Description
There’s a lot of interest in bamboo rods, or at least curiosity about them. They’ve been around since before the Civil War and for much of that time almost all fly rods – cheap, expensive, and in between – were made of split bamboo. They’re a large part of the tradition and mythology of fly fishing, but some fishermen are surprised to learn that they’re as alive and well now as they’ve ever been. In fact, some of the split bamboo rods being built today are among the best ever made.
Think of Fishing Bamboo as an introduction to bamboo rods and to the subculture of people who make, buy, sell, collect, and fish with them.
Review:
Whether you’re interested in fishing or collecting bamboo fly-rods–or you simply enjoy good outdoors writing–you’ll find it all in this paean to the slightly arcane world of the bamboo enthusiast. There’s enough information here for those in need of an overview, including chapters on the history of bamboo rod-building, the master craftsmen of the past, and types of rods, plus the usual assortment of folksy wisdom and well-turned phrases that one expects from the author of Trout Bum and Sex, Death and Fly-fishing. Appendixes include listings of current manufacturers and dealers of bamboo fly-rods.