We offer Bamboo Fly Rod Making classes in our High Sierra Rod Company's main workshop located in Historic Angels Camp, California. You can make your own handcrafted split-bamboo rod for less than the cost of purchasing one! And there are very few things more rewarding than catching your first trout on your own, handcrafted bamboo fly rod!

Our five to seven day (some long days) classes typically start on Fridays and end in five to seven days. This way, students can minimize time off from work, etc. We typically like to have the students come by the night before to go over some of the basics, and to decide on a particular rod to build. Please call for recommended lodging options and class availability.

Alternatively, if the students would prefer a few more days, that and other possible modifications can be arranged in advance assuming there is no scheduling conflict and all students agree at no extra cost. The extra days can be used to completely finish you rod including varnish, wraps and reel seat installation.

If you would like to sign-up for a class, please give us a call to discuss the details. We do require a $200.00 non-refundable but can be rescheduled deposit at least 2 weeks prior to a class. Dates will be arranged in advance and we will try to accomodate your schedule.

The *goal is to produce a 2 piece, 1 or 2 tip rod blank complete with ferrules and cork grip. We will also provide you with the necessary hardware and thread to finish your rod at home, and you can come back and use our varnish dip tank once you are ready at no extra charge. If time permits, the blanks may also be varnished and ready for guide wraps.

Here is a subset of the topics that will be covered:

• Hands-on rod design using our RodDNA Rod Design and Analysis software
• Bamboo culm selection, flaming (for a darker color), hand splitting and tempering
• Bamboo node preparation and staggering
• Machine roughing of bamboo strips
• Planing form setup and planing of bamboo strips
• Gluing, binding and straightening of planed sections
• Blank clean up and straightening
• Ferrule preparation and fitting
• Cork grip gluing and finishing
• Varnishing of the rod (time permitting)

We try to accomodate students schedule, so please call to discuss class dates.