Riverfisher Loc: Georgia

I have a reel& would like to make my own rod. Any help would be appreciated.

flyguy Loc: Lake Onalaska, Sunfish Capitol of the World!

Welcome to the Forum, Riverfisher! Mudhole.com has all kinds of how to build a rod videos and all the supplies and start up kits that you will need. Check them out. I would NOT start with a bamboo fly rod. Maybe after 10 years of building rods, then only maybe. Good Luck!

Riverfisher Loc: Georgia

I do build and repair rods. I've just never been a fly fisher, never owned a fly rod. I also build my own lures and pour my own worms. Ain't my first rodeo, beenthrowed more than once

flyguy Loc: Lake Onalaska, Sunfish Capitol of the World!

It's MHO, that a bamboo rod is over rated. The advantage will give you is in the presentation of the fly. Which is important but it will be heavier, less responsive and more costly.

Whitecat Loc: Mt Pleasant, Michigan

Hey Riverfisher, Welcome to you!!

Flyguy... hello again :)

Although you wouldn't make your first fly rod you build out of bamboo, my brother chose to do exactly that. I'm an "unwilling participant" in his rod building experiences, in that my lovely little brother has a tendency to explain every step during our phone calls (and I do mean EVERY step, in four part harmony with the New York Symphony providing orchestration, in great detail, and him repeating the latest news at every possible opportunity)... heh heh.

It's not that hard to do really, however, I will say that it is not for the faint of heart, nor is it a project for someone that has no patience or attention to detail... Back in my younger days, I built and flew all of my R/C airplanes from scratch, and if you've ever done something like that, then you'll understand what I mean by "patience and attention to detail".

Like many other hobby projects, your first attempt will seem to be almost prohibitively expensive, due to having to buy specific tools for the task(s) at hand... however, at the same time, that kind of expense is more of a one-time-only expense, so your second (or tenth) fly rod is much less expensive.

My brother's first hand built fly rod turned out perfectly well done, I've fished with it and it casts as well or better than the fancy Orvis fly rod I normally use. Some things are useful to keep in mind... Don't be afraid to start over if you make a mistake, or you find out that some step turned out wrong in some way. I built many little airplane fuselages that ended up being banana shaped, or wings that ended up being twisted. My brother's fly rod ended up with the last two feet being permanently crooked, so he ended up having to rebuild that section a couple of times.

So Riverfisher, if building your own bamboo fly rod is something you want to do, I tell you to go for it and I wish you much fun and good luck doing such a thing.

Best Regards and Good Luck!
Fred Williams

Riverfisher Loc: Georgia

Thank you for your information Mr Williams. Perhaps you can suggest a material that would be better than bamboo. I'm experienced with fiberglass, graphite and composite casting and spinning rods. Also I have two rods made completely of308 stainless steel. They're short (4'-0) and built rugged for times you really have to beat the bushes to get to the"Glory Hole". The only reason I was contemplating bamboo is, I always heard they were the expensive one's. That doesn't mean that they're the best. Thanks RF.

Whitecat Loc: Mt Pleasant, Michigan

RF,

The reason bamboo fly rods are (or seem to be) the "expensive ones" is because the large majority of them are handmade... or antique, or a family heirloom kind of thing. I do have to admit though, spending some thousand dollars on an Orvis, Sage, Winston, etc. kind of graphite fly rod is also out there in our fishing world. So I'd guess the exact meaning of "expensive" in this kind of situation usually refers to the bank account holder that's making the decision on what is, or is not expensive. :)

I believe that what makes a bamboo fly rod the best, is that bamboo is best suited to line weights between 3 & 6, and lengths between 6 & 8 feet. Within this range the weight and flex of bamboo is at its best. These shorter length rods have many advantages in tight, bushy surrounds. It can also be highly accurate in these conditions. I only know this because of my previous experiences with my brother's home built fly rod, compared to my Orvis Clearwater.

I still think you should give a try at building a bamboo fly rod RF... you might even surprise yourself and others as to how well it turns out. ;)

Best Regards and Good Luck!
Fred Williams

Riverfisher Loc: Georgia

Thanks to everyone! The wheels are spinning and I believe that I will borrow a flyrod or two(whitch will come with plentiful tips from some of the good friends I have). Then I can make a better decision on what direction to go. I've always been a tinker'er and retired from a millwright local. So I know what precision is down to the half-thousant's of an inch The wheels are turning.I'll keep posting.
..