Bambooflyguy
Life of the Party
So how cold of air temperatures do you fish your bamboo? No ice in the guides but pretty damn cold..... 
Brrrrrrr and bamboo
- Thread starter Bambooflyguy
- Start date
I fish my impregnated Sharpes spliced bamboo rods all through the winter. The Scots fished bamboo in February for spring salmon so why can't I fish my Sharpes in the winter when the river looks like this...
I think impregnated bamboo rods are impervious to cold. Not sure though about varnished bamboo and I admit I'm more cautious when ice is forming in the guides especially if I'm shooting line. I don't the guide to seize up on a forward cast of a strip retrieve and all the pressure to form on a sort section of rod.
My two favorite bull trout rods are a 9' varnished phillipsons and I've used then on several very cold days without mishap.
I think impregnated bamboo rods are impervious to cold. Not sure though about varnished bamboo and I admit I'm more cautious when ice is forming in the guides especially if I'm shooting line. I don't the guide to seize up on a forward cast of a strip retrieve and all the pressure to form on a sort section of rod.
My two favorite bull trout rods are a 9' varnished phillipsons and I've used then on several very cold days without mishap.
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Paige
Wishing I was fishing the Sauk
So what is the difference between impregnated rods and varnished rods?
Will let more expert minds weigh in but my understanding is this. Impregnated bamboo rods get a resin bath which allows the resin to saturate into the bamboo fibers which makes the bamboo waterproof and more sturdy. Varnished rods are dipped in a varnish tank. The varnish seals the outside of the bamboo but doesn't saturate the bamboo.
Varnish rods have a painted on finish. It's shiny and lovely and smooth when new...
but it's subject to cracking or chipping over time
Impregnated rods have a duller finish but the finish is baked into the bamboo so it can't chip or crack...
The impregnation is also supposed to make the bamboo a little bit stronger and less likely to take a set.
Impregnation adds an extra step to bamboo rodmaking so most rod makers don't do it. The ones that did were Orvis, Wright and McGill, Sharpes, Phillipson (sometimes) and Leonard (sometimes)...Purists think the impregnated rods aren't as pretty or as lively.
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I'm a huge fan of impregnated rods: like Dave pointed out, weather-proof, not prone to sets, indestructible finish, and, IMHO, plenty pretty with that nice satin look.
Action? Bunkum that they feel "dead" in the hand. Cast an Orvis Flea, 6-1/2' of 3wt delight weighing only 2oz, and you'll find enlightenment, my son.
Like Dave, my go to rod for light SWFF is a Sharpes, in my case a Scottie 88, just a fine, fine 5/6 wt. For heavier work, up to 8wt, I use an Orvis Battenkill 8-1/2 footer from 1950.
Winters in Central Italy are generally mild, so you don't get the tens of degrees centigrade below zero that you might experience, but once there's snow on the ground, it's cold enough for me!
Still, and finally getting to the question at hand, I've fished impregnated bamboo rods at temperatures of down to -5°C (23°F) with no problems at all.
Kenneth
Edit: Corrected spelling error
Action? Bunkum that they feel "dead" in the hand. Cast an Orvis Flea, 6-1/2' of 3wt delight weighing only 2oz, and you'll find enlightenment, my son.
Like Dave, my go to rod for light SWFF is a Sharpes, in my case a Scottie 88, just a fine, fine 5/6 wt. For heavier work, up to 8wt, I use an Orvis Battenkill 8-1/2 footer from 1950.
Winters in Central Italy are generally mild, so you don't get the tens of degrees centigrade below zero that you might experience, but once there's snow on the ground, it's cold enough for me!
Still, and finally getting to the question at hand, I've fished impregnated bamboo rods at temperatures of down to -5°C (23°F) with no problems at all.
Kenneth
Edit: Corrected spelling error
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For the most part I treat my bamboo rods like my MG, fair weather toys. I have fished my impregnated Cortland on the lakes with snow and shore ice, but usually opt for something else.
Well for me, at my age, my drive to get out and fish fails well before the temps are low enough for me to worry about my bamboo fly rods 
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It’s worth remembering that all the way up through the 40’s and into the 50’s all the winter steelheaders were using bamboo in all kinds of nasty cold weather.
I too fish and enjoy the sharpes 88 impregnated staggered ferrule bamboo rod. It's a great buy in the US because most US anglers don't know the Sharpes name. There's a sharpes 88 listed on the big auction site right now for approx $200 including shipping. The rod was designed for river fishing but I like mine for lowland lakes or Kamloops trout. Greg Armstrong uses his Sharpes 88 in the salt water. I liked the 88 so much I bought a Sharpes 85 and Sharpes 83...
...also have a 7'6" Sharpes scottie and 10' spliced, 12' spliced and 13' spliced Sharpes. Some day I'd like to write a book about Sharpes of Aberdeen.
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Bambooflyguy
Life of the Party
That’s true Greg......but those bamboo rods were new then and until fiberglass came out they were the fishin sticks! But the question now is unless you’re one of our talented makers.....are my old Hotrodz as brittle and cold as me?? I still have fiberglass or (gasp!) graphite to use.
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Do I fish bamboo in the cold? Heck yes. Took my sharpes 12' 8/9 spliced bamboo fly rod out today to swim some Silver Ladies down a loooong riffle.
The more things change the more they stay the same. Tried some new lines (OPST Commando head 425 Grain and Nextcast Winter Authority 55). Ditched them both halfway through the day for my tried and true Rio Midspey 8/9.
The more things change the more they stay the same. Tried some new lines (OPST Commando head 425 Grain and Nextcast Winter Authority 55). Ditched them both halfway through the day for my tried and true Rio Midspey 8/9.
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flybill
Life of the Party
Damn, now I need a Sharpes!! Will have to find the auction site.. Bamboo is tougher than graphite and I fish with it, weather not withstanding! Of course I prefer to fish dry's so that's the only reason I wouldn't fish my bamboo.. I'll break out my beach / streamer rod.. my Batson RX-8+!
There are lots and lots of Sharpes on the auction site. If you buy a two handed Sharpes I'd get something which is spliced. The 13 foot spliced rod is a heavy 16 ounces and will feel tip heavy on the swing unless you pair it with a heavy old reel. I fish mine with a 9/10 Gravity point spey and a 4.5" JW Young 10B or 4.25" Alex Martin Thistle.
The 12' spliced sharpes is lighter at 12 ounces but much rarer.
There are a couple Sharpes Eighty Eight 8'8" 5/6 weights on the auction site right now. The rod carries a 5/6 rating but I like mine better as a 6 weight.
I agree with Dave. If anyone is looking for a great all around 6wt bamboo rod, the impregnated Sharpes 88 is a great choice. I’ve fished mine mostly in the salt, but a bunch on mid sized rivers too.
Bambooflyguy
Life of the Party
Ok....let’s get back to the original question.
I fished last winter one day on the Fall River in Sunriver OR in blowing snow and a foot of snow along the banks. I used my "Payne 201" clone I had wrapped on a blank made by Jeff Pope. The rod held up just fine but I did not. That stage on the way home when numbness turns into pain is not fun. I'll try again in the cold but will need to figure out better ways to keep from freezing my extremities off, LOL.
I’ve never fished bamboo (impregnated and varnished) in real arctic-like conditions, but have fished them in freezing temperatures w/o any apparent damage. I don’t worry too much about.
Inspired, I took the Leonard 66H out today. A 5/6, it was super for throwing double bead indicator rigs and weighted streamers.
Forgot to roll the loop on a new leader in my fingers and it froze open.
Have to admit I had an identity crisis leaving the house.
Forgot to roll the loop on a new leader in my fingers and it froze open.
Have to admit I had an identity crisis leaving the house.
