Anyone ever build bamboo fly rods

[JShane]

Wondering if anyone has gone down this rabbit hole, and if so where are you at with it and what is your experience?

 

[Hem]

Wondering if anyone has gone down this rabbit hole, and if so where are you at with it and what is your experience?

Im not a bamboo rod guy. Friend of mine builds rods for Sweetwater in Butte. He also sells Tonkin bamboo, which he hand picks in China. This is some of the best bamboo for rods.
Building bamboo rods is a rabbit hole, for sure. I fish, but my friend often exclaims " i just want to catch a fish". The work is all consuming.

 

[JShane]

I may yet find myself consumed. I appreciate the feedback back.

 

[Nuts]

I may yet find myself consumed. I appreciate the feedback back.

One of my co-workers buys ole antique Hardy Rods and rebuilds them. He also uses old Hardy reels. Very cool cases they come in to. He turns around and shares them with anyone who wants to try it for King Salmon and Steelhead in NY. Last year alone in October (7) of his rods got broke mostly by inexperienced anglers trying a fly rod for the first time. He is gracious and could care less. That gives him something to do over the winter. He ties flies with actual silk he extracts from silk worms. He will also give you these to use. He doesn't do social media at all. Or I would give him the recognition he deserves. But if you are ever on the Salmon River New York and see a knuckle dragging tradesman using a late 1800s $4k antique bamboo rod set up it is likely borrowed from him. If you cant recognize the rod from a distance the loud clicking metal reel is a good give away

 

[Bob-WY]

A friend built me oneas a retirement gift. 8.5 foot4 weight. I LOVE it

As for rabbit hole, yeah, ive seen his setup!