Bamboo Fly Rods and Meatballs!

We are in the heart of bamboo fly rod making class season. And, while our days are long during the classes, we always find time at the end of each day to gather with our family and the students to talk about...well, a little bit of everything. The conversation usually starts with more bamboo talk then moves to fish which inevitably leads to talk of life in general. I am incredibly enthusiastic about participating in these conversations but eventually the students' stories take on a life of their own and I am left listening with fascination as these 6 completely different people become bamboo fly rod makers and friends. The final gathering (our graduation dinner) includes a meatball throwdown! Making meatballs is my zen. Sad but true. Our most recent class ended on Friday night and in addition to the meatballs, Cutter made a chocolate-filled cake-sized cupcake. He's so helpful. Even though they did not have advance plans to do so...the entire class ended up fishing together with their new bamboo fly rods yesterday. In fact, General Moen, one of our students, called early in the morning to say they were resting from catching so many fish! I love it!

The gang on grad night!
...not pictured...Riley...his head got cut off! Sorry Riles!

Top 10 Ways You Know You’re Married to a Bamboo Fly Rod Maker

A moment with the maker and Veronica in the workshop.

1. He grew a beard because it looks “more professional”.
2. Your coat closet is a varnishing room.
3. Bamboo shavings are are regular accessory.
4. When you fill out any type of general questionnaire, there’s never a box to check for profession.
5. When you DO tell people what you do for a living, they think you are kidding.
6. My father dropped the “ in-law” 16 years ago and simply introduces Bill as his son.
7. Your five-year old thinks a graphite rod belongs in his “Star Wars” toy sword collection.
8. Your infant’s pack and play is wedged under a workbench.
9. As a wife, understanding his need to create and make something with his hands that is an extension of himself and will outlive our time here on earth.
10. When the hatch is on... he is gone!

Bamboo Fly Rod Making...is it Art?

Do we call this a workshop or studio?

Cutter always tells people he wants to make bamboo fly rods when he grows up (and be an "army man", fireman and hero). Yesterday, a woman was in the shop and she asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up. Cutter quickly replied, "an artist." I said, "I thought you wanted to be a bamboo fly rod maker like daddy?" Cutter said, "I do, daddy is an artist." After gushing with pride over my son because of his word association, I started thinking about how dead-on he was about bamboo fly rod making being an art. Fly fishing is an art. Most of the fly fishers I know have two things in common...they are analytical and passionate people. Normally, life squeezes the artist out of us. I think that fly-fishing and subsequently bamboo fly rod making allows us to tap into that part of our heart that has always been there. We consider Bill an artist because of his talent and free hand engraving but it is clear (and often overlooked) that the making of a bamboo fly rod is a true art. Taking a piece of Tonkin Cane bamboo and sculpting it into an extension of one's fly fishing self is art. Life is art.

Snow, Bamboo Fly Rods, Classes, more snow...oh my!

So...a few days of snow in North Georgia is fun and charming. BUT, this winter has been brutal. It has snowed a lot this winter...a lot. My five year old does not even look up when it snows. However, snow or ice...Bill makes it to our bamboo fly rod shop and works. The kids and I usually stay home on those days because it's too dangerous on the roads. The shop is usually our second home and when we teach bamboo fly rod making classes it becomes our first home. We had a new group of six students in town last weekend and the workshop had incredible energy and everyone had such a good time. Really! Two of our students are back for the second and third time! The budding rodmakers stayed busy flaming, scraping and planing, Bill taught at full tilt, Veronica rolled around in her walker and Cutter tied flies! Yes, Cutter (who just turned 5) is our most gifted "Fly Tyer"! Some mothers are so proud of their child's academic or athletic achievement. This mother loves her son's passion for the fly.

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.