Bamboo Fly Rods Today

[DaveNJ]

ARTHURK,

Thanks for such a great response! I was thinking more cynically tbh, but I love your take and find it curious to think of a world where plastics are banned to such an extent that even the production for recreational activities would be effected. You're probably right, and definitely correct in stating that we need to assume some responsibility for ourselves and our surroundings. Our lives will rely more and more on regionality and by that notion we will rely on ourselves more, too.

[PYochim]

But it does seem that bamboo rods are frequently regarded as fragile, overly slow, or constantly in need of repair. I think a lot of these perceptions come from seeing old rods in various states of disrepair and not being aware that there are many people making new rods which can be light, fast and durable.

This says a lot. Another thing is that fly fishing gear has become very affordable thanks to companies like Reddington, TFO and Echo, to name a few. Many of the younger fly fishermen (and women) don't care what they fish with as long as it does the job. My adult children fish with Winston graphite and are very happy with it.

[St Vrain Angler]

"It helps to have an open and welcoming online community like forums...."

Exactly--and with an emphasis on "open and welcoming."

[RMorrison]

Jeez.... am I the only one here who is/was crafting a response regarding the influence of climate change? The next 30 years are going to change a lot more than the materials used in fishing rods.

Part of me feels provocative for posting this, but then again it's honestly not talked about enough.

Are you saying climate change is/will have an impact on the bamboo fly rod market or this one of those “How can you talk about fly rods when the sky is falling” posts? Feels like the latter. That’s sort of why this forum is here...to talk about fly rods.

Well, bamboo fly rods anyway. Feels like your post may also be referring to all fly rods and western civilization in general perhaps. It’s important you do not bring up any reference to graphite or glass rods. If you want to talk about how climate change will impact all fly rods there are plenty of other forums out there to discuss those rods not made of cane and what might happen to them due to climate change.

[PT48]

If the unprecedentedly savage and intense wild fires which have ripped through South-Eastern Australia (including much of the high country where the best trout streams are located) is anything to go by, climate change will undoubtedly have a serious impact, if not a terminal one, on our ability to use a cane rod on a mountain stream. It is pretty simple: damaged habitat and collapsing trout numbers means a reduction in fishing opportunities. Something approaching 20 million acres burnt, thousands of dwellings destroyed and lives uprooted, and, an estimated one and a half billion animals killed, which does not include insects.

[crowebeetle]

add to that calculation the loss of insect life which results in the loss of birds, the loss of birds means the loss of what they contribute to the environment

[RMorrison]

If the unprecedentedly savage and intense wild fires which have ripped through South-Eastern Australia (including much of the high country where the best trout streams are located) is anything to go by, climate change will undoubtedly have a serious impact, if not a terminal one, on our ability to use a cane rod on a mountain stream. It is pretty simple: damaged habitat and collapsing trout numbers means a reduction in fishing opportunities. Something approaching 20 million acres burnt, thousands of dwellings destroyed and lives uprooted, and, an estimated one billion animals killed, which does not include insects.

You mean those fires that were set intentionally? If you guys think we’re so screwed why do you even bother with this forum? Apparently there’s no point.

[St Vrain Angler]

From the original post:
"Let's get back to the reason for this forum and stop the petty bickering that threatens to destroy everything we've built."

And so it goes. Sigh.

[DaveNJ]

Yea, my post was putting emphasis on the fact that the bigger issues at hand may not even give us a place to wave our wands, let alone have the choice of material.

Also, some of these same issues coupled with no meaningful raises for the middle class also dooms cane, tbh.

VOTE!

[PT48]

A combination of long-term drought and a succession of hotter and hotter years, as measured, aggregated and documented by scientists called meteorologists, created the pre-conditions for intensive and widespread wildfire in Australia. We were warned about this and our political leaders failed to heed those warnings (in fact, our Prime Minister refused to meet with the fire chiefs of each and every state). The fires were ignited by a whole range of factors from human maliciousness, human carelessness to dry lightning strikes. Some areas of forest which were once too wet to burn were razed.
Where I live, in Tasmania, there are vast tracts of rain forest where the flora is not resistant to fire. That is a massive worry for us. Last year we had a 500,000 acre fire which came perilously close to those areas. I could not use my bamboo rods on my favourite streams for around three months and my home town of Hobart was blanketed with toxic smoke for weeks.
This issue is way too serious to suffer the insensitive and ill-considered comments of brainless contrarians.

[just]

You mean those fires that were set intentionally?

You should do research before making false and inaccurate statements like that. Emergency departments in the most affected states in Australia in the recent fires both have come out time and again this summer and said the vast majority of the fires, and the most devastating, were started by lightning strikes. They have stated this numerous times to try and counter the spread of false and inaccurate information. In addition the police departments in those states have also tried to spread the misinformation by letting people know that of the 183 people who have been charged in relation to fire regulations this summer very few have been charged with arson, most have been charged with minor charges related to ignoring fire bans ie disposing cigarette butts, lighting bbqs). I'm not sure how you, a half a world away, know better than the fire and police departments on the ground.

[Drossi]

Yea, my post was putting emphasis on the fact that the bigger issues at hand may not even give us a place to wave our wands, let alone have the choice of material.

Also, some of these same issues coupled with no meaningful raises for the middle class also dooms cane, tbh.

VOTE!

The bigger issues at hand are why I come to this forum in the 1st place. I need to get away from all the worldly BS spewed by people who need to be the "smartest in the room" at all times.

VOTE for what exactly? One's as bad as the next, if you don't believe that you're only fooling yourself. As a lifelong NJ resident I know.

[Flyman615]

What we don't need on this Forum is yet more self righteous, biased, political BS. Especially from those intolerant of any views other than their own.

And keep the political comments to yourselves! It's in the rules, BTW.

[60InchDV8]

I think the only politics we should be concerned with is the concept that “we all live down stream” together within our communities. Let’s not lose sight of the passion that unites us as sportsmen.

[Southfork]

" I have many other things to contemplate these days. "

Life is so much finer when I only contemplate bamboo fly rods.

[DUCKMANNM]

I think that if the big name rod makers keep jacking their prices up, we might see a return to bamboo. I got a Mud Hole catalog the other day, and it had some of the Sage rods listed at $900.00. If you want to buy just the blank, it's only $450.00. I know Sage makes their own blanks, but I think another $450.00 for the components and labor to build the rod is a bit much! When Sage first came on the market in the 80's, I paid $210.00 plus tax for my 9 ft 5 Wt, and I thought that was a lot to spend then!

1

[wb4tjh]

I had a local guide ask me it my Dickerson 7012 by Dennis Stone was glass. I said no, it's bamboo, and he reached over and felt the rod's hex shape. I have also had others ask me about a bamboo I was fishing at the time and handed it to them to cast. All have been amazed at the feel. I got a lot of "WOWS" from them. They just had no idea bamboo could cast "like that". At least it might have stirred something in them that they had been missing. As far as the climate is concerned, I an NO "Chicken Little". I know there is a Hand in ultimate control far beyond man's puny reach.....