about the authors

Bamboo Fly Rods - Salmon Ponds Museum of Trout Fishing, Plenty

About the authors

Writing the first History of Australian Bamboo Fly Rod Makers is motivated by the current state of the literature, which is largely silent on the history of Australian bamboo fly rods, the makers, the rods produced and the influencing factors during each era. 

This web site reflects three years of modest, voluntary, ongoing research, information gathering and recording of remnant and contemporary bamboo fly rods, to provide the content that informs this history, from the early beginnings of bamboo fly rod making in Australia during the 1930's, to the present day.   

© David Hemmings, James Jones & Freddy von Reibnitz, 2025.

David Hemmings

David’s love of fly fishing began on the rivers and chalk streams of the UK, where he grew up. He emigrated to Australia in the 1980s, first to Sydney and then he moved south to the cooler climate of Tasmania, in 1999.  David Hemmings' love of bamboo fly rods began in 2006 after meeting Nick Taransky.  David attended a class with American master Jeff Wagner, in Ohio 2011.  

By 2014, with his interest in bamboo rod making growing, he augmented the inaugural bamboo rod gathering called Cressy Cane, at Peter Hayes' lodge on the banks of Brumbys Creek, in the northern midlands of Tasmania. His motivation for Cressy Cane was simply to celebrate the 'world of cane rod making' with like-minded individuals. Together with the rod making influence of Nick Taransky and the teaching skills of master caster Peter Hayes, the unique venue has provided a platform for accelerated learning and a generous sharing of knowledge.

James Jones 

James practised architecture in Australia from 1988 to 2023. He was introduced to fly-fishing by Noel Jetson at Cressy, Tasmania, some 30 years ago. James recently developed an affinity with bamboo fly rods, including making new rods from scratch as well as researching and conserving vintage rods. 

James currently makes bamboo fly rods from his studio workshop in Tasmania. The new rods are designed and tuned to Australian fresh-water fly fishing conditions. 

James made his first bamboo fly rod under the tutelage of renowned bamboo rodmaker, David Hemmings. He has attended a number of bamboo rod making 'conclaves' including Cressy Cane and Kiwi Cane, augmented by David Hemmings, Nick Taransky and Peter Hayes.

 Freddy von Reibnitz

Living in Canberra, Freddy has fly fished for over 50 years, mainly in southeastern NSW but also in Victoria and Tasmania, as well as in New Zealand, the UK and South Africa. He collects bamboo rods, and for the last 20 years or so he has fished almost entirely with bamboo, loves the feel of bamboo rods under load, and casting them on water or grass is for him a pleasure in its own right. 

A few years ago he completed Fly Fishing International's Fly Casting Skills Challenge to the gold level, probably one of the few crazy enough to do so using bamboo rods. Though not a regular rod maker he has made a couple of bamboo rods in Nick Taransky's classes, and fished with them.

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Acknowledgements

We extend our thanks to the many individuals and organisations (listed below) for providing pivotal information and knowledge for the project, along with those who made their rods available for recording as Australian made bamboo fly rods that make up the rod catalogue.

Jim Allen, David Anderson, Stuart Beal, Michael Bourne, Andrew Braithwaite, Ray Brown, Reece Carter, Peter Clayton, Rob Edwards, Jason Garrett (snr), Peter Hayes, David Honeybone, Robert King, Kevin Laughton, George Lincoln, Adrian Maroya, John McIntyre, Sean McSharry, John Miller, Tony Mockunas, Petrina Moore, Tim Munro, Geoff Newman, Chris O'Brien, Michael Parker, Chris Rose, Callum Ross, Stuart Rowland, Lee Ruth, Phillip Smith, Mike Stevens, Ian Stokes, Nick Taransky, Rodney Tonkin, Tim Urbanc, Tony Young, Christopher Zoppou,  Australian Fly Fishing Museum, Australian Fishing Museum, Ballarat Fly Fishers Club, Red Tag Fly Fishers' Club, Joseland Society, NSW Rod Fishers' Society, Tasmania Fly Tyers' Club, Victorian Fly Fishers' Association, Salmon Ponds Fishing Museum, Inland Fisheries Service (Tasmania), Tasmanian Museum & Art Gallery