How to Restore Bamboo Fly Rods

A bamboo fly rod is made of bamboo, a flexible, light and strong material ideal for fly fishing. Fly fishing uses lures that imitate flying bugs to snare fish like trout and salmon. Bamboo fly rods could cost as much as $15,000 in 2011, but since bamboo is such a durable material, refinishing a used rod is an practical and economical decision. Used bamboo fly rods can be found online or at garage sales.

Things You'll Need

  • Paste-style furniture polish
  • Soft cloths
  • Brush
  • Cork sealer
  • Fly fishing line
  • Replacement rod parts, if needed
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Instructions

    • 1

      Inspect the bamboo fly rod before restoring. Look for splits in the wood or crumbling of the cork handle before purchasing the rod, if possible. If pieces or whole sections of the rod need to be replaced, you will need to order replacement parts.

    • 2

      Remove the fly fishing line from the rod by winding it down to the reel. If any parts need to be replaced, replace them with new or better condition fly rod components by unscrewing the old pieces from the rest of the rod. Fly rods usually consist of a handle with a reel and three or four pieces of long bamboo.

    • 3

      Wipe the rod clean, using a damp cloth.

    • 4

      Polish the wood of the rod, using the paste-style furniture polish, and wipe it with a soft cloth until it reaches an even shine.

    • 5

      Clean the cork handle of the rod, using dish soap, very gently. Old cork can easily crumble and get ruined; if your handle crumbles, you will need to replace it. If the cork is heavily soiled, carefully sand away the soiled layers with fine-grit sandpaper.

    • 6

      Brush a thin layer of cork seal on the cork and allow it to dry thoroughly for up to an hour. This will protect the cork from future damage.

    • 7

      Restring the fly rod, replacing the fishing line completely if it is old or discolored.