# Cool find - Vintage bamboo flyrod kit



## sbreech (Jun 6, 2010)

I was rummaging thru my dad's shed when I came across a small wooden case. It looked to be old, had 4 hinges, 2 clasps that appear to be brass, so I opened it up. What is inside is a bamboo fly rod with two tips on one side, and in the lid are compartments with assorted flies, small weights, hooks, some old line, etc. very cool stuff. The rod appears to be lightly used, but in very good shape. The funny thing is, my dad doesn't remember it, and told me to take it. He has no idea where it came from. The rod has a marking that says Champion Japan, and the windings are green. The ferrules are metal, as is the reel seat.
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What a cool find!


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## ducman491 (Oct 31, 2011)

I have 2 old bamboo fly rods that were my father in laws. I dig the vintage stuff.


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## ARReflections (Jan 7, 2011)

Nice fun find sbreech. A friend of mine had a similar bamboo rod setup. Apparently they were used quite a bit by the US military stationed in Japan. At least that is what I was told. They are not worth much on the market but I did see one at one time offered at a mind boggling price. I think the seller was trying to catch a big one. Still a decent enough rod to fish. I have been tempted to strip mine and refinish and wrap. Just too many other things on the to-do list!


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## ledslinger (Aug 24, 2006)

Ive seen a few of these also---a lot came here after the Korean conflict---part of the problem is that the cane that makes the super rods of Payne ,Leonard and Garrison and the great rods being made today comes from the Tonkin region of China in a small section of the country.---Not all these rod's cane comes from there (if any) and although the workmanship is pretty good, the cane doesnt have the properties of the tonkin cane or the tapers of the great makers. The ones that i have tried were not very impressive. They do make great decorations for the man cave.


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## sbreech (Jun 6, 2010)

ledslinger said:


> Ive seen a few of these also---a lot came here after the Korean conflict---part of the problem is that the cane that makes the super rods of Payne ,Leonard and Garrison and the great rods being made today comes from the Tonkin region of China in a small section of the country.---Not all these rod's cane comes from there (if any) and although the workmanship is pretty good, the cane doesnt have the properties of the tonkin cane or the tapers of the great makers. The ones that i have tried were not very impressive. They do make great decorations for the man cave.


That's pretty much what I'm thinking too. It is the complete "kit" and I may put it under a glass table in the man-cave along with some older fly reels and some sweet old lures.


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## ledslinger (Aug 24, 2006)

sbreech said:


> That's pretty much what I'm thinking too. It is the complete "kit" and I may put it under a glass table in the man-cave along with some older fly reels and some sweet old lures.


Thats a good idea---its still part of the history---Making a split cane rod is a project (im not very good at it but it does have a special sense of accomplishment when i fish with my own)---The one i saw a few months ago had nice tight joints but the ferrules were brass with nickel plating and the windings were coming undone.

a lot of the times the rod starts to come apart after being stored for 50 years and its a job to take it all apart and reglue it with a questionable end result because of the question of where the cane was from.


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## floater99 (May 21, 2010)

I have my dads bamboo rod three tips,elec reel,leather case for reel,and rod tube.I cant make out the maker.Cool stuff


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## ARReflections (Jan 7, 2011)

Post a pic or also try Clark's bamboo forum or at least that is what I think it is still called...


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