Oyster welcomed 5 repeat makers and 5 new bamboo rod making students April 27-May 2, 2026.
6 days spent in beautiful Blue Ridge, Georgia, dedicated to making a bamboo fly rod entirely by hand.
Mike joined us from Pennsylvania for his 3rd class and brought his lifelong friend, Scott. Mike said the class is more than making a rod; it is crafting something by hand you can pass down. He built a 7’9” 5wt for his oldest granddaughter. See you soon!
Scott, was here with Mike, and joined us from Texas for his first class. Scott loves fly fishing and has never used a bamboo fly rod (until now). After hearing Mike say, “You have to fish bamboo,” Scott signed up and built an 8’ 6wt for trout fishing.
Jerry from Seattle, WA, was here for his 3rd class and rode with his friend, Bob. He enjoys Salmon fishing, but this time he crafted a 7’3wt bamboo rod for something a bit smaller.
Matt from Missouri attended his first class. He was given a bamboo rod as a child and has wanted to build his own ever since. Matt made a 7’6” 5wt for trout fishing. See you soon!
David joined us from Roswell, GA for his 2nd class. During his first class, David made a freshwater bamboo fly rod, so he decided to make an 8’ 9wt this time for saltwater fishing in South Carolina.
Alex, David’s son-in-law, drove down from Asheville, NC for his first bamboo rod making class. David introduced him to fly fishing. Alex—who works with his hands—enjoyed the experience of building an 8’ 9wt bamboo rod for saltwater fly fishing.
Duane joined us from Athens, AL for his first class and brought his son, Jon. He has always wanted to build his own bamboo rod and said he “wasn’t getting any younger” at 88 years old. Amazing. He crafted an 8’ 7wt bamboo fly rod.
Jon from Dayton, Ohio was here for his first class with his father, Duane. He enjoyed the experience of building a bamboo fly rod by hand and spending time with his Dad. Jon made an 8’ 6wt.
Harry from Outer Banks, NC joined us for his 2nd class with Bob and Jerry. He enjoys the experience of crafting a fly rod by hand and made a 7’6” 4wt.
Bob from Alaska said he drove “6,000 freaking miles” LOL! to attend his 2nd Oyster rod making class. He made an 8’ 9wt during his first class and, this time, built an 8’ 3wt bamboo fly rod for small streams.
Keeping the Craft Alive 💫
❤️Thank you ALL for spending the week here at Oyster. Your continued support of Oyster and the craft of bamboo fly rods is the highest compliment. Thanks y’all!