Who's built one

One spinning, one flyrod, and restored two hardware store bamboo flyrods from flea markets. I need more practice and not sure if I really enjoy it.

You know, I've never got into rod building. I guess if you enjoy building things (wood-working, carpentry, etc) you'll probably take a liking to rod building.

Being that I like to build time consuming hand crafting things, like my two strip built, ninteen foot, touring kayaks that I cut the trees down, milled the lumber, cut the strips, and then made the boats with. I think rod building may be in my list of things to try out. Who knows.

It seems to me that rod building is something that takes a lot of gear and tools to do it correctly. Not to mention practice to get it down right. Its not like fly tying where you are replacing a consumable item. Plus the repeatable nature of tying helps you improve. I mean, how many fly rods do you need? I would love to build myself a rod or a bamboo rod but I can't justify the expense. I also can't imagine how many rods I might accumulate getting it right. I would hate to fork out big bucks on a blank and then goob it up trying to build a rod.

rod building not so hard to do, you do not need a lot of tools or parts, just the basics other than reel seats grips and guides, with a little looking around hobby shops fly shops and ebay, you can get by reasonably well. On the other hand making bamboo rods is a cat of a different shade, i will get into that at alater time , with how i got started making, making bamboo rods is kind of like being a acholic, and a addict. It will consume all your spare time and thoughts, but it is something that is very claming about it too. Also will take up alot of fishing time. well all for now will be back, with some of my ideas and ways of doing the dark side of fly rods. best charlie

this just a small thought on my part, maybe i am the only one likes this idea, so here goes, ithink if we could start up a bamboo rod corner, and see if we can get some input, it would be great for the forum,I plan to post thing that i think might be of interest to the members,and to the public in general,there is nonthing that comparies the feel that you get with bamboo, do not thake this statement worng , i have nonthing aginst graphite and fiberglass , own a feww myself just do not use them anymore. Hope i did not insult anyone no harm intended. best charlie

. i cought the bug way back when my grandfather helped me make the very first one, it was a very crude rod but it was like a orvis to me. After that until graphite came on to the playground, i did not fish with anything else. met a guy on the james river about 5yrs ago, and he was fishing bamboo also, so we got to talking rods and he was the one who pushed me to the dark side of making rods, with his help and sharing his knowledge i began. One of the most important pieces of equipment is the planeing form, if you purchase one the cost is $450 to 750 dollars plus shipping, 6ft. long ahand plane binder heat oven .depth guaqe claibers, a small lathe but not a must have.A book on how to make a bamboo rod(by Wayne Cattanach) is a must without it it becomes very hard, Plus varnish. glue.files dril drill bits drill press, plus the tonkin bamboo, then you read the book, and go ahead and give it a go.After you have made the first rod you are hooked.but as i said it has its rewards. This can be expensive or modrate hobby, i do not make rods for sale, but wii if asked, i make for me and christmas presents for friends. well all for now, if anyone need to know anything about making bamboo rods,will be glad to help all ican. cheers charlie
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Good morning mista bear, just thought someone on the forum might be interested in hearing about my latest rod that i have made. Of course it is bamboo, goes without saying. It is a dickerson/payne taper, i took the best of both rods and combined them into one rod, it is a dickerson/payne/.edwards i like the way it cast, only a 7.6 rod, but thats become my favorite trout length, for smallies 8.6 to 9ft. are the ones usally use, but have been known to use 7.5 also. i just finished one for my 4 yr. old grand daughter, 5,6 ft very fragil but just right for her. all for now tight lines charlie

anybody out there looking for a good color preserver, i have what i think is a very good formular, give me a call, i sell this stuffr very reasonably, works real good.

Hello I have just started to rebuild a old shakesphere 9 ft. rod that i am going to give to the wounded warriors/healing water project.I picked this rod up a few years ago at the hillsville flea market, it has never felt right to me for some reason, although i have used it a lot on smallmouth bass. I changed it from a blonde rod to a darker honey colored one which i think looks good wrapped in kelly green and tipped in yellow or burgandy, have not decided on that yet. It will look good no matter , also i have made a hexagon case for it out of spanish cedar, it will soon be going out to a new owner. I hope it converts a vet. to the pleasure of fly fishing. And if any one out there has old bamboo rods that you would like tp get fixed up i think i do a pretty good job of rebuilding restoreing and some repair. I am very reasonable . I am not advertising anything just letting everyone know of this hobby of mine,if by chance i have posted something worng please accept my apology and delete this post. tight lines/small loops charlie

good morning, i have not posted anything latley, but here is what i have been doing , fishing the james river in va. alot, along with a half a day on jennings and north creek, hot weather and low water level has made the trout fishingt tuff, cought five friday but that was the limit for me the smallies on ther hand did a lot better water gin clear and level not too bad.spent 2 days had aball going back soon. Just finished the rod that i posted about last, cannot wait to christen this beatiful piece, named the james corny? oh well it is what it is. Fishing one streach on the james, had just turned loose, and i heard a noise in the bushes near the far bank, figured i had company coming, boy was i right! one great big old black bear stood up and looked at me, i am on the other side of river from him, so i figured i was envading his fishing hole so i eased myself out on the bank, and give him that part of the river, never once made any threting motions toward me just wadeding out into water. and started swimming out to middle, by this time i am well on my way to my truck. I kept looking back to see if he was intent on coming my way, he stopped, looked around stood up and sniffed the air, turned and headed back from the way he came, then he stopped on a little sand bar and started digging for something i do not know, nor dide want to know, just gave him the section.




got in truck, and proceeded down toward glassgowto another spot i know and finished out the day,stopped at store that i usally stop at for a pepsi told the keeper about it, he told me that it is not the first time he has been seen at that part of the james over the last year ,same place, but i still fish it, have not seen it again. end of story a very beatiful animal. until later, happy trails charlie

Those black bears will scare the mess outta ya! Really anything romping around in the bushes will make your hair stand on end! Sounds like your getting into some pretty decent fishing as of late though! We do need some cooler weather and a little rain!

I have started making furell leaders, it takes a little time getting started, and perfecting you technuiqe,but they are beggining to look better, going to need some field testing, so if anyone is intere4sted in trying for me let me know. i am making them in different lengths, also experment with a quick aqnd easier type of twisted leaders one that you do not need a jig for, if interested let me know best charlie

Hello Charlie, et al, I'm interested in building my own rod(s). I have a shop in which to work, and a few of the tools, but would like to perhaps apprentice with someone else who has built their own bamboo rods and wouldn't mind me shadowing them on occasion. Or even regularly?

Perhaps somewhere down the line, I'll invest in a lathe, oven, planing jigs, and so on. But, I'd like to maybe dip a toe in that water before plunging headfirst.

PM me, if you prefer. Thanks.