reviews

Splitting Cane

By Scott Turner

Splitting Cane, by Ed Engle. Published by Stackpole Books. 256 pages in a 6 by 9 inch black-and-white format. 40 photos and illustrations. Available in hardcover for $29.95 from most major bookstores or online (google the title and author).

plitting Cane" is a slightly misleading title. This 200-plus page book by Ed Engle is not about how to make a bamboo rod, although a chapter near the end summarizes the steps to do so. Rather, this book is primarily a review of bamboo rods crafted by sixteen individuals who create or "make" (those constructing bamboo rods are referred to as "makers") fewer than 50 rods per year.

The craftsmen highlighted in Splitting Cane are from all over the country, but they have one common trait: they hand-make fine bamboo rods for a small but dedicated number of fly fishermen who appreciate the grace and beauty associated with casting and fishing cane fly rods.

Engle quotes Walt Carpenter, a Pennsylvania rod maker who contends, "We take a natural pole of grass, tear it apart, and then put it back together in a form we want, but it's still very natural. The only unnatural part is we've added a taper that's different from nature and some glue. That's it. We're really trying to complement nature. And a bamboo rod is a wonderful way to do that." Engle observes that the Pennsylvania rod maker has captured the essence of the art of building a bamboo rod.

Each of the first 16 chapters begins with the physical characteristics of a rod that best exemplifies a maker's style, along with a description of the way that rod casts. Most fly fishers will learn something about evaluating a fly rod, whether it is made of graphite or bamboo, through the author's description of his casting.

Each chapter also includes a conversation with the featured maker, enabling us to gain insights into the maker's philosophy and the influences that went into his rod making. We also get a glimpse of the actual methods used to produce these finely-built fly rods. It is surprising to hear that some professional makers still use only hand tools and spend upward of 60 hours on each rod.

The final four chapters of Splitting Cane include a trip to the Tonkin region of China, where the bamboo used to make almost all cane rods are grown. It's a fascinating chapter that reveals how much time and effort goes into harvesting and hand selecting each culm (stalk) of bamboo. Additional chapters include tips on caring for cane rods, as well as a detailed description about how modern fly lines cast on bamboo rods.

This book is a valuable resource for any bamboo aficionado or, frankly, anyone who has an interest in learning more about bamboo rods.

Bottom Line: Highlights the work of 16 cane craftsmen from around the country. If you love bamboo, you'll love th Reviewer Rating: 4

Scott Turner lives in Portland, Oregon, and is a "regular" on the Westfly Board.

Uploaded 02/17/2005.

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