Frank Payne - Bamboo Rod Making Presentation and Demonstration

Frank Payne began building fiberglass and graphite fishing rods in the 1980’s and started making bamboo fly rods in 2015. Frank does not sell rods so is free to experiment with innovative techniques and components without concern about whether a potential buyer would approve.

Bamboo fly rods built by Frank have won several casting competitions including the Hardy Cup, Demarest Challenge and Bellinger Challenge.

The presentation will:

1. Demonstrate how bamboo rods are made starting with splitting a culm of “Tonkin Cane.”

2. Summarize the history of fly fishing tackle why fiberglass rods largely replaced bamboo in the 1950’s.

3. Discuss how advertising and articles often focus more on what is profitable for the tackle companies than what works best for the fishing customer.

4. Explain why bamboo fly rods are still relevant in today’s era of graphite and fiberglass and how they can be customized to fit any type of fly fishing.

Frank is a longtime member of Trout Unlimited, the Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum and the American Museum of Fly Fishing. He also belongs to the Catskill Fly Tyers Guild and Theodore Gordon Flyfishers.