 1997 I actually wore one out. The splines shattered about three inches above the ferrule but left me still with 2 tips to finish the season. The same man had by then became the manager of the rod shop and he made me a replacement so I'm still at three All together I have 4 of them also and if I ever leave Alaska I hope I'm well enough to put them back I use. For now I shop big graphite rods and the cane rests easy in the rod rack.

 

[smilingduck]

Ard is spot on about leaving rods in your car. I grew up in California and when I was younger my fathers truck was broken into so many times we had to stop fishing some of our favorite Steelhead rivers. One of the first times I saw my father cry is when his truck was broken into and rods+reels stolen.

Since I have kids I can't afford to fish bamboo but as soon as I hit the Lotto I'm sure that's all I will be fishing with!

 

[spm]

Interesting. I guess I thought there were more diehard (I only fish bamboo) aficionados out there. I only have one bamboo rod; my fathers old Montague from the late 30s. I used to fish it occasionally, but retired it when he died.

steve

 

[Rip Tide]

My fishing partner only fishes cane (in fresh water)
He owns some classics, but for the most part he just fishes with the rods that he built himself.
A new one every year from scratch.

I on the other hand rarely fish mine (I have 3).
And no offence to anyone, but to me they're a little pretentious and I don't need that rolling around in the back of my head while I'm out on the water.

Wicked fun to cast though

 

[jeep.ster]

You get addicted fishing split cane. For about ten recent years I fished bamboo 100% of the time with bamboo rod maker friends. That's why I have four bamboo fly rods. But some of them have moved far away now. My rods are getting older and I'm only fishing them in easy fishing scenarios so they last as long as I do.

So I voted fish bamboo 75% of the time. These days that's my 6'8" 3wt f. e. thomas on small streams.

 

[fredaevans]

I've passed on all my Boo's.

Scribbled note: HUGE box of cookies delivered; "Thank YOU uncle Fred. Brother and I made you cookies."

I mean like HUGE BOX! Table, sort out, zip lock bags, chest freezer. My old dog looking at me ... NO!

 

[ia_trouter]

Hoping to embark on this adventure when I finish assembling my first boo blank before spring. I suspect there will be a few more if they are as fun to fish as I read.

Fun poll but I suspect it won't represent the "100% bamboo" crowd" so well. I am going to speculate they allocate much of their internet time to other forums that exclusively target vintage gear. NAFFF probably does represent bamboo dabblers very well. I expect I will be included in that crowd.

 

[jeep.ster]

Hoping to embark on this adventure when I finish assembling my first boo blank before spring. I suspect there will be a few more if they are as fun to fish as I read.

Fun poll but I suspect it won't represent the "100% bamboo" crowd" so well. I am going to speculate they allocate much of their internet time to other forums that exclusively target vintage gear. NAFFF probably does represent bamboo dabblers very well. I expect I will be included in that crowd.

Too many flamers over there. I prefer blonde. lol. Only the boo crowd will get that.

 

[ia_trouter]

Too many flamers over there. I prefer blonde. lol. Only the boo crowd will get that.

My first blank is very flamed. Damn! I haven't even wrapped my first guide and I'm already a "boo poser". This sport is too hard lol. But them again my Jeep is just a lifted winch Cherokee XJ. I have failed you in so many ways

 

[planettrout]

I have an Orvis Battenkill 8 1/2', 3/2, 6wt. that I picked up a long time ago and this 2/1, 7 1/2 , 4wt. custom, I picked up in Red Lodge, MT awhile back...

I don't use either as much as I should. I could really get into bamboo and I frequently go here and drool all over my keyboard...

Bamboo Rods For Sale - Vintage Fly Tackle

...but then, I could not put gas in my heap and would have to hitchhike up to the Eastern Sierras...


PT/TB

 

[fishiowa]

I voted 25% as it was the lowest option but it is more like 5% or 4-5 days a year.

 

[moucheur2003]

I've got two of them: a 7' 4 weight Orvis Battenkill and a 9' 5 weight William Mills & Son Standard. The Battenkill was my dad's and the Mills originally belonged to my father-in-law's uncle. The Battenkill is a wonderful dry-fly rod that my dad bought for central Pennsylvania, but there are no spring creeks around here so I only use it maybe two or three times a year for small streams. The Mills was in rough shape when I inherited it so I had it restored, but although it now looks beautiful again I find the old bamboo has lost much of its "spring" so it no longer casts very well and I have never fished it. I can actually cast farther and more accurately with the Battenkill.

So I can't answer the poll because my percentage would be much less than 25%, but more than zero.

 

[ia_trouter]

I voted 25% as it was the lowest option but it is more like 5% or 4-5 days a year.

I did the same. I expect 10% may be where I end up.

 

[jeep.ster]

I did the same. I expect 10% may be where I end up.

That may change. You'll be looking for places to fish that rod.

 

[ia_trouter]

That may change. You'll be looking for places to fish that rod.

Perhaps I will fish it more if it will tolerate some very small streamers and a light wind. It will be competing for creek time with a few graphite rods I really like on my small streams. If I was closer to good dry fly water I'm pretty sure I would use the bamboo more. I'll find a niche for it that is enjoyable.

 

[mka]

Overall, I fish my bamboo about 25% of the time...however, on small streams I have a bamboo rod in my hand about 50% of the time. I'm fishing in small streams and creeks far more than larger rivers and split the time with rods between bamboo and glass when fishing for those little browns and cutts. My favorite bamboo rod (out of my three boo rods) is a blonde Orvis Seven/Four model...it definitely has soul and is a delight to cast!

 

[tcorfey]

Love the pictures being posted. Based on some of the responses I guess I should of had an option for (I have one or more but do not use it very much if at all).

I wonder why? sometimes I guess it is too old and some have for sentimental reasons,and some I guess just like a faster rod. I have 2 6wt rods that are pretty much medium fast and can really cover some big water with a streamer or nymph rig. When I fish bamboo it is usually my shorter slower rods due to the feel.

I was going through my collection last night and I could definitely fish Bamboo for everything except larger fish species that require a rod of 8wt or more. Which is the reason why I want to use them more next year.

I did see where one person brought up that they feel pretentious/snobby fishing bamboo. I can see that. I view mine more as working man's as that is the class of rod's I made or purchased. Only one of my bamboo rods cost me around $600.00 the majority were under $300.00 to buy or build of course several were purchased or made many years ago.

Now I was guilty of not fishing much bamboo last year because I bought several graphite rods and so I used my most recent purchases for most of my fishing. At the end of the year I realized that I still like many of my old rods as much as the newer ones. So next year I will be leaning on the older rods more.

Hope to hear from some more people on their experiences with fishing bamboo or why they do not.

Regards,

Tim C.