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"This is one of the best books for the aspiring rod maker or the old pro alike. This book is written so that you do not need an engineering degree in order to build a bamboo fly rod."--Bamboo Fly Rod Network

"This book is a well-illustrated presentation aimed at promoting the delicate art of creating bamboo fly rods. From the required materials to the most intricate techniques, Wayne Cattanach guides the rod maker along the path to producing the perfect featherweight rod."--Lie-Nielsen Library

The bamboo fly rod still represents the pinnacle of the fly-fishing art; its apparent simplicity and delicacy belie the craftsmanship and strength that are the hallmarks of all great rods. A growing number of people have tried to learn the art of making bamboo rods from a shrinking number of secretive craftsmen. The revised and expanded Handcrafting Bamboo Fly Rods is the definitive reference for beginners and experts alike. Wayne Cattanach begins by explaining the qualities that distinguish bamboo from all other materials: It has a tensile strength akin to steel, yet it is very light.
He describes the process that will take anyone from lengths of hard, raw bamboo to a beautiful finished rod with clear, step-by-step instructions and illustrations, including how to find the best supplies; select tools and materials; make heat treaters and binders; cut culms; straighten bamboo strips; plane and stagger strips; bind strips; apply finishes; mount the reel seat, ferrules, and tip-top; and much more. This is surely the most thorough book available for those who wish to make and fish with their own bamboo fly rods.

Wayne Cattanach has been making bamboo fly rods in Casnovia, Michigan, for over twenty years. He also writes articles regularly, and teaches rod making in seminars across the country.