How to Fish With Bamboo Fly Rods

It can take crafters up to a year to split, cut and glue bamboo to form a fly rod. The bamboo creates a sensitivity and natural strength not found in any other material. The rods are expensive, sometimes costing several thousand dollars, but devoted anglers think it is worth the price. Balanced to the point of being able to feel the moves of the fish at the other end, a bamboo fly rod offers a one of a kind experience each time the angler uses it.

Things You'll Need

  • Artificial fishing fly
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Instructions

    • 1

      Grasp the bamboo rod so your thumb points up and the palm is perpendicular to your body. Pull 20 feet of line out past the tip of the rod. Pinch the line between your fingers and handle. Point the reel down and hold the rod parallel to the ground

    • 2

      Move the rod slowly up and down to get the feel of the rod. Bamboo rods weight more than graphite rods. Lift the rod until the tip is at the 10 o'clock position and the line is coming toward you.

    • 3

      Lift the rod quickly, so quickly that the tension in the weight bows the rod. Flip the line over your head. Stop sharply when the rod is at a slight angle behind you and the tip is at the 1 o'clock position. Your hand should be pointed straight up.

    • 4

      Let the line straighten out behind you. Feel the line pull at the rod tip and begin the forward movement by pulling down against this tug. Accelerate the forward motion by lowering the arm. Come to a stop when your hand is even with your eye. Make the stop so quick you can feel the rod flex forward.

    • 5

      Watch the line unfold forward. Because it weights more than graphite rods, a bamboo rod casts the line farther and with more thrust. Lower the tip to follow the line.

    • 6

      Practice casting before you make a trip to the river. A few minutes a day for several days will improve for casting technique enough for you to land a fish.

    • 7

      Put an artificial fly with a hook on the end of the line. Cast in an area on a stream or river where you see fish activity.