First off, I'm a complete NOOB too the boo. I have building graphite rods and tying flies for about 8 years now. I consider myself fairly handy when it comes to building things, etc. I recently decided to go for bamboo. I started by buying a montague sunbeam on ebay with the intention of rebuilding it and fishing it. I took it out the other day to fish it and realized that it weighs a ton. After about 3 hours of nymphing my right hand was numb and my shoulder was shot. Is this pretty typical with boo rods? Are they normally so heavy that you are shot after a few hours of fishing?

Originally I wanted to start building bamboo rods... I spent some money and I started building planing forms and am now re-thinking the whole thing... is it the rod I bought? Do hollow bamboo rods help? Am I crazy? Any thoughts/encouragement/slaps would be appreciated.
Why did everyone switch to boo? My st. croix legend ultra felt like a feather after I switched... Is this what other people do as well? anyway, thanks for reading the rant....

thanks in advance....

chris

Those were about 8 1/2' and built for the mass market trade so don't expect a great little fishing stick. The weight is one reason that cane rods over about 7 1/2' aren't all that popular right now. Some makers have avoided the weight problem by hollow-building them; less cane=less weight. You could always chop it down and make a 6' banty 5 wt out of it--another popular option these days--Larry

It is more than likely just the rod you bought. Don't be discouraged by it at all. If anything see it as a valuable lesson and learn from it. It seems the trend in graphite is the rods are getting longer and longer. I usually need shorter rods because of the tree canopy, but you don't just have to fish short bamboo rods out of necessity. Even short rods can be cast at fairly long distances, and to be honest I don't think I have ever made a hook up at more than 40 feet.

So before you give up the idea of making your own I suggest you look at some tapers that might appeal your fishing situation and if at all possible actually cast some other bamboo rods.

Scott

Some of the old production rods are heavy and slow casting which makes them seem even heavier. I have a few 9 ft rods with faster tapers that I have no problem fishing for a 12 hr day. When you build the shorter rods with good tapers it's amazing how nice a boo rod can feel and cast. Try and find a bamboo rod gathering in your area or talk to a local builder that can let you try a few of the new bamboo rods that are being built today. I think you'll come away with a whole new view of what it's like to fish a boo rod.

Ken

Not the worlds finest fly rod. The Sunbeam was an inexpensive model and like most production rods of it's time was expected to do everything a fishing rod could be expected to do. Size 8 streamers to #18 dries and even worm dunking. Longer and heavier rods were also the standard.
But -- there is every possibility that you added to the difficulties. Since you are an admitted new commer to all that is bamboo, and since you have years of experience casting graphite, there is a very real possibility that you were trying to cast the rod the way you wanted--- not the way the rod wanted. If you do that, it will beat you up something terrible. You will be fighting with the stick on every cast. This is not the way of bamboo. To learn the way of bamboo, you must learn to let the rod make the cast. Every bamboo rod has its own rhythm. If we do not get in the way too much, and let the rod move with it's own rhythm, even a Sunbeam should cast surprisingly well. Also , once you stop fighting with it, you will find it takes much less effort and the rod will seem to weigh less.
As to your thoughts on building a modern rod. There are 50+ years of taper development between your Sunbeam and a modern bamboo rod. Also 50+ years of development of fishermen's taste. When your Sunbeam was made 6 and 7 wt lines were pretty much standard. The longer rods of 8 to 9 foot were better for flipping bucktails and worms. Today folks want a 4 wt, less than 7 foot, delicate, pinpoint presentation, and a quick ( for bamboo) dry fly loop. Something that will balance a 8X tippet and a #32 dry fly. And today it is available and in bamboo.
AgMD

Well, I feel better after reading those posts, and I truly appreciate them. My next question would be as follows, do people typically make dry fly rods and nymphing rods? I know a stouter rod does better for flipping lead (Uh, cough, cough, Tin I mean...) and a couple of flies than one that is designed for laying out dry flies.....do you all use a certain rod for certain fishing as well? I live in Colorado and fish the gamut..nymphing tailwaters in the winter and big river dries the rest of the time... My favorite graphite rod is my 7'3wt and that was one of the reasons I thought bamboo would be a good choice, short rods, almost unlimited choices for tapers, line wts, etc...

Your comments are much appreciated. My planing forms are ready for drilling and tapping.. and then on to more filing.. whoo hoo...

anyone have thoughts on a maiden taper?

A lot of people choose the Cattanach "Sir D" for their first taper. I did and I love it. It was a work horse for me last weekend swinging wet flies, nymphing, dry flies, and a big ol' wooly bugger. 7' 4wt.