Who Fishes Wood?

[Tom Smithwick]

This was posted at the classic fly rod forum, but for the benefit of those who might not have seen it, the "Trout Grass" video has been restored and is available to view online for Amazon Prime members. The film goes a long way to explain why many of us have such strong feelings about bamboo fly rods. I took special note of the industry of the Chinese people who grow the stuff, and also the dedication of the importers who must travel there and spend time with the growers to select the best poles for those of us who build. Also some interesting sequences of Glenn Brackett and the Winston rod shop. A lot has changed since the film was made. Glenn is no longer at Winston, and Andy Royer is regrettably no longer with us, but the cane is still grown as it has been for centuries, it's still an arduous process to get it here, and it still requires a craftsman to turn it into a fly rod.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08GB ... 1d6b1bfbee

[letumgo]

Tom,

Excellent! Thank you for sharing that link. I hope to watch the movie this weekend. Definely looking forward to it!

[letumgo]

“Bug puppets and duct tape”

Outstanding! I enjoyed the movie VERY much. Thanks Tom.

[Hankinsfly]

I just watched it as well. Very insightful. It’s true- think of all the hands that culm of bamboo passes through and all the miles. All the hands that pass over that same bamboo after the maker and then those who admire and fish it.

These are made to fish and not sit and collect dust, right?

[Mike62]

Our TU chapter got a couple of copies of the film when it first came out, wonderfully done. I'd watch or read anything that David James Duncan had a hand in. If you haven't read his "My Story as told by Water" you should give it look. Well worth it.

[driftless]

+1 on David James Duncan's book.

If you don't fish your bamboo rod, you've wasted the maker's time & talent and your own money.

[billems]

I sold my bamboo off during the Great Recession. But things improved and I'm "back on the grass." I own a perfectly restored Granger 8-ft. Special, finished by Mike Sinclair. It's a classic. I also own two RK Bolt rods, and 8 for 5wt, and a 7 1/2 4wt. All I need now is an 8-foot Jenkins (my first bamboo was a Jenkins) and I'll be straight.

[FlyFisherMann1955]

My impregnated 8.5' Phillipson Dry Fly Special (Peerless) saw a lot of time on the Arkansas River during our trip to Salida, CO earlier this month. Here is the nicest Brown of the trip.

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Tight Lines- Ken

[Althehackleman]

Wow how did I miss this post?
After years of chatting about and learning about bamboo I made the jump. Now I only fish bamboo for trout. All the graphite rods are fished by my spouse, and she loves that too. It started with conversations with John Long, a fellow Michigan Fly Fishing Club member and neighbor years ago. From learning about bamboo rods from John, and then actually buying a rod, the sickness took over. Now I have more than a few and fish them all the time. Moved to the Manistee River a few years ago and can now fish right out my front door. Now we live in the Grayling area and have bamboo rod makers and users very close. So it’s all good.

[Updtate]

Payne 102 by Mike Canazon paired with a vintage 3 inch Hardy St. George reel has been my workhorse this season.

original_ab0fe616-2182-41f8-a112-bd3866c80b42_P_20210325_131641.jpg (219.5 KiB) Viewed 7871 times