Everyman’s Bamboo Rod: A Thing of the Past or the Present?

        The golden age of twentieth-century bamboo rod making included a sweet spot of good quality manufactured rods by companies such as the Goodwin Granger Co. or James Heddon and Sons that applied mass-production techniques to yield literally hundreds of thousands of bamboo rods for fly anglers of average means. Sadly, a Chinese trade embargo and resulting half-century of materials science innovations, from fiberglass to ever more technical graphite formulations, displaced every production bamboo rod manufacturer by the 1970s. 

Notwithstanding, bamboo continues to captivate anglers. Bamboo is nostalgic. It feels natural. It has character. Bamboo is an irreplaceable classic and an unequaled thrill to cast. Unfortunately, since the demise of production rods, new rods have been pricey and hard to come by, with only a handful being turned out by basement builders. Modern fly anglers want to fish bamboo without damaging an heirloom, mortgaging the farm, waiting two seasons, or risking second-hand rods. Headwaters Bamboo Rod Company, manufacturer of traditional bamboo fly fishing rods, is filling the void by providing affordable high quality rods and classic fly reels to a discriminating fly-fishing niche. 

The raw material used by every reputable bamboo rod builder worldwide is harvested in China. Known as Tonkin Cane, it is only found in a 25-square-mile patch of ground in the Sui River region of Southern China. Bamboo has been a source of building materials for Chinese craftsmen for thousands of years. Headwaters acquires blanks (and some of their finished rods) from the source. This ancient tradition coupled with modern technology for precise measurements and fittings are an unbeatable combination. With contemporary equipment, technical training, and a library of classic tapers, handplaning bamboo is a natural for the Chinese artisan. Additionally, Headwaters has two product lines that are fitted with U.S.-made hardware and finished by U.S. craftsmen—creating rods with the best of both continents. 

The bamboo rods that Headwaters sells to the angling public are crafted by people who want to make a quality product they can be proud of. Our suppliers are made up of a handful of small shops—employing a father, a couple of brothers, and neighbors. Their desire is to provide for their families and enjoy the freedom and luxury of economic growth. They’re using their hearts and industry to pull themselves into the twenty-first century. We live in a global economy and our Western standard of living is entirely dependent on global relationships like this.

            Try a Headwaters bamboo rod and feel the thrill of bamboo for yourself. Headwaters Bamboo Rod Company puts the best of the past into an affordable, excellent quality, and readily available rod for the present—an option that hasn’t been around for a generation. Put passion in your fly fishing. Fish bamboo.

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• Buzz About Headwaters

  "It's easy to see why so many anglers get sentimental when talking about their favorite bamboo rod. And it's even easier to see why Headwaters has gained such a loyal customer base."

  Frank Martin, Publisher, High Country Angler
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