Humble Beginnings pt 2
As I got more into fly fishing for trout, I began to get learn about the traditions of the sport. I learned to tie my own flies. Eventually, several years ago, on a trip to the Norfork River, I met a man using an honest to goodness bamboo rod. I had never seen one before. He told me he made it himself. The man, now a friend, was rod maker Harry Boyd. I had no idea people were making bamboo rods anymore. Anyway, I had to learn more about them. Tradition, you know?
I discovered that there were a whole group of people all over the country, world actually, making bamboo fly rods in their basements and garages. A seed was planted. Actually, you could substitute the word “ virus “ for “ seed “ and probably be more correct.
I read a few books, studied all I could find on the internet and decided it was more than I could do. Too much time involved. Too complicated. Too much start-up expense. I put the books away. Several months later, the thought of making a rod started creeping back into my head. I have since been told that that was an early sign of “ bambooitus “. I read the books again. And backed out of doing it again. The cycle was repeated one more time only I was unable to fight it off the last time. After scrounging up the necessary tools, buying some, making others, I took the plunge and made my first rod in my garage. It was, and is, quite homely. But it works great! I have never gotten my line broken using this rod. Lots of really nice White River and Norfork fish. 6X, 7X tippet. I had been hooking and loosing these fish for years. Now they were coming to the net. I knew this would not be the last rod I made. I had to have MORE. Lots more. ( another symptom of “ bambooitus “ ) I soon built a shop behind the house. A hospital for treating “ bambooitus “.
GALLERY
THE SHOP
THE FISH
THE RODS