Whew! 10th straight year at The Fly Fishing Show in Charlotte, NC

Whew...we left the Oyster Bamboo Fly rod workshop for the Charlotte fly fishing trade show at 9:30PM on Friday after another insane week of bamboo fly rod building. We always take the entire family. That includes us, our 5 year old son, Cutter and infant daughter, Veronica, Yogi and the grandparents (our official groupies). No rest for the weary...after being stopped by the police and a six hour drive, we arrive at our hotel that smelled suspiciously like cat pee, opened the windows to air out the room (with 40 degree temperatures) settled in around 5AM only to be awoken by our son who crawled in our double bed with us and a baby girl whooping with croup! Bill and my father (he comes along as well) got up at 7AM to set up for the trade show that officially started at 10AM. Well...the show unofficially opened at 9AM. Friday was a busy day all things considered. However...then came the snow...Charlotte had a snow storm that evening. Lots of snow...lots of ice. As soon as Cutter found out that we were snowed in...he said, "I hope this hotel has room service!" Even though there was snow and ice, and a crowd of a dozen or so...somehow, Bill still sold several bamboo fly rods. Incredible...huh! That amazes me...really! How die hard are these guys?!?! It was so dangerous out there. The roads were pure ice and these fly fishermen voluntarily went to the show! I guess it's all worth it in the end. Trade shows are exhausting and fun at the same time. After 10 years at the same show, we have made real connections with clients and exhibitors alike. I look forward to each year at these trade shows (regardless of the snow or horrible hotel rooms)just to see everyone and so they can make jokes about Bill turning gray!

Here's what Bill looked like when we went to our first Charlotte show 10 years ago...

Here's what Bill looks like after building bamboo fly rods full time for almost 15 years, 2 kids and and lots of loooooong nights...




No, really. :)

another long day at the bamboo fly rod workshop...

...with the family and Yogi the bear. Blue Ridge is busy today and the sun is shining. Main Steet has a special energy.It's late and Bill's day is not even close to over. Trade show season is upon us so the days can only get longer...but who's complaining...life is good.

Oyster Bamboo speaks at Pisgah TU

We just returned from a quick trip to the Asheville area after speaking at the Pisgah TU chapter. Bill does an amazing presentation (my opnion, of course)on bamboo fly rods and the classes. We had a great turn out and made a new friend in Dr. Mike Dennis. We stayed with him while we were there and he was such a gracious host. He served us several gourmet meals, listened to great music, drank wine and talked New Zealand fly fishing. Our visit was wonderful! We meet so many people...so little time.

Greetings from Oyster Bamboo Fly Rod's HQ...this is the tale of one woman's journey into the bamboo fly rod building abyss.

That's me...standing in a river with my baby, 5-year-old son, Yogi the dog and husband, Bill Oyster.

How did this happen?

While growing up in the suburbs of Atlanta, there was no question that urban life was my only logical adult path. You know...city lights, concrete, loads of people, modern conveniences and great food. So, again, how did I end up in the mountains of Blue Ridge, Georgia standing in a river?

This diversion from city life started 17 years ago when I met Bill Oyster in Athens, Georgia and he "left" his fly rod in my car. We were married a few months later. Fast forward a few years...while Bill was reading aloud from a John Gierach book about fly fishing, he said, "I want a bamboo fly rod." I said, "Make your own."

That was it...Bill made his own bamboo fly rod and then another and another. People saw the rods, people loved them, people started purchasing them.

We were too young and dumb not to follow our hearts. So, I took over the paperwork while Bill made bamboo fly rods and started teaching bamboo fly rod making classes.

Over the past 17 years, I have been introduced to and fallen in love with the woods, nature and all she has to offer and the simple life and style of the river. Once we had children, our want to move to a more fitting environment became a need.

We currently live in the woods and have a full time bamboo fly rod making shop on Main Street in Blue Ridge, Georgia. Our family practically lives at that shop. We work so hard (for example...it's 1:10AM and Bill is varnishing a bamboo fly rod) but never take our life for granted. We still follow our hearts.