This is where it all started... Bamboo fly rods hearken back to the centuries old tradition and art of fly fishing, to the days of Izaak Walton and The Compleat Angler.There are some modern anglers who use bamboo fly rods and nothing else; there are certainly situations in which bamboo fly rods excel over the competition.
Why Choose Bamboo?
Bamboo is an organic fiber and this is perhaps the best way to describe the feel of a good bamboo rod: organic. Bamboo fly rods are ideal for the most subtle and delicate of presentations, and for anglers who enjoy the rod's slow and very flexible action.
Much like fiberglass fly rods, bamboo fly rods deliver a unique feeland experience when battling a fish. Thegive of the fly rod helps to protect light tippets from breaking.
When to Choose Bamboo...
Bamboo is the heaviest material used to make fly rods, and it is the least versatile. Choose bamboo when you plan on fishing with dry flies, emergers, or unweighted small nymphs - especially when presentation and delicacy are important. Distance casting is difficult for anglers who are accustomed to faster action rods. Bamboo fly rods are ideal for dry flies on small to medium-sized streams.
Bamboo fly rods are noticeably heavier than their modern counterparts. If you plan on fishing all day, you might want to use your graphite rod and switch to your bamboo rod when the trout startrising.
Good bamboo fly rods are expensive. Do not try to pinch pennies when searching for a good bamboo fly rod, otherwise you will be disappointed. The good news is that most high-end bamboo fly rods come with a great warrantee, should they break and need repair.
Where to Start:
Winston Bamboo Fly Rod, 7' 4 weight - Unmatched feel, capable of handling big fish, and the perfect size for smaller streams.
If you are new to fly fishing, start with a graphite rod. If you are curious about slow action fly rods, try fiberglass before committing to bamboo.
Where to Fish:
Looking for the perfect stream to put your new fly rod to the test? Schedule a guided fly fishing tripto Spruce Creek.
At Spruce Creek you'll have the opportunityto catch 24" trout withsmall dries onyour bamboo 4 weight, toss a dry-dropper rig with your fiberglass 5 weight, and throw big streamers with your graphite 6 weight - all in the same day!
