Fly fishing diaries | Bamboo

In November I found (and passed on) an antique bamboo fly rod, and have regretted it ever since. It wasn't expensive, and was so very cool. Even if I never got to use it, it would have been a perfect to hang on the wall of our lakeside cabin, or maybe from one of the exposed beams in the living room.

So I became mildly obsessed with learning about bamboo fly rods and the major manufacturers, so the next time I found one within my price range, I wouldn't be clueless. There are a lot of sites online that have such information, and I started a document to collect what I found: manufacturers, model names, line weights, current value, and what are considered to be the best models.

My favorite place to research these beautiful sticks of bamboo is at the Classic Fly Rod Forum. Here you'll find information on the major rod makers, like South Bend and Phillipson, Heddeson and Montague, and more. I also like the Bamboo Rod Room. Both sites ask you to set up an account if you want to post, but if you just want to read it's not necessary.

This weekend, we're going back to Leavenworth to stay with friends, and I plan to go back to that shop and see if the fly rod is still there. I hope it is.