Long before post-war synthetics like fiberglass (late '40s) and graphite (the '70s), bamboo had naturally lent itself to rod building. Because it was readily available but mostly because it had incredible tensile strength -greater than steel. Tonkin bamboo (Arundinaria amabilis) offered top quality cane. And it still does.

Many of us readily assumed that fiberglass and graphite replaced bamboo because of their greater strength. Not true: they break more easily and snap abruptly. A simple test, if you dare, will prove this. Lay down side by side a graphite and a bamboo rod. Now put a foot on each one... (btw glass and graphite shards are a health hazard).

The greatest advantage of graphite, like fiberglass earlier, turns out to be technological. Quick and relatively cheap to produce, graphite affords manufacturers greater quality control, along with a better profit. The rest is text-book marketing. Advertising in specialty mags. Glossy pics of trophy-bearing sports. Outdoor Show reps offering lookers a"feel" of their latest breakthrough. You don't need much more for everyone to believe graphite "fishes better".

In fact, the fishing quality of a rod has little to do with its base material if it lends itself to the job. That's why excellent examples of both graphite and bamboo rods can be found on the market or the web. Of course the opposite is also true: there's a lot of garbage out there. So good advice becomes priceless.

It's mainly the taper ( progressive fuselage of the blank from tip to grip) that determines the action of a rod. The rest is accessory and constitutes the look. A rod which achieves the best of these two attributes, whether it be graphite or bamboo, will cost more, as it should.

But a word to the wise: as in car buying, the ultimate decision can be highly subjective. Personally, I've chosen to believe a fly rod is always an investment while a car seldom is. Given a choice, I would rather travel by ox-cart than fish a lousy fly rod... That can really ruin the trip!

To find out if bamboo is for you, a little exercise in self-discovery can go a long way. What are you after, realistically? Tons of fish? Trophy fish? Wild fish? Wily fish? A nice mix?

If quantity tops the list, better forget fly-fishing altogether: Bait brings better results. If trolling is the preferred method of fishing, graphite is the best choice: bamboo will acquire a bad set (it deserves better). If hunting for tarpon, chinook or muskie is your thing, stick with graphite. A 9 to12wt cane rod starts to get a little heavy after lunch. But anything below an 8wt is rarely a problem: Graphite, bamboo, take your pick.

The taper of your rod will dictate its action aka "speed" or "flex". The greater the flex the slower the speed. Fast rods sell well these days. The point is often is made they "shoot line farther". They do. And that's great when you really need the distance. What is less often mentioned is the faster the rod the more useless it becomes. Put plainly, it's a rod for experts, and requires impeccable casting in order to be precise. If you're sight-fishing the Belize flats, fast is the ticket. Otherwise, a medium-action rod is a lot more useful.

Bamboo is seen as the stuff of legend. To be used only by wisened old fly-fishers. Actually bamboo is kids' stuff. Because of its slower action it is more forgiving and easier to master. If graphite is efficient, then bamboo is "alive". Its action is felt more directly and communicates line travel far better, even behind the caster when it is out of sight. Bamboo helps you become a better caster faster. So you can place your fly where you want, how you want, when it really counts.

Bamboo tapers were developped precisely to create rods fast enough for the vast majority of fishermen and fishing situations. Thousands of trials and tests were run in rivers and lakes before the master craftsmen could validate their mathemathical equations. Jealously kept, these formulas were used to bend bamboo to their will and take maximum advantage of it for their rod-building.

Split-cane rods reached something close to perfection at the hands of reknown masters like Payne, Garrison, Leonard... Over the years their meticulous tapers and techniques were quietly passed down to others so that today skilled artisans can recreate their art using a well documented tradition.

Art however is rarely mass-produced, and giving birth to a fine bamboo rod remains a solitary experience. Demanding, time-consuming and poorly paid. One needs the mind-set of an engineer, the endurance of a long-distance runner, the patience of a saint, the soul of an artist. Hardly surprising then there are so few split-cane rod-builders around today.

If you're lucky enough to meet one, get him talking about his work. You may end up loosing a few preconceptions, but you won't be wasting your time. Who knows, you might even consider the meeting as the first investment in your next fly rod.