100' cast with a bamboo rod

[oyster]

Just found out that I'm in the middle of some online controversy! Relax everybody, the guy abusing his poor Oyster rod and beat up old Peerless reel is the same guy who made the thing! I made this video when some graphite guys were raving about how bamboo could cast almost 60' in the right hands. I figured I could do better than that.

Yes, I did lay the outfit down a bit rough, but it was only out of relief from having finally stuck a good cast. I've had that reel for ten years, and one more scratch takes nothing from its fishability. I made the rod from a stalk of bamboo. I have NEVER broken a bamboo rod. If I do, I will fix it.

Yes, the yard is a bit sloped. It also rises behind me which made the backcast difficult, but whose counting right? No, I didn't throw my reel forward to measure from that point. The American Casting Club, etc. all measure from the feet to fly, and you'll notice I'm standing well behind the start of the tape when I made my cast. Yes, tournament casters and others have thrown heavier rods, and tournament style shooting lines great distances. I was only interested in throwing my little trout rod in my front yard - not in breaking any records. This was not my best or longest cast, just a pretty good one. I'm sure others can cast further, and I'm very happy for them.

For those interested in the casting. I find that I'm personally capable of about 10% less pure distance with bamboo than graphite. It's just not as powerful of a material. In order to gather up the same amount of energy, you need to let the rod bend deeper and load the rod through a longer arc. It takes practice then to be able to still keep a tight loop, and achieve great distances. As some have noted, this is not a fishing distance. I agree completely, but think it well illustrates that a bamboo rod is capable of anything that needs to be done inside fishing distances, and maybe a bit more.

Anyway, this was simply a little video to show what a pretty good bamboo rod can do in the front yard of a fairly decent caster. I hope you enjoyed it.

Bill Oyster

www.oysterbamboo.com