Colorado Cane: Making and Fishing the Bamboo Fly Rod

I purchased my first bamboo rod in '79...I had been fishing fiberglass since my teens...the rod i got was an orvis 8'6" 5 wt. "Madison" It came with an lrh lightweight hardy reel...quite a rig for a 25 year old carpenter... So I was allowed to enter into world that had roots over 100 years old... Fast forward 40 years and i wss guiding on the south platte...fishing all the shops super cool graphites and selling them too. But i missed that old madison...i sold it because i needed the $$...that was quite a while back...i just fished glass and graphite until about 2000...then moved back to colorado... I looked into another bamboo rod and fell back at the costs...so like other things in my life I learned how to make my own...then ending up starting to sell them to help me afford to make more and go to different water. Its a special part of my life...led to make some special friendships... Catching a nice 18"+ brown in cheesman on a fly i tied with a rod I made is an incredible experience... Thanks for the video

Very good. I have fished my Orvis 7' 4weight since the early 1980's. It is my favorite object that I own. The feelings expressed by this piece I really can relate to. I do believe that bamboo being an organic material had a soul when it was alive and the care and skill that. these builders put into them imparts life back to the material.

I have fished bamboo for the past 40 years, and have owned about a dozen cane rods. Now at age 72, I have settled on just four bamboo rods: three were made by Dennis Stone, and one by Bob Lancaster.

Mike from South Creek Ltd has a lovely fly shop full of beautiful bamboo rods and accessories, he is a gentleman and an expert in his craft.

I have never commented on videos on KZhead,but this article on bamboo fly rods was brilliant,I have fished with bamboo rods before so I can emphasise with the feelings these guys have regarding cane.well done

I fished with Ed Ingle about 20 years ago on the South Platte; not a lot of fish, but a great day regardless. Unfortunately I was in the area on business and took only a "plastic" rod. Ed, I learned a couple of points from your book on the tailwaters that explained some things I had observed on stream and finally had explained - thanks. I began fishing bamboo 65 years ago at age 10, when grandpa gave me an old HI and a junk reel (both of which I still have). There was no line, so I spooled on some of the old black braided casting line, and not understanding that the weight is more important than the stiffness, waxed it liberally to stiffen it - it sort of worked. When in high school, an uncle gave me a South Bend 359; I fished with that rod for years, fished it in Germany while in the army. Later, when I was able to afford a new fiberglass rod, the 359 went into the corner behind the water heater. about 15 years later I pulled it out and found it had completely delaminated. In my ignorance, I disassembled it carefully reglued the strips with wood glue, rewrapped it with embroidery thread, revarnished it, cleaned up the aluminum case - and gave it back to him for Christmas. With tears in his eyes, he turned to my aunt and told her. She grabbed the case and started beating him with it. Turned out that she had given it to him for their first anniversity. Recently, he (at 93) told me that his will specifies that the rod comes back to me. I now own 20+ bamboo rods, I have completely restored about half, now finally retired have begun restoration of others. Restoration may be more difficult that construction, as there are so many unknowns. For instance, a Cross Doublebuilt (South Bend) model 166 that has been poorly refinished, and possibly rewrapped. No data available on the correct thread colors. (Mike Sinclair, you out there? its not in your book.)

Great video. My grandfather is a bamboo rod builder. We’ve been working on my first rod (9’ 6” steelhead) for a number of years and are closing in on completion. It’s an amazing mix of artistry and skill that I find incredibly frustrating, but satisfying. He is in his 90’s and this is certainly his last build...hoping to carry on the tradition.

Great video and spot on!

I have always loved bamboo, since my father fished bamboo in the 50's , and I am grateful more so now,after watching this video with such incredible fishermen and Rod builders. I'm looking forward to affording another one from Colorado next. Talk about TightLines ......🎣🎣

Thanks for such a great video and all the fantastic information

I've ben fishing bamboo fly rods for the past 40 or so years. I've owned rods made by Orvis, Leonard, Sharpes, and others. But now I have only four bamboos, three I built up on blanks made by Dennis Stone, and the other is a beautiful Paul Young taper made by R.W. Lancaster of Maryland. I also own graphite and glass rods, but none give the pleasure of casting and fighting trout like fine bamboo. No graphite or glass rod I have ever owned can truly compare with a fine bamboo fly rod. I took up fly fishing in the early 1960s, so I have been at it for a long time.

Great video. Loved it.

Well done. I enjoyed seeing some of my favorite authors and fishing heroes.

Beauties. And such fun to fish with.

I found an old, cheapo bamboo fly rod in my dad's attic that was literally falling apart so I restored it and fished with it a little but found it to be too soft and it had a really slow action. I was missing more hook ups than I was getting but it did pique my interest in bamboo rods, unfortunately all the good ones were out of my price range. Many years later, a friend of my dad's who was in his eighties told me about a bamboo rod that he had acquired many years prior that he had never used, it turned out to be an Orvis Battenkill that was built in 1961. I asked him if he might want to sell it but he wasn't too interested in money so he expressed an interest in a .22 caliber pistol that I had and he suggested a trade. I was happy to do that. The rod was inscribed with the name of the original owner, Sandy Balcom, and I wondered who that was, so when the internet came along I googled it. Sandy Balcom was renown for being a designer and builder of Balcom & Vaughn pipe organs out of the Seattle area. As it turns out, Balcom was a good friend and fishing buddy of Chief Justice William O. Douglas of the SCOTUS, the Puget Sound Theater Organ Society confirmed this relationship between the two men. The legend is that Douglas bought the rod for Balcom but he (Balcom) was more of a spin caster and never used the rod. It was stored away and eventually given to my dad's friend who in turn gave it to me in pristine, like new condition. One part of me wanted to fish it and the other part of me wanted to preserve it because of it's legacy. I contacted Orvis but they couldn't confirm who the original purchaser was, they either didn't keep the records or they are long lost. So, the part of me that wanted to fish the rod won out. I fish it regularly with both fear and delight on my favorite small stream where the fish aren't too big, it's a damn sight better than the cheapo one that I restored so many years ago. I don't take any chances with this rod, I try to do most of my fishing on high lakes and streams so I take a 4 piece, pack rod with me if there's even a remote possibility of breaking a rod. Thanks for the video! It was very interesting.

I had the great pleasure of meeting Ed and getting to know him. We both had a deep love and respect for the bamboo rod. I hope to one day fish with him and enjoy a day or two on the water.

great upload ..... nice fishing

What beautiful works of art.

awsome. captivating. moving. bravo. 👍

Yeeahh the next year I'll be making bamboo rods made in mexico you know what nice job nice video

Ahh maximum Reespect.... just great stuff...

nice video

a beautiful video ....🖤🖤👌🏻👌🏻🙏🏻👍🏻

Ohhhh someday. Ever hear of Don Andersen?

I have an inexpensive bamboo rod that was an attic find after my awesome grandpa died. I'm assuming it was a monkey wards cheapo but could you give me any ideas on how I could find out where it came from. Was early 60s purchase I'm sure. Whatever happens I am gonna line it up and fish it in grandpa's memory. Ty

Take an time to go fishing at day keep the DR away the best time is fishing fly fishing time god bless u s s gorever

what about finding some ''pieces'' in an ''antique ''shop. Then matching them up ,,possible?? Or not? rewinding guides and all.

Like 👍

Bravo

Fly fishing 💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪✌️✌️✌️✌️

great video Someone can tell me what city is the store that appears in the movie. thank you

What is the Shop the Nickleback looking rod builder takes his rods to at the 14:16 mark? that looks like an awesome place to shop?

Bamboo is fun for small fish nut graphite Is better overall for big fish

Can you tell me how much is a good strike right fishing reel worth in today's world money market thank you

Loved this film. Only complaint, it ended too soon!

It has no visible markings..has a blue metal reel seat ,flap hook ring..

OOOHH!!! I didn't like that knife in the vice ,,then leaning into it.!!even though a great rod.

Salam dari saya indonesia joran bambu aur cina

Saya dari Indonesia ,apakah di Indonesia ada seperti bambu joran

How can I restore an old cane rod? Any help?

Hi, I would like to buy a bamboo Fly Rod, AFTM 5. Do you deliver to Santiago of Chile. If you response is yes, coud you send me prices. Thanks you.

Sorry, the video shows two stores

I wouldn’t take a golden guinea for my bamboo fly rod.

Bamboo rods are a beautiful thing but they are to heavy.