Late April is a special time in the fly fishing season. Runoff is peaking, small streams are clear, and the fish start looking up. This year we’re bringing you something special to meet that moment!
The Grande Ronde is back. It’s the most beloved small-water rod we’ve ever built.
At 6' 6" and 3-weight, the Grande Ronde is short, light, and alive in the hand. It’s built on the Dickerson 6611 taper, a historic design known for its crisp recovery and responsive feel.
This is a rod for anglers who move slowly and cast deliberately. For those who read seams, dodge brush, and wade in cold headwaters. For those who know the thrill of a six-inch trout rising in a pool no wider than a kayak.
What it's made for:
Tight streams where casting lanes are narrow
Overgrown creeks with complex currents
Dry fly presentations that need to land soft
Emergers fished just beneath the surface
Backcountry water where stealth is everything
It’s a light-touch rod with a strong sense of purpose.
Crafted to fish, not sit on a shelf.
As with every rod we make, the Grande Ronde is built from premium Tonkin bamboo, hand-split and planed to perfection. Each one includes:
Two-piece construction with two tips (and offered with one tip in the Favorite Series)
Medium action tuned for smooth, quiet casting
Agate stripping guide and double-foot snake guides
Burled hardwood reel seat and western cork grip
Protective cotton rod sock and Cordura tube
Backed by our 30-day guarantee and lifetime warranty
Deluxe Series, $600. Two-piece, two tips, and the Favorite Series build is $500 if you want one tip.
See you on the water,
David Headwaters Bamboo
Free · The Bamboo Short Course
New to bamboo? Start here.
Three short lessons on choosing and fishing a bamboo rod. No fluff, no pitch, just what actually matters. Drop your email and lesson one is on its way.
Want to go deeper?
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.
