AboutDavid Rinker Rodmaker
My interest in using bamboo rods began during a visit to a fly shop in the Adirondacks in the early 1980s. At the time I had been fishing soley with graphite. As carbon rods became lighter and stiffer, I was losing the feel of the line in the cast. That day the shop owner began a conversation I hadn’t considered. It involved the merits of bamboo with its ability to store power and release it with little input. Most important, a greater connection between the rod , line, and myself.
He brushed the deer hair off his lap, adjusted his bear skin toupee, and walked me over to a rack of pretty rustic cane rods. He assembled them from what he claimed were random Wes Jordan Orvis impregnated blanks. He handed me a seven and a half foot five-weight and sent me to one of his secret spots on the Ausable. This is when I fell in love with the feel of bamboo. The rod was leading me through the cast. I traded my graphite stick for this rustic bamboo charm and haven’t looked back since. I wish Fran was still with us so I could thank him for starting my journey. The ferrule broke later that year, but that rod forever left its mark.
Photography by Jimmie Pederson
After 40 years of rod making, I am still fascinated by bamboo. My goal is to develop rods and components that work well for my fly fishing, from two-handed rods for salmon or steelhead to short, delicate trout tapers. I’ve explored both penta and hex designs. Each rod is a moment from my lifelong journey with bamboo; hopefully, they will work for you.
Bucks County PA
drinkr@verizon.net