John Day Bamboo Fly Rod 8'6" 7-wt Medium Fast | Dickerson 8615 Taper
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Common questions
More answers at our full FAQ page.
When will my rod ship?
Most models ship from stock within 1–3 business days. If a model is on backorder, we typically ship within 2–4 weeks.
How does bamboo fish compared to graphite?
Bamboo loads differently. It flexes into the cast rather than snapping through it. Most graphite anglers notice the difference within a few casts: slower tempo, better feel at short distances, more feedback on the drift. It's not harder to cast. It's different, and most people don't go back.
What if it's not for me?
Fish it for 30 days. Cast it, take it on the water, really use it. If it's not the right fit, contact us for a free return label. No restocking fee.
The 7-weight that goes anywhere.
Most bamboo rods top out at 5-weight. The John Day exists for anglers who fish bigger water - canyon rivers with strong current, late-season steelhead runs, high-desert streams where the fish are measured in pounds and the casts are measured in yards. It's a serious rod for serious conditions, built in three pieces so it travels as easily as it fishes.
At 8'6" in a 7-weight, it has the authority to handle everything from a hopper on a big trout river to a swung fly on a wild steelhead run. Nothing in the bamboo world is built for this kind of fishing better.
The Dickerson 8615 Taper
Lyle Dickerson built his tapers for anglers who fished hard water under demanding conditions. The 8615 is his big-water design - a medium fast 7-weight that loads through the mid-section and delivers line with authority at range. Where most bamboo makers stopped at 5-weight, Dickerson understood that the right taper in a heavier line weight was a different kind of tool entirely.
The medium fast action gives it reach without stiffness. It can lay down a long cast in wind, mend line across fast current, and fight a large fish without the angler having to force it. The blank works with you on every cast - loading deliberately, firing cleanly, recovering fast enough to make a follow-up cast without a pause.
Built the Way a Bamboo Rod Should Be
The John Day is hand-planed to the standard that has defined Headwaters rods since 2002.
The fittings: A fighting butt for the leverage a 7-weight asks for, the only Headwaters rod built with one, seated in a finely knurled double-locking uplocking reel seat with a stabilized burled maple insert. Ultra-fine cork grip. Red agate stripping guide. Hard chrome guides wrapped in deep burgundy thread with a narrow black tip.
The tube: Cordura rod tube with rod sock included.
Choose Your Version
The Favorite | $700 - Single-tip version for the angler who wants to get on the water first. Same rod, same fittings, same hand-planed cane. Clear upgrade path to the Deluxe when you're ready.�
The Deluxe | $800 - Two tips, two sections of extra security. The complete rod as it was meant to be fished. A second tip on its own is $150, so the Deluxe is the cheaper way to own both.�
Add the matching reel at half price. At checkout you can add a Clark Fork 3.0 fly reel, sized to this rod. It sells for $295 on its own, and it's $147.50 with the rod.
3-Piece Travel Design
Built for packability. Fits in a carry-on, a backpack, or behind a truck seat. Slightly heavier than a 2-piece equivalent due to two ferrule stations. If you want the lightest possible setup, a 2-piece rod is the better choice.
Specifications
- Action: Medium Fast
- Length: 8'6"
- Line weight: 7-weight
- Weight: 6.5 oz
- Pieces: 3 (Deluxe includes extra tip)
- Taper: Dickerson 8615
- Reel seat: Uplocking, double-locking knurled nut, stabilized burled maple insert
- Fighting butt: Yes, the only Headwaters rod with one
- Grip: Ultra-fine cork
- Stripping guide: Red agate
- Guide wrap: Deep burgundy with black tip
- Tube: Cordura with rod sock
No Risk. Our Promise.
Fish it for 30 days. If it's not the rod you hoped it would be, send it back for a full refund, no questions asked. The lifetime warranty covers the original owner for as long as you fish it.
Read what our customers have to say about us
FREE Shipping
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to US destinations.
30-Day Guarantee
Wiggle it, cast it, fish it
for up to 30 days.
Free Returns
Exchange or return for free. Contact us for return label.
Lifetime Warranty
On any workmanship issue
for original owner.
"A great way to get into bamboo--affordable and well made."
"I was pleasantly surprised by the smooth, graceful action."
"It greatly improves your accuracy, especially at short distances."
"Allows the fly fisherman to feel good about the renewable, sustainably-sourced rod."
"The natural tone, attractive windings, cork, and fittings; and flawless finish--impressive."
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