Crafting a Bamboo Fly Rod

My name is Scott Nilsson and I have fly fished since 1972. As many of you know, this sport can reward an individual in a variety of ways. As does a river, the rewards of fly fishing change over the years and also offer different opportunities. In my case, this sport gave it's greatest gift by allowing me to make new friends and offering me the opportunity to grow through experimentation. I no longer center my attention on catching the biggest fish, most fish, etc. I Instead, spend time studying special circumstances which make trout take a fly, and more importantly, enjoying my surroundings while out on the water. My discovery of the bamboo fly rod has been the most pleasurable event in fly my fishing life, scenery not withstanding. It was this discovery that led me to make bamboo fly rods. I graduated from the University of California with a degree in economics in 1970. I had never been satisfied working in the corporate world which this background could provide. I sought a more meaningful contribution that would leave a legacy to others on my behalf. This would satisfy my desire to fulfill the long burning creative desire I had within me. I now am a bamboo fly rod maker. Thanks to the encouragement of a retired fish biologist friend of mine, I pursued this endeavor. I also owe many thanks to the encouraging and non selfish help that I received from numerous bamboo fly rod craftsmen. They have already achieved the fame that I will someday have. I have concentrated on making bamboo fly rods that are a pleasure to cast, and can be proud to be owned by their recipients Cosmetically my rods are excellent, but I do not concentrate on cosmetic appointments such as engravings, inlays and the like. I feel that these appointments, although having superb aesthetic value, tend to create a fear within their owner to put such a fly rod to practical use.