Customer Reviews

A Master's Guide to Building a Bamboo Fly Rod

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This book has probably kept more people from making a bamboo rod than any other work. It is a great book, just don't buy it thinking that it will teach you how to make one. It is not an instruction manual, but rather documentation of how Garrison made his rods. No question that Garrison set the standard for many aspects of rodmaking, but this is the book t0 read AFTER you read Maurer and Elser, or Cattanach, or The Lovely Reed.

As a young engineer,I purchased this book in 1977 when it was first published. Now the book is the most referenced resource for construction of fine bamboo rods and is considered a bible. Today, Garrison rods sell for over $10,000. The man took so much care to build a precise instrument yet it performs as a work of art. The hand drawings of tools, parts and processes are reflections of past pride and craftsmanship compared to today's CAD computerized presentations of parts and plans. Garrison, as a structural engineer, presents the theory of cane rods; how they work and are designed. While it may be unimportant or even intimidating to some, the organization and presentation of graph and calculation sheets are impressive even to an engineer now with over 40 years of experience.

If you are interested in how cane rods are hand built, this book will answer everything. If you are interested in building rods yourself, it is incredibly helpful. It takes time and patience to go through the process in detail. It is not "Bamboo Rod Making 101". This is graduate school stuff but well worth the time and energy.

I bought this book back in 1977, and it helped me repair several old fly rods I was using at the time. I never did build one from start to finish, but learned a lot about what goes into making a fly rod up. Garrison's book helped me correctly attach ferrules and repair broken and split rod ends. I still enjoy looking at it today.

Garrison's book is one of the seminal references for anyone who endevours to build bamboo fly rods. It's also a great read for anyone who enjoys cane rods. Though I may never have the chance to cast a Garrison, I've gained a much greater appreciation of the care and craftsmanship that he invested in each of his rods.

Plus, it's a nice green color and looks impressive on a bookshelf.