Make your own Bamboo Fly Rod
Held in Taihape, New Zealand and Tasmania, Australia
Rodmaking Classes with Nick Taransky
Fly fishing is a rewarding pursuit it its own right. Catching a trout with a fly that you’ve tied yourself, or a rod that you’ve made up from a blank can add another dimension to your fishing. Then imagine your satisfaction when you catch a fish on a bamboo rod that you’ve handcrafted yourself from a raw culm of bamboo! Long considered a “lost art” limited to a few makers, this is your opportunity to handcraft your own rod and become a bamboo rodmaker.
There are many separate processes that go into making a bamboo rod, but the course is structured to cover each step at a manageable pace. There is as much or as little help as you need to progress though each stage. No previous rodmaking or woodworking experience is necessary to attend the course - anyone can make a rod that they can be proud of and will be a joy to fish with. Each class is limited to four students, to ensure maximum knowledge transfer and one-on one tuition. Whether you decide to go on and make more rods, or just treat the class as a once in a lifetime experience, it will certainly be something to remember. You will leave the class with your own rod, ready to put the finishing touches on and fish with.
Each step of the rodmaking process can be achieved in different ways, from very simple had tooling, to total automation. While the course broadly follows my own approach to rodmaking, at each stage I ensure that at least one basic hand tool method is demonstrated. This is to enable those wanting to continue to make more rods get started with minimal cost and tooling.
Fly fishing is a rewarding pursuit it its own right. Catching a trout with a fly that you’ve tied yourself, or a rod that you’ve made up from a blank can add another dimension to your fishing. Then imagine your satisfaction when you catch a fish on a bamboo rod that you’ve handcrafted yourself from a raw culm of bamboo! Long considered a “lost art” limited to a few makers, this is your opportunity to handcraft your own rod and become a bamboo rodmaker.
There are many separate processes that go into making a bamboo rod, but the course is structured to cover each step at a manageable pace. There is as much or as little help as you need to progress though each stage. No previous rodmaking or woodworking experience is necessary to attend the course - anyone can make a rod that they can be proud of and will be a joy to fish with. Each class is limited to four students, to ensure maximum knowledge transfer and one-on one tuition. Whether you decide to go on and make more rods, or just treat the class as a once in a lifetime experience, it will certainly be something to remember. You will leave the class with your own rod, ready to put the finishing touches on and fish with.
Each step of the rodmaking process can be achieved in different ways, from very simple had tooling, to total automation. While the course broadly follows my own approach to rodmaking, at each stage I ensure that at least one basic hand tool method is demonstrated. This is to enable those wanting to continue to make more rods get started with minimal cost and tooling.
2024 Dates
New Zealand 2024 - Taihape $2875 NZD inc GST
Ex Taihape, all tools and materials, and a Bamboo Fly Rod of your own to take home
Meals and accomodation not included
Class 1: 11-15th March
Class 2: 25-29th March
Class 3: 8-12th April
Class 4: 19-23rd November
Contact Me for more information
New Zealand 2024 - Taihape $2875 NZD inc GST
Ex Taihape, all tools and materials, and a Bamboo Fly Rod of your own to take home
Meals and accomodation not included
Class 1: 11-15th March
Class 2: 25-29th March
Class 3: 8-12th April
Class 4: 19-23rd November
Contact Me for more information
2025 Dates
Australia 2025 - Tasmania - Hayes on Brumby's, Cressy
TBA
New Zealand 2025 - Taihape
TBA
Contact Me for more information
Australia 2025 - Tasmania - Hayes on Brumby's, Cressy
TBA
New Zealand 2025 - Taihape
TBA
Contact Me for more information
What you get for your investment
What you will learn
COURSE OUTLINE
You will begin with a raw, 12 foot long piece of Tonkin Cane…
The main processes covered will be:
Notes
(**1) For those planning to continue rodmaking, advice one where to source rodmaking tools, materials and components is given
(**2) A large amount of repetition is required to complete all 12 strips at this point in the process. You will complete these tasks from start to finish for 3 strips. These 3 strips are then supplemented with 9 strips, semi-prepared to a straightened, sanded, roughed out stage, for you to continue with all of the fine detailed planing work and subsequent stages. This means that you cover all steps of the process, while allowing you to focus on quality, rather than rushing through a large amount of repetition.
(**3) Because of the time needed for varnish or oil to dry, the final finishing will be completed in your own time after the course. We will have plenty of time to go over and practise finishing options and guide wrapping and varnishing, and you will be provided with guides and thread to finish the rod.
- A beautiful bamboo rod that you have made yourself, to take home, fish, and maybe one day hand down to your children!
- All materials to make a 2 piece, 1 tip bamboo fly rod
- Use of all tools needed to make your rod (**1)
- 5 days of hands-on rodmaking under the instruction of Nick Taransky
- Comprehensive Course Notes, including references for future rodmaking projects
- Learn new and lifelong woodworking skills in making your rod
- Course Certificate
- Course photographs of you making your rod
- Meet other budding rodmakers and make new friends with a shared passion
- Have a lot of FUN!
What you will learn
- How to make a bamboo rod, of course! But more… You'll also learn about:
- Tonkin Cane – “The Rodmakers Bamboo” – why it is the chosen bamboo for most fly rods
- Madake Bamboo and other species of bamboo that can also be used for rodmaking
- Different types of rod tapers and how to design your own
- The history of bamboo rods, including some famous makers and their contributions to rodmaking
- Alternative rod configurations - traditional 6-sided hex rods, 4-sided quads, 5-sided pentas and others
- Where to get more information for further rodmaking
- How to cast and fish with bamboo - some bamboo specific tips and techniques
- How to care for bamboo rods, including maintenance and minor repairs
COURSE OUTLINE
You will begin with a raw, 12 foot long piece of Tonkin Cane…
The main processes covered will be:
- Culm Selection
- Culm Cutting to Rod Section Lengths
- Flaming (and learn about other heat treating methods)
- Node Filing
- Splitting the bamboo into strips
- Straightening strips (**2)
- Enamel removal (**2)
- Rough Planing (**2)
- Final accurate planing into tapered splines
- Glueup of planed splines into a blank
- Making a cork grip
- Prepping and fitting ferrules
- Fitting the reelseat and grip
- Varnishing/finishing (several options will be covered) (**3)
- Guide and tiptop prep, wrapping and varnishing (**3)
- … And finish with a beautiful bamboo rod of your own!!!
Notes
(**1) For those planning to continue rodmaking, advice one where to source rodmaking tools, materials and components is given
(**2) A large amount of repetition is required to complete all 12 strips at this point in the process. You will complete these tasks from start to finish for 3 strips. These 3 strips are then supplemented with 9 strips, semi-prepared to a straightened, sanded, roughed out stage, for you to continue with all of the fine detailed planing work and subsequent stages. This means that you cover all steps of the process, while allowing you to focus on quality, rather than rushing through a large amount of repetition.
(**3) Because of the time needed for varnish or oil to dry, the final finishing will be completed in your own time after the course. We will have plenty of time to go over and practise finishing options and guide wrapping and varnishing, and you will be provided with guides and thread to finish the rod.
Testimonials from Previous Classes
This is the most enjoyable formal education that I have ever participated in. Your class took me away from the rigours and hum drum of my day to day life and transported me to a fishing lodge on the edge of a creek. I was then immersed in a creative and meditative space that is good for my soul. With your patient and connected tutorlidge I created a fishing rod that will be a family heirloom. I can't wait to do next years class with my partner or sibling.
I knew nothing about bamboo rods before doing this course. I had never fished with one, and I didn't know the first thing about the legendary bamboo rod makes whose tapers I was about to replicate. I signed up because the idea of making something I will use appealed to me. I left the course with a beautiful hand crafted rod that is one thou of an inch to the specs and has my mark of appreciation and respect in every fibre that runs through it. I am in awe at how quickly I bonded with a culm of bamboo and I'm really quite proud of myself :-D
Nick’s combined level of expertise and instructional abilities made for a pleasurable learning environment. I was constantly impressed with his ability to present information and demonstrate the different aspects of the rod-building process in a comprehensive, yet easy to understand manner. Nick’s passion for his craft was contagious and I thoroughly enjoyed my immersion into the world of bamboo.
Nick was so giving of his time and experience, which has expedited the rod- building process enormously. It would be possible to build a bamboo rod using books and video tutorials, but it would take years of trial and error, mistakes and frustration before you could even begin to approach the quality of the rods we built during the week with Nick.
The combination of Nick’s rod building experience and Peter’s casting tuition in a purpose designed location, made for a thoroughly engaging and immersive experience. It was brilliant to be able to try a variety of bamboo rods, practice casting and even catch fish in the casting pool, while at the same time building our rods.
When I enrolled in the bamboo rod making course with Nick I thought that it would be nice to make a bamboo fly rod to cross that item off the bucket list. About half way through the five days of the course I realised that this original expectation was being rapidly overtaken by a genuine enthusiasm to build another rod after this one (and possibly another one after that). Nick made the whole process thoroughly understandable and enjoyable, even for a complete novice like me. I’m really looking forward to putting my lovely bamboo rod to work on some of the local streams.
I can finally call myself a 'Rod Maker' and not just a 'Rod Builder' thanks to Nick!
Nick Taransky is a magician who can make bamboo do anything . He is also a top bloke to spend time with. If you would like some of his magic to rub off on you, sign up for one of his rod building courses. You will not regret it.
Nick provides a fantastic experience in learning to craft a bamboo rod, and the finished rod is of a quality that far exceeded what I thought was achievable from a first time rod maker.
Nick is a great teacher who is very professional and very passionate about the rods he makes. He gave me an enormous appreciation of what it takes to be a skilled tradesman. He is keeping the lost art of making beautiful things by hand alive.
Nick is passionate about bamboo rods, is a very skilled craftsmen and loves to teach and pass on his knowledge. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of the class.
I would like to thank Nick Taransky for the opportunity to attend his Bamboo Rod making course at Cressy Oct 2018 as it was the highlight of the year. Nick is a wonderful teacher of the craft and I would recommend to anyone interested in making a Bamboo Fly Rod to attend one of his classes.
I think the course was a fantastic success. I think my rod looks pretty good and I thank you so much for showing me how to do it. You are a great artisan and a great teacher with a lot of patience and a great sense of humour. I don’t think you should change anything. The course is perfect for introducing people to cane rod building.
I was very apprehensive when I signed up for the course, I wasn’t sure how someone with limited experience and even less dexterity could build a rod of acceptable quality. The course was great fun and the result is superb.
I found the course enormously stimulating, giving me a real hands on feel for the step-by-step process of creating a beautiful rod that performs even better than I'd hoped. A lovely process and outcome.
This is the most enjoyable formal education that I have ever participated in. Your class took me away from the rigours and hum drum of my day to day life and transported me to a fishing lodge on the edge of a creek. I was then immersed in a creative and meditative space that is good for my soul. With your patient and connected tutorlidge I created a fishing rod that will be a family heirloom. I can't wait to do next years class with my partner or sibling.
I knew nothing about bamboo rods before doing this course. I had never fished with one, and I didn't know the first thing about the legendary bamboo rod makes whose tapers I was about to replicate. I signed up because the idea of making something I will use appealed to me. I left the course with a beautiful hand crafted rod that is one thou of an inch to the specs and has my mark of appreciation and respect in every fibre that runs through it. I am in awe at how quickly I bonded with a culm of bamboo and I'm really quite proud of myself :-D
Nick’s combined level of expertise and instructional abilities made for a pleasurable learning environment. I was constantly impressed with his ability to present information and demonstrate the different aspects of the rod-building process in a comprehensive, yet easy to understand manner. Nick’s passion for his craft was contagious and I thoroughly enjoyed my immersion into the world of bamboo.
Nick was so giving of his time and experience, which has expedited the rod- building process enormously. It would be possible to build a bamboo rod using books and video tutorials, but it would take years of trial and error, mistakes and frustration before you could even begin to approach the quality of the rods we built during the week with Nick.
The combination of Nick’s rod building experience and Peter’s casting tuition in a purpose designed location, made for a thoroughly engaging and immersive experience. It was brilliant to be able to try a variety of bamboo rods, practice casting and even catch fish in the casting pool, while at the same time building our rods.
When I enrolled in the bamboo rod making course with Nick I thought that it would be nice to make a bamboo fly rod to cross that item off the bucket list. About half way through the five days of the course I realised that this original expectation was being rapidly overtaken by a genuine enthusiasm to build another rod after this one (and possibly another one after that). Nick made the whole process thoroughly understandable and enjoyable, even for a complete novice like me. I’m really looking forward to putting my lovely bamboo rod to work on some of the local streams.
I can finally call myself a 'Rod Maker' and not just a 'Rod Builder' thanks to Nick!
Nick Taransky is a magician who can make bamboo do anything . He is also a top bloke to spend time with. If you would like some of his magic to rub off on you, sign up for one of his rod building courses. You will not regret it.
Nick provides a fantastic experience in learning to craft a bamboo rod, and the finished rod is of a quality that far exceeded what I thought was achievable from a first time rod maker.
Nick is a great teacher who is very professional and very passionate about the rods he makes. He gave me an enormous appreciation of what it takes to be a skilled tradesman. He is keeping the lost art of making beautiful things by hand alive.
Nick is passionate about bamboo rods, is a very skilled craftsmen and loves to teach and pass on his knowledge. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of the class.
I would like to thank Nick Taransky for the opportunity to attend his Bamboo Rod making course at Cressy Oct 2018 as it was the highlight of the year. Nick is a wonderful teacher of the craft and I would recommend to anyone interested in making a Bamboo Fly Rod to attend one of his classes.
I think the course was a fantastic success. I think my rod looks pretty good and I thank you so much for showing me how to do it. You are a great artisan and a great teacher with a lot of patience and a great sense of humour. I don’t think you should change anything. The course is perfect for introducing people to cane rod building.
I was very apprehensive when I signed up for the course, I wasn’t sure how someone with limited experience and even less dexterity could build a rod of acceptable quality. The course was great fun and the result is superb.
I found the course enormously stimulating, giving me a real hands on feel for the step-by-step process of creating a beautiful rod that performs even better than I'd hoped. A lovely process and outcome.
Your Instructor
Nick Taransky has been a full time bamboo rodmaker since 2004. He has made hundreds of rods, and has been teaching rodmaking and sharing his knowledge in the craft over this time. Since 2015, Nick has run live-in rodmaking classes at Hayes on Brumbys, Cressy, Tasmania. These have been a resounding success. We have had several repeat students (also planning to return for a third year), as well as a number who have used their new skills to continue making wonderful rods on their own.
Nick Taransky has been a full time bamboo rodmaker since 2004. He has made hundreds of rods, and has been teaching rodmaking and sharing his knowledge in the craft over this time. Since 2015, Nick has run live-in rodmaking classes at Hayes on Brumbys, Cressy, Tasmania. These have been a resounding success. We have had several repeat students (also planning to return for a third year), as well as a number who have used their new skills to continue making wonderful rods on their own.