The Bamboo Fly Rods History
The story of the split cane bamboo fly rods actually starts just before the American Civil War. Fishing with a fly rod, the way we know it today, started between 1790 and 1845. Many bamboo and wood species were used as a building material before and during that period but bamboo soon became the popular and preferred material to use. It is believed that in 1846 Samuel Phillipes, a gunsmith from Pennsylvania, made the first 6 strips designed tip from Calcutta Cane and that his son, Solon, built the first complete hexagon rod from split cane in 1859. Although many believe that split bamboo fly rods first developed 5 to 7 years earlier in Central PA, by hand.
As bamboo popularity increased, the H. L. Lenard rod company started making machinery to produce cane/ bamboo fly rods. The first fly fishing rods were made from ash and lacewood, but in 1874 H.L. Leonard started to make bamboo rods exclusively until his death in 1907. The company would continue to make rods for almost eight decades under various ownership, including surviving a fire in 1964 which virtually destroyed the shop. In 1984, it eventually went bankrupt. Builders on both sides of the Atlantic started to use "split" cane -- strips of bamboo cut to shape and glued together. These rods were shorter than the older wood rods. Experiments showed that the best bamboo for rods was Calcutta bamboo. It was light, strong and available. Rods were glued with the strongest glue available at the time -- hide glue. As a safeguard, wraps of silk were placed every few inches. Eventually, Ferrules replaced splicing. The rods began to take on the look of today's rod. A standard began to emerge. Because most fishers used wet flys, the rod was 9 ft long. For ease of transport (and production) the rod was made in three pieces. "Dry fly" rods were often shorter and only two pieces.
By the 20th century companies like Leonard, Payne, Montague, Horric-Ibson and a host of others were making bamboo fly rods commercially. The quality of the rods built by these companies ran all the way from junk to fly fishing works of art. In the early 20th century rod makers also discovered a new bamboo. Tea stick bamboo, commonly called Tonkin bamboo, became the standard. Tonkin bamboo came, not from the Tonkin area of Southeast Asia, but from a small province in China. It's qualities of straight sticks, long node spacing and strong outer fibers made it ideal for fly rods. It's still the standard today. Not only were rods mass produced by such companies as Wright and McGill, Heddon and Sons, Shakespeare and Southbend, but many rods were also produced by small, high end companies. New material and processes allowed the creation of some of the best fly rods made to that time. Intermediate wraps disappeared as newer stronger glues became available. Reels were held in place by screw locking, spring or other means. Fly rod quality was available for every pocket book. Most fly rods sought after by today's collectors come from this period.
The golden age ended in the early '50s with two events. President Harry Truman placed an embargo on Chinese goods ending the import of Bamboo and Shakespeare released the "Wonder rod," made of fiberglass. Between these two events, bamboo fly rods almost became extinct. Companies such as Orvis and Winston continued to build bamboo rods but only as a sideline, almost a curiosity. Many other rod companies could no longer compete and disappeared. Thomas & Thomas purchased the old Montague Rod Co and facilities. T&T only built cane rods for several years before they also introduced a line of carbon fiber rods and slowed the production of their Bamboo rods. But bamboo fly rods didn't disappear. It's a tribute to the material that bamboo fly rods continued to be sought for their eco-friendly nature and are not only for collectors.
The story of the split cane bamboo fly rods actually starts just before the American Civil War. Fishing with a fly rod, the way we know it today, started between 1790 and 1845. Many bamboo and wood species were used as a building material before and during that period but bamboo soon became the popular and preferred material to use. It is believed that in 1846 Samuel Phillipes, a gunsmith from Pennsylvania, made the first 6 strips designed tip from Calcutta Cane and that his son, Solon, built the first complete hexagon rod from split cane in 1859. Although many believe that split bamboo fly rods first developed 5 to 7 years earlier in Central PA, by hand.
As bamboo popularity increased, the H. L. Lenard rod company started making machinery to produce cane/ bamboo fly rods. The first fly fishing rods were made from ash and lacewood, but in 1874 H.L. Leonard started to make bamboo rods exclusively until his death in 1907. The company would continue to make rods for almost eight decades under various ownership, including surviving a fire in 1964 which virtually destroyed the shop. In 1984, it eventually went bankrupt. Builders on both sides of the Atlantic started to use "split" cane -- strips of bamboo cut to shape and glued together. These rods were shorter than the older wood rods. Experiments showed that the best bamboo for rods was Calcutta bamboo. It was light, strong and available. Rods were glued with the strongest glue available at the time -- hide glue. As a safeguard, wraps of silk were placed every few inches. Eventually, Ferrules replaced splicing. The rods began to take on the look of today's rod. A standard began to emerge. Because most fishers used wet flys, the rod was 9 ft long. For ease of transport (and production) the rod was made in three pieces. "Dry fly" rods were often shorter and only two pieces.
By the 20th century companies like Leonard, Payne, Montague, Horric-Ibson and a host of others were making bamboo fly rods commercially. The quality of the rods built by these companies ran all the way from junk to fly fishing works of art. In the early 20th century rod makers also discovered a new bamboo. Tea stick bamboo, commonly called Tonkin bamboo, became the standard. Tonkin bamboo came, not from the Tonkin area of Southeast Asia, but from a small province in China. It's qualities of straight sticks, long node spacing and strong outer fibers made it ideal for fly rods. It's still the standard today. Not only were rods mass produced by such companies as Wright and McGill, Heddon and Sons, Shakespeare and Southbend, but many rods were also produced by small, high end companies. New material and processes allowed the creation of some of the best fly rods made to that time. Intermediate wraps disappeared as newer stronger glues became available. Reels were held in place by screw locking, spring or other means. Fly rod quality was available for every pocket book. Most fly rods sought after by today's collectors come from this period.
The golden age ended in the early '50s with two events. President Harry Truman placed an embargo on Chinese goods ending the import of Bamboo and Shakespeare released the "Wonder rod," made of fiberglass. Between these two events, bamboo fly rods almost became extinct. Companies such as Orvis and Winston continued to build bamboo rods but only as a sideline, almost a curiosity. Many other rod companies could no longer compete and disappeared. Thomas & Thomas purchased the old Montague Rod Co and facilities. T&T only built cane rods for several years before they also introduced a line of carbon fiber rods and slowed the production of their Bamboo rods. But bamboo fly rods didn't disappear. It's a tribute to the material that bamboo fly rods continued to be sought for their eco-friendly nature and are not only for collectors.
