The Payne 200L is a classic bamboo fly rod taper by Jim Payne. Headwaters builds it to spec as the Madison, a 8'0" 4-weight 3-piece medium bamboo fly rod, direct from the maker and priced from $400.
Madison | 8'0" 4-weight 3-piece medium | Payne 200L 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 200L 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 200L is a 8'0" 4-weight 3-piece medium design. Headwaters builds it to spec, not "inspired by," so you get the action Jim Payne intended.
How the Madison casts
An 8-foot 4-weight is a rare, lovely thing: light enough to fish tiny dries, long enough to mend and reach. The 3-piece packs for the road.
It is built for technical spring creeks and travel, where you want a delicate 4-weight that still reaches.
The Headwaters Madison: the Payne 200L 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 Madison is direct from the maker: Favorite Series from $400, Deluxe Series at $750. 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 200L is a classic bamboo fly rod taper by Jim Payne: a 8'0" 4-weight 3-piece medium design. Headwaters builds it to spec as the Madison.
What is the Madison bamboo rod good for?
It is built for technical spring creeks and travel, where you want a delicate 4-weight that still reaches.
How much does the Madison cost?
The Madison is available in the Favorite Series from $400 and the Deluxe Series at $750. It ships with a rod sock and tube, a 30-day trial, and a lifetime warranty.
Bamboo School is a free 12-lesson course on Tonkin cane, classic tapers, and the casting feel that brought us all to bamboo. Twelve lessons. Two weeks. Earn your Bamboo Certified diploma.
