available rods
The following five bamboo fly rod types are suitable for most fresh water trout fishing encounters in Australia. I have made, tested and fished the following rods and have prototypes of each on hand.
The new rods are made from select-grade Tonkin bamboo culms. The bamboo is hand flamed or oven tempered and hand-split, straightened with nodes dressed, then planed on Wagner planing forms.
All blanks are hexagonal split-bamboo, with splines glued with West System epoxy and finished with Birchwood Casey Tru-Oil. Rod guides, ferrules, reel seat components and rod bags are of the highest quality, supplied by Classic Sporting Enterprises (CSE). Nickel silver stripping guides are made to order by Perfect Europe Agate Guides, Poland.
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bamboo five
The following bamboo five are offered on commission, by negotiation.
Lake Rod 8' 2-piece ~ #6/7 weight
The Dickerson 8014G taper is a smooth, powerful, classic fly rod - instantly familiar and easy to cast. At 8' in length it can throw a 7-weight line with ease and is a truly great all-around rod. This rod taper is a reproduction of one of the all-time master rod makers, Lyle Dickerson. This is a no-nonsense fly rod for fishing on lakes where bigger fish and wind are encountered and longer casts are required. Tested with a Scientific Angler XXD WFF#7 with a 12' tapered leader, the 8014G is eminently capable of landing a dry fly, at distance, onto a rising trout or fishing wet flies and sinking lines.
River Rod ~ 7'6" 2-piece ~ #5 weight
The JJ 'Essential' is a ‘go-to’ designed as a staple fly rod, being a light-weight 4 ounces (with cap & ring seat) - good for all-day fly fishing and a versatile length, in a two-piece configuration. The Essential rod flexes right down to the cork grip, and is easy to cast, with plenty of reserve power. Ideal length and weight for LDL dry fly casting. Offered with a heavier second tip for wet fly fishing, the JJ Essential is a good all round bamboo fly rod.
Stream Rod 7'6" 2-piece ~ #4 weight
Drawn from the all-time favourite 'Perfectionist' taper by the legendary American rod maker Paul Young, this is an accurate fly rod for both rivers and smaller lakes for the astute fly fisher. This rod is an Ideal length and weight for LDL (long drift leader) dry fly river fishing where longer drift times are required on fast moving rivers. Similarly, a trout feeding on early morning Caenidae requires the most delicate of casts with light tippet on a floating fly line and over 15' tapered leaders - the Perfectionist will deliver on this requirement.
Creek Rod 6'6" 2-piece ~ #3 weight
Based on a classic taper, the Payne 96 is light-weight fly rod for delicate dry fly fishing on smaller streams or overgrown creeks. Ideally suited to a Yamame Japanese fly line, the Payne 96 produces a sweet accurate cast when throwing spinners and small grasshopper patterns. Eminently suited to side casting under overhanging bushes, fishing mountain creeks will become a joy with this fly rod.
Pack Rod 6'6" 3-piece ~ #6 weight
A pack rod designed specifically for hiking, yet equally suited to hopper fishing on lowland streams or dinghy fishing on highland lakes - inspired by the Orvis Rocky Mountain classic bamboo fly rod from the 1960’s. This is a light-weight yet tough little fly rod that can handle larger fish and equally capable of meeting conditions where punching into the wind is required.
James currently makes bamboo fly rods from his studio workshop in Tasmania - for more information please make contact via email. New bamboo fly rods take a minimum of four months to make from start to finish.
James Jones 2025