Every winter I swear I am going to tie up dozens of new flies and purge my fly boxes of specimens I
tied back in the 70’s. I also promise to catch up on my reading of the classics, but somehow instead I always find an old overlooked
or a bright shiny new book on the subject of bamboo fly rods. Over the years I have read dozens of fishing books, but I keep coming
back to the ones about the cane rod, to help me in restoration of a rod, to better identify one I found for sale, or to share in the
delight another “boo brother” finds in the company of a handmade switch.
Below I’ve listed many of my all time favorite books on cane
rods, in no particular order, and have interspersed some new items I have yet to review, but that friends are recommending. All these
resources will make you smarter about the bamboo tradition, may save you some money in a purchase, and will perhaps infect you with
the respect for craftsmanship reflected in the varnish of your rod.
My favorite new book on the subject is George Black’s wonderful
read about rod making, makers, and the American pursuit of quality, Casting a Spell. The author’s love of the sport of fly fishing
comes through in this great book, and his interest in Eustis Edwards, and his sons, all fine rod makers, lends historical significance
to his writing.
No collection of fishing books would be complete without numerous volumes from Ernie Schwiebert. Of course, Matching
the Hatch is his best known work, but his Trout Tackle 2-volume set is a wealth of information, and provides a collector-user’s insight
into great rods worthy of anyone’s time and money.
For more history, George Parker Holden’s classic The Idyl of the Split-Bamboo takes
one through the process of building a rod, but personally, I find Everett Garrison and Hoagy B. Carmichael’s epic A Master’s Guide
to Building a Bamboo Fly Rod, well, masterful. In this same vein, many new books cover the topic of modern rod making, and highlight
the latest in tools, equipment, glues, and finishes. My favorites include George Maurer and Bernard Elser’s Fundamentals of Building
a Bamboo Fly Rod, and of course Wayne Cattanach’s Handcrafting Bamboo Fly Rods, which has launched more rod builders than almost anyone.
If
you have a rod or two you’d like to restore or repair, Mike Sinclair’s Bamboo Rod Restoration Handbook is hard to beat and ubiquitous.
Harder to find is Stuart Kirkfield’s The Fine Bamboo Fly Rod. It is a step-by-step how-to guide that you might be able to pick up
on Ebay or by contacting the Cork & Cane Press in Colorado Springs (Stuart’s private label).
Of course, for collectors, Martin
Keane’s out-of-print Classic Rods and Rodmakers is the Holy Grail, and costs about as much, with $200 being a steeply discounted price
for this short book. However, A.J. Campbell’s Classic & Antique Fly Fishing Tackle is readily available and a fine resource for
those of us less cursed by the need to spend money.
There are many less technical resources for folks who want some literary edge to
their education. The value of all bamboo rods touched by Granger and Wright-McGill shot through the roof once John Geirach sang these
production rod’s virtues with his Fishing Bamboo. And, David James Duncan’s script for the DVD Trout Grass is as engaging as is any
of his must-read books, including The River Why, My Story as Told By Water, and River Teeth. Jerry Kustich, one of the post-Winston
Boo Boys has taken up writing of late and has issued several excellent reads, including A Wisp in the Wind, dear to me because he
so well describes many places I have longed to fish over the years, and because in a world of rampant consumerism and trendiness,
he understands the soul of fishing.
Fly fishing may be the most intellectually reported sport. Searching Amazon.com reveals more books
than most of us have time. This is good for the sport and good for us. I have neglected some terrific books for this listing, in the
interest of space. I am sure you will find some great ones just poking around the bookstore.
Many fly fishers raise an eyebrow when they witness someone on-stream casting a cane rod. Most of us who use them never really seem to lose our love for them either. Each rod, even those built in the “factories” of Granger, Wright-McGill, Heddon, and Orvis, have individual personalities due to their primary natural material, Tonkin Bamboo. Many of us buy and sell rods, searching for the one that fits us best; that faithfully captures the caring of the lone craftsman who built it in his workshop; or for even that mass-produced rod that has such a great rod taper that it casts like a dream. Also, there is the romance of fishing a rod that is largely hand-built in a time when space-aged plastic rods roll off conveyor belts dozens at a time and reek of Big Bucks and commercials that insult the intelligence.
For those buying their first bamboo rod, a word or two of caution. Before spending a fortune, learn to cast and play fish on a less expensive rod. Now, buying a five-dollar broomstick of a rod will discourage you from stepping up to a good one, but spending $3000 on a Payne only to snap it in half on your first fish is not the way to go either. Look for a quality mass production rod, or a cheaper custom make. Stay away from the Post WWII Japanese rods; they are made with inferior materials and are generally recognizable by the wooden box that houses them.
Since bamboo will seem heavy in your hand after fishing graphite, aim for a shorter rod. We are only talking an ounce or two difference, but it is noticeable until you get the hang of casting. If you fish smaller streams, look for something in the 6 to 7 ½ foot range for a 4 or 5 weight. For larger streams, 8 foot and 8 ½ foot rods are would be my recommendation.
Many of the longer (8 ½ foot) Heddon’s, Wright McGill’s, and Phillipson’s in fishable condition are still bargains ($300 - $500), while other unique models by these companies are expensive, even compared to premium graphite rods that today sell for over $600 and which also do not appreciate in value. Shorter rods by those same manufacturers can bring significantly more, making a new rod by some of the current rod makers a real bargain. For the beginner though, it is hard to go wrong with an Orvis bamboo rod or even a shorter South Bend. They are tough, plentiful, and replacement tips can be found on Ebay and through many of the classic tackle dealers.
When fishing your new rod, slow the cast down and allow the bamboo to work the loop. This is a more graceful cast than modern rods allow. When hooking a fish, it is important to play the fish from the grip and not the tip. This takes some practice (and perhaps a few broken tips) to get it right, but landing big fish on small rods is very easy once the process is mastered. Bamboo tips are much softer than graphite allowing the use of finer tippets. Bamboo rods are perfectly suited to fishing small flies such as tricos, and they are especially practical for wet-fly and emerger fishing because the violent strikes often associated with that means of fishing are absorbed better by bamboo than by graphite.
There’s much more to write about your first bamboo rod, but for now, know that there’s not much mystery involved; bamboo rods are resilient and strong, and they are fun to fish! For a good read on the lore of bamboo rod making, check out George Black’s recent book, Casting a Spell.
Article provided by Ren Monllor, maker of fine wet-fly and emerger rods for trout, strong cane flyrods for bass and panfish, and expert repair and refinishing.
Contact Ren by e-mail at: info@monllorrods.com
