The Payne 100 is a classic bamboo fly rod taper by Jim Payne. Headwaters builds it to spec as the Gallatin, a 7'6" 4-weight 2-piece medium bamboo fly rod, direct from the maker and priced from $400.
Gallatin | 7'6" 4-weight 2-piece medium | Payne 100 taper
Who was Jim Payne?
Jim Payne ran the E.F. Payne Rod Company and is widely regarded as one of the finest bamboo rod makers who ever lived. Payne rods are known for a crisp, refined dry-fly action and flawless fit and finish. Original Paynes sell for thousands.
What is the Payne 100 taper?
The taper is the rod's DNA: the way the cane changes thickness from tip to grip, which decides how the rod loads and casts. The Payne 100 is a 7'6" 4-weight 2-piece medium design. Headwaters builds it to spec, not "inspired by," so you get the action Jim Payne intended.
How the Gallatin casts
A do-everything medium action. Long enough to mend and reach, short enough to stay delicate. If you own one bamboo rod, this is the taper.
It is built for the everyday trout rod: dries, light nymphs, and small streamers on medium water.
The Headwaters Gallatin: the Payne 100 built to spec
Most new bamboo rods with a name taper cost $1,500 to $4,000, with waitlists that can run a year or more. The Gallatin is direct from the maker: Favorite Series from $400, Deluxe Series at $600. Every Deluxe rod carries an agate stripping guide, nickel-silver hardware, and hand-wrapped silk, on genuine hex-planed Tonkin cane. It ships with a 30-day trial and a lifetime warranty.
The Payne 100 is a classic bamboo fly rod taper by Jim Payne: a 7'6" 4-weight 2-piece medium design. Headwaters builds it to spec as the Gallatin.
What is the Gallatin bamboo rod good for?
It is built for the everyday trout rod: dries, light nymphs, and small streamers on medium water.
How much does the Gallatin cost?
The Gallatin is available in the Favorite Series from $400 and the Deluxe Series at $600. It ships with a rod sock and tube, a 30-day trial, and a lifetime warranty.
Take our 60-second quiz to find your rod match, and get the free Bamboo Short Course: three short emails on cane, classic tapers, and why bamboo is still worth fishing.
