People sometimes express surprise when they see someone fishing salmon or steelhead with a bamboo rod; they think the material is too delicate and fragile and not powerful enough for large, fast, strong fish such as these. I point out to them that there have been more salmon and steelhead landed with bamboo than ever will be on graphite, simply because that was the material available while the runs of these fish were still very strong as opposed to today's dwindling populations. In the fifteen or so years that I have been fishing salmon and steelhead, I have rarely fished anything but bamboo and have never damaged a rod by playing these fish. In fact, I have brought 80 lb.tarpon to the side of the boat using bamboo, also without incident. Follow the same directions for playing and landing fish outlined in 'care of bamboo rods' and there won't be any problem; you may even find as many have said that you will land a larger percentage of your hooked fish than if you were fishing graphite.

Dean River Steelhead hooked and landed with Brandin 897-2 HB S/Sdf rod with micro ferrule. The Fish took a Bomber dry fly and the reel is a single action '00' Bogdan.

Four Strip Rods

hollowbuilt

This is a rod designed for dry fly summer steelhead, also suitable for light atlantic salmon fishing using smaller flies. It handles a WF 7 line. As the rod below, it is wrapped translucent cinnamon and has the same fighting butt options. Either an up or down-locking aluminum reelseat or slide band design may be had.

This rod is nine and one half feet long in three pieces for a #9 WF line or #10 shooting head. It is moderately hollowbuilt for a strong, medium action to meet the demands of steelheading in coastal and Canadian rivers, especially when sinking heads, tips or Teeny type lines are required ot get the fly down. An uplocking aluminum seat is standard. It may be had with a permanent 2" fighting butt or a beautiful detachable fighting butt of 2, 4, or 6 inches. The wraps are translucent cinnamon.

FOUR STRIP SALMON / STEELHEAD ROD PRICES

-Two piece hollow-built rods: $4100

-Three piece hollow-built rods: $4,450

Six Strip Rods

hollowbuilt

When I know I will be fishing dry flies or hitched wets, I love to fish a lighter #7 line. It is perfect as a grilse rod when you also have a good chance of hooking a larger salmon, or of course as a light steelhead dry fly rod. Options are as on the rods above.

Prototype 896/7 S/Sdf showing shortest detachable fighting butt

This is my standard 2 piece steelhead or salmon rod for a #8 WF line. It is a bit faster action than the three piece rod below. Options are the same as for these other steelhead / salmon rods.

This is my three piece steelhead/salmon rod in six strip configuration for a #8 WF line. A good choice when a three piece rod is needed for general salmon or steelhead fishing. It has the same reelseat and fighting butt options as the rods above.

New re-designed reelseat / fighting butt configuration

SIX STRIP SALMON / STEELHEAD ROD PRICES

-Two piece hollow-built rods: $3,950

-Three piece hollow-built rods: $4,300