Oyster Bamboo Rod Class

I just completed the six day split class at Bill Oysters' Bamboo Rod Shop and I wish I were going in for another six. The class was an absolute blast! I can't believe we all completed our rods right on time. It seemed like there were a hundred things that could have gone wrong but Bill and Riley kept us between the ditches.  I was in awe during the whole process and I was in love with the first cast I threw with her. Becky had to tell me I couldn't sleep with it.

I spent most of the next day casting on and off for about 6 hours. The rod is incredibly accurate at close or long range and the power to rip out 70 feet of fly line is effortless.





By the time I left for home after my first day with my new best friend, I gave Becky a ring and told her to sell all the rest of my 4 weights because I don't believe I want to fish anything else for the rest of my life. I already have plans in the works for a 3 weight, a 5 weight, and an 8 weight. I think I'm bamboo crazy! Here's some pics of my new baby.

Bill Oyster Bamboo Rod Building Class

I just completed the first 3 days of a 6 day split class to build my first bamboo fly rod. I am amazed. I didn't realize how much labor and thought that goes into building one of these works of art. Under the watchful eye of Master Bamboo Rod Builder, Bill Oyster and his apprentice, Riley G., five of us started on a journey that is perhaps hundreds of years old.

We are first taken to the edge of total destruction of our rods, and then steered into the light only to be taken onto the next gut wrenching step. It has truly been one of the best experiences I have ever had. I am still trying to comprehend the last 3 days after going from a full piece of bamboo as seen in the upper right of the photo to the chocolate bamboo blank I'm wrapping.

Ever since Bill and his family moved to Blue Ridge, a steady stream of his students have made their way down the street and into the fly shop. They come to show me their newly finished fly rods. They are beautiful and I knew one day I would have to give it a try. In about a month, we will gather again to work for 3 more days to complete our rods. I really appreciate Bill sharing his knowledge and expertise. He is a true master of his art. If you find yourself in Blue Ridge, be sure to drop by and visit the Oyster Bamboo shop on Main Street. Usually, he will have some of his rods on display. Also, you might visit during one of the classes and get to see a bunch of folks bent over their workbenches taking truly a inspiring journey.

The Good Old Days

Recently my friend Milt Smith handed me a box of old "Fly Fisherman" magazines from the 70's and 80's that he wanted donated to the Foothills TU Hoot On The Hooch banquet coming up in March. He figured there may be some interest in them for a bucket raffle item and, besides, his wife told him to get them out of the house. Now, how many of us would consider the late 70's the good old days? It was 30 years ago but for some of us it seems only yesterday and it was about the time I decided to learn how to flyfish. So I took the collection home with me for safe keeping and one evening began leafing through some of the older issues. What a blast! I couldn't put them down. It was like I had been transported back in time as I thumbed through the mostly black and white pages. Nothing slick about these; not many steps above typing paper. But how interesting it is to read the advertisements. Two of the largest gear ads are for Pflueger and Martin reels. Rod manufacturers are just beginning to advertise graphite but they still off bamboo and fiberglass. Except for a two page ad touting "graphite's the standard now!" from Lew's Speed Stick fly rods.

There is no Sage Manufacturing but you can order a Winston graphite trout rod directly from the factory for $175.00. They mention that they are so small (only four rod builders: Al Wilson, Glenn Brackett, Chris Warner and Tom Morgan all pictured sitting around the shop) that they can't service the fly shop market so you have to buy them from Winston.

Fly lines were made by Gudebrod, Gladding and Sunset. You could buy a Hardy Princess for $47.35, and there were as many adds for bamboo fly rods as graphite; Payne, Leonard (who also made a graphite rod), Uslan, Weir & Son, and Phillipson. A letter to the editor was from a guy complaining about the high cost of waders at $45.00 a pair and you could only get one year out of them. And the thing that most made me wish I could turn back the clock: Land on the Yellowstone River in Paradise Valley for $1500.00 per acre! Aaarrgh!

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