I make fly, spinning, and casting split-cane rods
NOTE: Bamboo fly, casting, and spinning rods aren’t for everyone. If you feel the need to lift your fish out of the water with your rod or jerk your rod, with it bent in half, to get a snagged lure from a rock, brush, etc., bamboo isn’t for you. On the other hand, if you want to feel a natural material, with great presentation and feel, that’s hand made with care, especially for you, bamboo is the way to go. If you want to feel every knock and bump on the perfect drift, a mortise handle rod is a great upgrade.
There are many options for length, number of pieces, line weight, and rod action (for fly, spinning, and casting). Split-cane rods can have a slow to fast action, and a light to medium weight. For fly rods, line weight can be between 2 and 7.
Guides
There are several types of guides that can be used on bamboo fly, casting, and spinning rods. There are traditional/classic guides, modern guides with slick insert rings, and tradition guides made with new materials. The guides with ring inserts will improve casting on all three types of bamboo fishing rod. The slicker/thinner the insert ring, the more expensive the guide will cost. I use fuji guides when I want guides with inserts. Click on each link to compare prices. There are SIC, Alconite, Aluminum Oxide, and Torzite.
Handles/Grips
Bamboo fly, casting, and spinning rod handles are made by gluing cork rings together, then shaping the grip to the desired shape. There are many types of cork rings, so there are many options to get the look you like (look here to see types/colors of cork: mudhole.com). Fly rods have an additional mortise handle option. A mortise handle is made with the bamboo strips of the butt section of the rod and wood/bamboo strips combined to make the handle. The benefit of the mortise handle is that you can literally feel a fish hit your fly. Casting/spinning rods can be straight or shaped, one piece or a split grip.
Reel Seats
For fly rods, the reel seat insert is made of wood or resin, with a metal seat material that’s either threaded or has a slide ring. Casting/Spinning reel seats are one piece made of either metal or graphite.
Popular Fly Rod Tapers
Here are some popular split-cane fly rod tapers:
- F.E. Thomas, 6′ 8″, 2pc, 3wt
- P.H. Young, Para15, 8′, 2pc, 5wt
- P.H. Young, Perfectionist, 7′ 6″, 2pc, 4wt
- P.H. Young, Driggs River (a great roll casting rod), 7′ 2″, 2 pc, 4wt
- Dickerson, 7012, 7′, 2pc, 4wt
- Dickerson, 7613, 7′ 6″, 2pc, 5wt
- Dickerson, 8013, 8′, 2pc, 5wt
- Goodwin Granger Special, 7′ 6″, 3pc, 4wt
- Payne, 101, 7′ 6″ 2pc, 5wt
*** If you have a particular fly rod taper in mind, I’ll see if I can find it. ***
Fly Rod Options
Fly Rod Guide Options
There are several choices for fly rod guides. (1st row) Traditional hardware (top row) snake guides (left), single foot fly guides (center), agate stripping guide (right), (2nd row) traditional metal stripping guide (left). Traditional tip-top (center).
There are also modern choices (2nd row). Stripping guide with low to ultra-low friction (right). (3rd row) Belly guide with low to ultra-low friction (left), Tip-top with low to ultra-low friction (center).
Fly Rod Handle Options
There are two main options for fly rod handles, cork or mortise handle.
Here are examples of typical cork grip shapes (left) and mortise handles. Tiger maple inserts (center) and bamboo inserts (right).
Reel Seat Hardware and insert
I use down-locking reel seats. You can choose materials and wood for your reel seat. Options for reel seat hardware are aluminum, brass, and nickel/silver. They come in different colors with different colors/wood inserts. Here’s a link for reel seats: Ye Olde English Fly Shop (look at down-locking reel seats). Here are the two most common down locking reel seats:
Casting and Spinning Rod Tapers
- Anderson, 5’10”, Light Spinning Rod
- 7′, 6-10 lb Test Line, Spinning Rod
- 6′ 6″, Medium-Heavy (for Small Mouth Bass) Spinning Rod
- Haden, 5′, Ultra-Light, Spinning Rod
- Herters, 5′ 6″ Light Casting Rod
- Herters, 6′ (Modified Herters, 5’6″ light Casting Rod taper to 6′), Medium-Light, Casting Rod
- 6′ 6”, for 3/8-1/2 oz lures, Casting Rod
*** If you have a particular rod taper in mind, I’ll see if I can find it. ***
Casting/Spinning Rod Options
Casting and Spinning Guides
Micro-Guides
Tip-Top
Casting and Spinning Rod Handle Options
All of my casting/spinning handles/grips are made from cork rings. Below are some shape options.
Casting/Spinning reel seat options
Here are the two basic types of casting/spinning reel seats. Aluminum and graphite. There are many styles of each type from retro to modern. In some cases, a fly rod reel seat can be used instead of a spinning seat (it depends on the diameter of the rod and the type of handle used).
Thread Wraps
I use silk, vintage look polyester Tiger, or nylon thread (if I can’t find a color in silk). Color preserver is used to keep the thread the same color as it appears on the spool. Silk and Nylon thread will be darker and translucent if no color preserver is used.
