# Anyone fish bamboo?



## Mojohook (Apr 13, 2006)

I read here and there about the wonders and maybe romance of split bamboo fly rods. Anyone fish with one? I'm curious how they fish...

I will say they are often awfully good looking. I'm a sucker for stuff like that, especially if it is old...


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## ethan-a-thon (Aug 17, 2006)

I can't say that I have fished Bamboo, yet. But I'd like to try it out someday. I just finished George Black's Casting a Spell. Awesome read, it sounds like it could be boring, I mean how exciting can the history of Bamboo Fly Rods be, but the way he tells it, I think it really works. Its kind of a narrative about his own quest into the Microcosm sub-culture of the Boo...

If you are already interested in Bamboo, check it out, it won't hurt your interest level at all


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## WalleyeJones (Feb 15, 2006)

I have a 40 year old 5 piece bamboo fly rod. The 5th piece is an extra end section. I guess they have a tendency to break. I've never used it. It's inside a cloth sheath which is inside a metal tube. It was my great-grandfathers. He actually ordered one, it never came, so he complained. They sent another and then he received the first one. The story goes that they never asked for the other one back...so there's a second one floating around in my family somewhere...


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## Guest (Mar 1, 2007)

I have one that I use once and a while. Mostly for pan fish. It is very old and in a wood case with fly and silk line. They ok more for looking now.


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## bobg12 (Jan 17, 2007)

Yep. I fish a little sweet bamboo, and love it!! Mainly for small trout streams. For longer fly casting I stick to my Orvis graphite.


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## ledslinger (Aug 24, 2006)

i have a sharps's "scottie" that i bought new around 1970---7' for a 4wt--i used it in the freestone streams of western pa---it has a certain delicacy that is hard to find in graphite---i havent used it in a long time since i started fishing the au sable in michigan and the scottie is by no means a rod to tame the wind thats usually prevalent on that river----it might work well on the trico spinners on a 20-30ft float---not for dredging the holes with a #4 zonker

i bought a montague, a hardy and a leonard and tried to cast each one---they all seemed very soft and around a 4 wt ea and unfishable for my casting style and techniques so i sold them for 50 bucks (what i paid for them) to a guy that was going to hang them in his den for decorations

after 2 unsucessful attempts---i still havent finished the cane rod that i was making from scratch---a very aggressive 8'---5 wt taper----maybe someday


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## ohiotuber (Apr 15, 2004)

I have a fully restored 7 1/2' 1941 SouthBend 291 4pc 6 wt 'boo. I love it, & it is every bit as responsive as my 3wt St Croix Legend Ultra. I have taken 2 gills, 9" & 10", a 2 lb largemouth, & a 17" rainbow with it. The aforementioned are the largest taken. Mine is quite a fast action (for bamboo), & is considered to be, along with it's 2 pc counterpart, the 290, among SouthBend's finest tapers. Mine was gifted to me, as was the restoration. LUCKY ME!
Mike


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## ethan-a-thon (Aug 17, 2006)

whoa ledslinger, have you seen what those go for now...

That might have been a while ago but they are getting up there in value now depending on the era they were produced.
This guy overe here http://www.ricksrods.com/tackle.html has a few by Hardy and leonard all between $500-2000


But I know it all depends on era, quality, condition taper etc etc...

stil $50 each! how long ago was that?


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## Mojohook (Apr 13, 2006)

ethan-a-thon said:


> George Black's Casting a Spell.
> If you are already interested in Bamboo, check it out, it won't hurt your interest level at all


I'll check that out. Just the name is good/clever. John Gierach's books are great and he raves about bamboo which has peaked my interest.

...and yeah, some of you may have (or have sold) a mint in rods.


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## LFN (Apr 28, 2004)

Fish bamboo a lot. Have an Orvis 7 1/2' and a Leonard. Both great rods and sweet to cast. Bamboo, at least to me, has a greater casting range than newer materials,
Lou


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## ledslinger (Aug 24, 2006)

haha---yeah ethan---i dont even want to look---i sold them 25 yrs ago---i still have an old H-I cane rod that i havent cast in a long time---all 3 rods had some problem or another either broken tips or separated glue joints---fatigue---none of them were fishable---still nice to look at


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## flytyer (Jan 3, 2005)

I've got an old South Bend that I bought off of e-bay and I use it all the time. I use it for trout, SM bass, Gills even had a couple carp on it. I love fishing cane. The one thing you will notice is they are heavier than the new composite rods and the ones I've had, have a slower action. Fish with a cane rod then pick up your other rod and you will know what I'm saying.
If you check out e-bay ask alot of questions before bidding.


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## ethan-a-thon (Aug 17, 2006)

Sorry about that ledslinger, I figured it was a while ago. That was probably the going rate back then, and like a lot of things the price didn't really sky rocket on this stuff until recently... and like always I'm late to the party.


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