Graphite Vs Bamboo

[Jack Hise]

See what you've started chusha?

I think I can smell that Kansas feed lot clear over here in Tennessee!

[Midwest Custom Fly Rods]

so my answer as to whether bamboo or graphite makes for a "better" fly rod is akin to asking whether gentlemen prefer blonds or brunettes.

Redheads!

[Silver Creek]

Redheads!

That would be the fiberglass.

[butternut-tyer]

ok... I'm old and poor, but I have owned all three. I have fished all three and have been fly fishing for 30 years. If you look under my bed (yes I keep my rods (20) under the bed), they all lay vertical, they are all in tubes, they all have rod bags.................and they are all Fiberglass.

But I keep dreaming of a Bamboo beauty...

(see, that wasn't hard, I never said a thing about Graphite)

[chusha]

Thank you, one and all!
Very interesting discussion. More to consider than I imagined!
Yes, some do have opinions on this! Good, logical ones!
(Though some have firm opinions, the cordiality is uplifting.)
It now seems to me that it is one of those issues that has to be made for oneself.
Thanks again, the replies give me a base for my thoughts.
The benefits of multiple counselors shows in a great forum like this. Thanks!

[Silver Creek]

ok... I'm old and poor, but I have owned all three. I have fished all three and have been fly fishing for 30 years. If you look under my bed (yes I keep my rods (20) under the bed), they all lay vertical, they are all in tubes, they all have rod bags.................and they are all Fiberglass.

But I keeping dreaming of a Bamboo beauty...

(see, that wasn't hard, I never said a thing about Graphite)

Of course you mean horizontal and not vertical. Mixing up vertical and horizontal is common in fiberglass rod users and in gentlemen that prefer redheads.

[fritz]

great replies. I own 4 boos and 4 graphites. I'm trying to learn to cast with both arms, boo in one and graphite in the other, like Joan Wulff does in one of her casting videos.

[Wes]

over the years i've owned, fished, and caught with bamboo, glass, and graphite. the ability to cast a fly to the chosen target is the reward. not one single material improved the experience nor added more joy than the other.

[fishbum]

When designed within it limits, bamboo makes for a fine casting and fishing tool. But it cannot match graphite for elastic modulus, a measure of stiffness per weight. So graphite allows the rod maker to make long rods that are light enough to cast all day. You won't see any 10 ft 5 wt bamboo fly rods for sale because the nature of bamboo does not allow such a rod to be light enough to fish all day.

That is interesting about no 10' 5 wt bamboo rods for sale. I am a bamboo rod maker and the last eleven rods in a row I have made has been 10' 6" 8 weight and 9 weight rods. These were all in two-handed configuration except the last three which were made for single hand casting. These are some powerful "big sticks".

I have several big bamboo rods that I do fish all day long. The 10' 6" rods in both 8 weight and 9 weight, a 9' 9 weight and a little 8' 9" 8 weight. For the kind of fishing I do a 9' 9 weight graphite wears me out a lot more than the 9' 9 weight bamboo does. The rythem needed for the graphite fires up some tendonitus in my wrist and elbow. Don't have that problem with the bamboo.

I have several graphite and glass rods stashed overhead of the cealing in the basement where they have been for several years now. I don't see them comming out any time soon.

So, I guess it all boils down to perception. Those that preceve bamboo as heavy, slow, or clunky and those who are not taken in by all the marketing hype about super fast, super light, super long graphite.

There are only two kinds of rods out there, Fu-Fu that includes all graphite rods and bamboo rods below 8' 7 weight, and ther there are real fly rods. If a person is in the wimp, we-womp-, or bed-wetter group then I would suggest a Fu-Fu rod. The rest of us will fish real fly rods.

Don't anobody take any of this too serously. We can all have fun with whatever we fish with. Take your pick.

fishbum

[Bamboozle]

There are only two kinds of rods out there, Fu-Fu that includes all graphite rods and bamboo rods below 8' 7 weight, and ther there are real fly rods. If a person is in the wimp, we-womp-, or bed-wetter group then I would suggest a Fu-Fu rod. The rest of us will fish real fly rods.
fishbum

My 9'6" Leonard 8wt and I agree.