🍁Oyster’s October 6-11, 2025 bamboo fly rod making class welcomed 2 repeat students and eight new rod makers from all across the country. 🇺🇸
8️⃣ Gordon, here for Class #8, made a 7’6” 4WT. He enjoys the process and being able to “turn off” all week. Gordon’s grandkids will inherit this rod.
🇺🇸Tommy is Gordon’s son-in-law, and said that he “would rather fish with something he built than bought”. Tommy made an 8’ 6WT.
4️⃣ Jeff, from Maryland, was here for Class #4. Jeff crafted an 8’ 6WT and brought his friend, Mike to share the experience. It’s so fun to watch friends take this class together!
👥 Gary from Pennsylvania, brought his son Erik and his friend AL. Gary and Erik visited the workshop in Blue Ridge, GA, 10 years ago for Riley and Quinn’s wedding and knew then they would return for a class. Gary crafted an 8’ 5WT, and Erik made an 8’ 6WT.
🎋Al, also from PA, was here with Gary & Erik. Al made an 8’ 5wt.
🦀⚓️Mike from Maryland has two passions—woodworking and fly fishing. So, you could say he is Oyster‘s “target audience“. His friend Jeff talked him into attending the class. He built an 8’ 9WT #saltseries to fish in Texas and Florida.
⛰️John, from North Carolina, had a client who had attended a class, and he could not pass up the opportunity to make one himself. John grew up fishing his grandfather’s bamboo rods. He built an 8’ 5WT for the Carolina mountains.
🏞️Gary, from Michigan, says John pestered him into coming. He mostly has fished graphite rods but was excited to build an 8’ 5WT bamboo rod.
🎣Craig from Arkansas made a 7’6” 4WT to fish southern Missouri and northern Arkansas. He felt like this class was the next step after learning to tie his own flies.
💫 Keeping the craft Alive💫
💫Thank you all for choosing to spend the week at Oyster! We are all beyond grateful for your support of Oyster and most importantly…the craft of bamboo fly rod making! 💫