Welcome to the wonderful world of Bamboo Fly fishing, if you
are new to the sport I have included some tips on caring for your
new purchase. If your an old hand at fishing a bamboo fly rod,
these tips might be of help to refresh your memory or give you
insight into another way of thing about it...
Bamboo fly rods are not the delicate items of times long ago,
if fact they are very tuff and can take more abuse then graphite
or fiberglass rods in most cases. Bamboo is a natural material
and has more tinsel strength then steel, with proper care and
maintenance can last several life times. Here are a few tips to
help you enjoy and maintain your bamboo fly rod, so you can
pass it down to your children...
Do not assemble your bamboo fly rod indoors, or walk
indoors/outdoors with an assembled rod. Just like an umbrella,
It's bad luck and can lead to damage to your rod or even worse
a broken tip...
Always walk with the grip in your hand and the tip of your rod
behind you, not in front of you...
On long hiking trips carry your rod in the tube, to protect your
rod on the way in as well as on the way out...
Alternate tips on your rod every trip, this will help even out the
ware on your rod and help in not putting a set in the tips...
Fight the fish using the butt section of the rod not the tip, it's
also a good idea to turn the rod over ( guides up ) to fight a fish
every once in a while...
Never try to jerk a fly lose from the bushes once your snagged,
wade across and unhook or give the line slack and pull the line free
with your hands...
On return to your vehicle at the end of the day, always
disassemble, sight down the tip, if there's a slight set, apply a
slight bend in the opposite direction of the set and hold for a
few minutes. Most sets cane be taken care of in this manor, if
left unattended they can become permanent. Wipe down and
put the rod and reel away first, then dress down and talk about
the days adventure...
Most damage to bamboo fly rods ( or any rod ) happen because
of neglect by the user, use good since your the keeper of this
little piece of history...
Always wipe down the rod after use with a 100% cotton cloth,
even if the rod dose not appear wet...
Always store the rod in it's tube in the closet corner in a
vertical position, prolonged storage in a horizontal position
may cause the rod to form a set...
It's a good idea to always keep a Silica Gel package in the
bottom of the tube at all times, this will absorb any light
moisture that is present. If a Silica Gel pack is not available,
you can make your own using a small amount rice sewn into
a small piece of cloth...
If rod is lightly wet leave cap off tube for 12 to 24 hours on
your return home, hotel or camp, this will allow the rod to dry
or at least get fresh air so mildew dose not start growing...
If rod and sock are wet lay everything out of the way on a
horizontal surface for 24 hours ( including Silica or Rice
package ), make sure it's out of reach of children, dogs, cats or
anything that can cause damage to the rod...
If you have a vintage labeled tube do not use it in the field, get
a spare tube to use in the field to protect your investment...
When inserting or removing rod from tube, form a circle around
the mouth of the tube with your thumb and forefinger to
protect the rod and guides from hitting the lip/sides of the
tube causing damage...
When assembling the rod never twist the ferrules, always
straight on and straight off. When assembling the rod place your
fingers close to the ferrules, then insert the male inline and
straight. When disassembling the rod spread your hands away
from the ferrules and apply pressure inline and straight out...
Never force tight ferrules together, if there to tight, dress
the female and male ferrule with WD-40 using a cotton
swab then remove excess with a dry cotton swab. Repeat the
process if necessary, never use oil or grease as they attract
dust and dirt that will damage your ferrules...
If ferrules are too lose, you can apply a coating of wax ( bee's
wax or white canyon ) This is a temporary solution and
caution must be used as the wax will attract dust and dirt, inspect
ferrule before use and if dirt is present wipe clean and reapply a
fresh coat of wax...
Always inspect your vintage bamboo fly rod on a regular bases
for damage, if damage has occur do not fish the rod and
contact your craftsmen for advice or repair...
