Bamboo Fly Rod Tapers

At Headwaters Bamboo Rod Company we build our rods based on proven "historical" tapers, meaning that the tapers we use were designed by Twentieth Century bamboo fly rod craftsmen.

A taper is a fishing rod term that defines the rod length, optimal line weight, and rod flex action. It is, literally, the shape of the rod itself and determines how it will function in the hand of a fly angler.

Three piece rods (Victory Series) are useful for packing for travel as they break down into shorter lengths. 

Medium action rods will flex about two-thirds of the rod when false casting. Medium fast action rods will flex about half the rod. For comparison, the typical fast action graphite rod flexes the top approximately one-quarter of the rod.

Two tip sections are traditional to bamboo rods to allow the tips to naturally relax and straighten on off fishing days. 

Each of our fly fishing tapers are named after a favorite Western USA fly fishing river. Our conventional rod tapers are named after favorite lakes. 

Favorite Series - Two Piece, One Tip

• Breitenbush 7' 0" 4-wt. Medium Fast Action. 2.9 oz. Taper: Phillipson Peerless
• Rogue 7' 6" 5-wt. Medium Fast Action. 3.6 oz. Taper: Phillipson Peerless

Deluxe Series - Two Piece, Two Tips

• Grande Ronde 6' 6" 3-wt. Medium Action. 2.3 oz. Taper: Dickerson 6611
• Santiam 7' 0" 4-wt. Medium Action. 2.7 oz. Taper: Garrison 201e 
• Breitenbush 7' 0" 4-wt. Medium Fast Action. 2.9 oz. Taper: Phillipson Peerless
• Metolius 7' 6" 5-wt. Medium Action. 3.2 oz. Taper: Payne 101
• Rogue 7' 6" 5-wt. Medium Fast Action. 3.6 oz. Taper: Phillipson Peerless
• Deschutes 8' 0" 6-wt. Medium Action. 4.7 oz. Taper: Dickerson 8014

Victory Series - Three Piece, Two Tips

• Moyie 8' 0" 3-wt. Medium Action. Taper: Heddon #17-Black Beauty
• McKenzie 8' 6" 5-wt. Medium Action. Taper: Goodwin Granger 8642
• John Day 8' 6" 7-wt. Medium Action. Taper: Dickerson 8615

Premier Series - Two Piece, Two Tips | Dark Flamed

• Imnaha 7' 0" 4-wt. Medium Fast Action. Taper: Dickerson 7012
• Gallatin 7' 6" 4-wt. Medium Action. Taper: Payne 100
• Henrys Fork 7' 9" 5-wt. Medium Action. Taper: Paul H. Young Para 14