# Bamboo Fly Rods



## ARReflections (Jan 7, 2011)

Recently got a Southbend 9' bamboo fly rod. Looks like I will also have to get a heavier reel or sell the rod and get a lighter one. The forward weight makes casting a little less pleasurable to say the least.

Anyone else use bamboo and do you find you have to put on heavier fly reels to balance out?

I like the slower action compared to the fast action graphites now a days and I can really feel the fish as it picks up the line vibrations that get transmitted but the unbalanced factor is noticeable with my Allen reel.


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## wabi (Jun 14, 2008)

I have an 8' 6wt - a "Sport King" that has been restored & refinished.

A Pflueger Medalist 1494½ does a fair job of balancing it. A wf6f line casts fairly well as long as I remember to slow down to where I think I need to be, then cut that speed in half.  
A wf5f doesn't do too bad, but I'm thinking of getting a 5½ wt line & trying it. Might try my Pflueger Medalist 1495 one of these days, too.


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## ARReflections (Jan 7, 2011)

Didn't know they made a 5.5 wt line. Or is that the same as some line makers calling it a 5wt when it is really more like a 6 wt? At any rate, now I can understand why the older reels like the pfluegers (sp?) are heavier.


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## Guest (May 22, 2011)

i believe both s.a. and rio make lines a half weight heavier.


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## wabi (Jun 14, 2008)

> Didn't know they made a 5.5 wt line.


Some Cortland lines actually come in half weights (WF5.5F designation on the box) and Rio "Grand" lines are 1/2 weight heavy (a 5wt is really a 5½ wt). SA also makes a line that is a ½wt heavy.
On a very fast rod they can slow it down a bit, and on a very slow rod a line that's ½wt light can help speed it up (the feel at least). 


I think most cane rods tend to feel a bit "front heavy" to most of us these days, as the new graphite rods are much lighter. The balance point of my cane rod is still just in front of the cork, and it feels "awkward" for a few casts when I use it. A heavier reel yet may balance it better, but then the whole outfit gets heavy. Now you've got me thinking, and I may try some wraps of lead wire (or solder since I'm a plumber) on the reel foot to see if it feels better! If it helps a couple wraps of lead wire on the spool under the backing would be a possibility.


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## Patricio (Feb 2, 2007)

I think higher end boo tends to be lighter than the hardware storee bamboo most of us can afford. could be wrong though. have an old montague that hangs on the wall. used it once for steelhead. 

interesting:
Unfortunately, in recent years this has become complicated by the fly rod manufacturer's trend toward faster (stiffer) and lighter fly rods, and the tendency for a few fly line manufacturers to design some of their lines heavier than the standard to help load these faster rods; for instance producing a 5 weight line weighing 150 grains. These heavier lines are called half weight lines and are usually found in the mid-weight range trout lines. These factors complicate the effort of a novice to understand the weight system while at the same time solving problems with finding the best line for a given rod and caster.
http://www.castflys.com/lweight.html

I consider much of the modern weight system a gimmick to sell more stuff. including certain manufacturers to miss weight their rods on purpose for reasons I wont get into.


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## creekcrawler (Oct 5, 2004)

Don't they make weights to put in/on the end of flyrods to balance them?


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## ARReflections (Jan 7, 2011)

wabi said:


> Some Cortland lines actually come in half weights (WF5.5F designation on the box) and Rio "Grand" lines are 1/2 weight heavy (a 5wt is really a 5½ wt). SA also makes a line that is a ½wt heavy.
> On a very fast rod they can slow it down a bit, and on a very slow rod a line that's ½wt light can help speed it up (the feel at least).
> 
> 
> I think most cane rods tend to feel a bit "front heavy" to most of us these days, as the new graphite rods are much lighter. The balance point of my cane rod is still just in front of the cork, and it feels "awkward" for a few casts when I use it. A heavier reel yet may balance it better, but then the whole outfit gets heavy. Now you've got me thinking, and I may try some wraps of lead wire (or solder since I'm a plumber) on the reel foot to see if it feels better! If it helps a couple wraps of lead wire on the spool under the backing would be a possibility.


The thing I like about the bamboo rod is it makes me slow down. It kind of puts the enjoyment of fishing as a leisure sport back for me. The added heaviness of the rod is not noticeable once it is balanced. I too got caught up into the whole lightness of the fly rod and fast tapers but I am really starting to enjoy that slow taper from the boo.

The finish, wraps and cork are really worn and I am awfully tempted to try and reconstruct the Southbend 9' rod into a new rod. I am thinking of moving the blank back further into the handle maybe replace with a longer cork. Plus, I think it would be a really fun project. Anyone else ever restore/refinish a bamboo rod?


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