Oyster Bamboo Fly Rods

05/29/2026

Oyster’s May 11-16, 2026 bamboo rod making class brought back 5 repeat rod makers & welcomed 5 new students that spent 6 days in Blue Ridge, GA, dedicated to making a bamboo fly rod by hand. 

May in Blue Ridge is absolutely gorgeous & there may have been bourbon involved.

* 9️⃣Gordon joined us for his 9th class. He said, “Every day I work at something; this week is about working on a bamboo rod.” With each class he attends, he understands the process a little more. Gordon crafted a 7’6” 4wt for smaller trout streams. See you soon!

* 2️⃣Tom was here from the United Kingdom for his 2nd class. His first class was in 2007 during the “basement years”. He decided to build an 8’ 7wt rod to fish Sea Run Brown Trout.

* Colin traveled from OR to attend his 1st Oyster rod-making class. He enjoys fly fishing for Cutthroat Trout. He crafted a 7’9” 4wt as his versatile rod for Oregon rivers.

* Byron joined us from Milledgeville, GA for his 1st class. He visited Oyster’s brick-and-mortar in downtown Blue Ridge, GA & signed up. He built a 7’9” 5wt for North GA waters.

* 3️⃣Clay from Tallahassee, FL attended his 3rd class. Clay said, “Trust the process. When you catch a fish on a bamboo rod you made by hand, there is nothing like that feeling.” He decided on an 8’ 8wt. See you soon!

*Jeff was here from Hilton Head, SC for his 1st class. He retired & decided to focus on woodworking & doing things he enjoys. Good for you, Jeff! He made an 8’ 9wt for saltwater, primarily for Redfish (Bill and Riley’s unhealthy preoccupation). See you soon!

*2️⃣Stan & 1️⃣Cheryl were here from Chapel Hill, NC. When Cheryl saw Stan’s 1st rod, she immediately signed up. Cheryl made an 8’ 5wt for trout fishing & said Oyster’s workshop reminded her of woodworking with her father when she was a child. Stan built an 8’ 9wt.

*2️⃣Jim from Aransas Pass, Texas, joined us for his 2nd class. He keeps coming back to make heirloom bamboo rods for his grandsons. This time he made an 8’ 9wt.

*Randy joined us from AL for his 1st class. He has been fly fishing since he was a child, so his wife gave him the class as a gift. Randy said he

05/28/2026

Oyster welcomed 5 repeat makers & 5 new bamboo rod making students April 27-May 2, 2026.

6 days in beautiful Blue Ridge, GA, dedicated to making a bamboo fly rod entirely by hand.

•3️⃣Mike joined us from Pennsylvania for his 3rd class & brought his lifelong friend, Scott. Mike said the class is more than making a rod; it is crafting something by hand you can pass down. He built a 7’9” 5wt for his oldest granddaughter. See you soon!

•Scott, was here with Mike, & joined us from TX for his 1st class. Scott loves fly fishing & has never used a bamboo fly rod (until now). After hearing Mike say, “You have to fish bamboo,” Scott signed up & built an 8’ 6wt.

•3️⃣Jerry from Seattle, WA, was here for his 3rd class & rode with his friend, Bob. He enjoys Salmon fishing, but this time he crafted a 7’3wt bamboo rod for something a bit smaller.

•Matt from Missouri attended his 1st class. He was given a bamboo rod as a child & has wanted to build his own ever since. Matt made a 7’6” 5wt for trout fishing. See you soon!

•2️⃣David joined us from Roswell, GA for his 2nd class. During his first class, David made a freshwater fly rod, so he decided to make an 8’ 9wt this time for saltwater fishing.

•Alex, David’s son-in-law, drove down from Asheville, NC for his 1st rod making class. David introduced him to fly fishing. Alex—who works with his hands—enjoyed the experience of building an 8’ 9wt for saltwater fly fishing.

•Duane joined us from Athens, AL for his 1st class & brought his son, Jon. He has always wanted to build his own bamboo rod & said he “wasn’t getting any younger” at 88 years old. Amazing. He crafted an 8’ 7wt.

•Jon from Dayton, OH was here for his 1st class with his father, Duane. He enjoyed the experience of building a bamboo fly rod by hand & spending time with his dad. Jon made an 8’ 6wt.

•2️⃣Harry from Outer Banks, NC joined us for his 2nd class with Bob & Jerry. He enjoys the experience of crafting a fly rod and made a 7’6” 4wt.

•2️⃣Bob from Alaska said he drove “6,000 freaking miles” LOL! to attend his 2nd Oyster rod making class. He built an 8’ 3wt bamboo rod.

05/05/2026

We would like to recognize Oyster Bamboo Fly Rods today! ✨ Oyster Fine Bamboo Fly Rods is a 2026 Commitment to conservation recipient. They have implemented sustainable practices such as using bamboo, a renewable natural resource that grows back quickly with little need for extra resources, for their fly rods.

They partner with local businesses to promote responsible practices and offer internships teaching craftmanship and how to use natural materials responsibly giving students a sense of community and pride in the county's resources.

Oyster's shopping bags are reusable and their unused materials are recycled.
Every level of their building is equipped with a water cooler to help minimize plastic usage.

Thanks for making the commitment to conservation!

05/04/2026

Welcome Oyster’s April 13–18, 2026 bamboo fly rod making class. We welcomed 6 repeat students and 4 new rod makers.

Six days in Blue Ridge, Georgia, dedicated to making a bamboo fly rod entirely by hand.

* 3️⃣5️⃣ “It’s not just the rod that keeps me coming back; it’s the friends I’ve made along the way.” John was here for his 35th bamboo fly rod making class and built an 8’ 10wt for striped bass fishing. He says his confidence has increased with each fly rod making class he has attended. See you soon!

* 9️⃣ Randy from Roswell, GA joined us for his 9th class; he also built an 8' 10wt for striped bass. His first class was in 2012 and was a birthday gift from his wife. He says the biggest differences between his first class and now are building more connections with people, the classes growing from 6 students to 10, and watching Oyster grow as a company. See you soon!

* Wyllys joined us from Alabama for his first class with Oyster Bamboo. He signed up in our shop in beautiful downtown Blue Ridge last year. He decided on an 8' 5wt for trout fishing. Wyllys said the best part of his week was feeling welcomed and at home by everyone.

* 2️⃣ Ethan was back for his 2nd class; he splits his time between Blue Ridge, Georgia and Atlanta. His wife signed him up for his first class after walking by Oyster’s brick-and-mortar and talking to Bruce in the showroom. He said he had a heck of a week and this time he had more confidence in building his fly rod. He made an 8' 9wt bamboo rod for saltwater fly fishing.

* Zach from Tampa Bay, FL, attended his first class after hearing his dad speak highly of the week. He said the best part was working with his hands without having to be at work. Zach built an 8' 8wt for saltwater.

* 2️⃣ Chris joined us from Virginia for his 2nd class and brought his sons, Josh and Mason. Fun fact: Chris’s first class was with Randy. Chris said this time he was less worried about perfection and more focused on enjoying the experience with his sons. He built an 8' 9wt for saltwater fishing.

* Josh from Charleston joined us for his first class and also built an 8' 9wt. Josh said the best part of his week was spending time with his family and meeting new people.

* Mason was here from Buffalo, NY, with his dad, Chris, and brother Josh. He built an 8' 7wt to fish in New York. Mason enjoyed having creative freedom while building his first bamboo fly rod.

* 9️⃣ Clark from Canton, Georgia, was here for his 9th class and built a 7' 3wt for small streams. Clark noted the biggest differences between his first class and now are the class size—8 students versus 10—and enjoying classes with old friends while making new ones.

* 7️⃣ Steve joined us for his 7th class from Santa Rosa, California. His first class was a gift from his wife. This time he built an 8' 6wt. He said each class is more fun and his confidence is increasing. See you soon!

💫 Keeping the Craft Alive 💫

❤️We are honored you joined us and spent the week here at Oyster. Your continued support of Oyster and the craft of bamboo fly rods is the highest compliment. Thanks y’all!

04/23/2026

“Bamboo is traditional; it’s old-school, and it’s handmade. The first thing people notice is the artistry behind it. All the fine, intricate metalwork somehow makes it better. I think the customer can feel that.”







💫 Handcrafted for your lifetime... An heirloom for future generations 💫

04/23/2026

This Saturday during Trout Fest!

Join us at Oyster Bamboo Fly Rods on April 25, 2026 from 2-4pm for bamboo fly rod casting, workshop tours, and beverages.







💫Handcrafted for your lifetime…An heirloom for future generations💫

04/23/2026

04/16/2026

✨Join Us for another Epic Oyster Bamboo OPEN HOUSE✨

⏰ WHEN: April 25TH (Saturday of Trout Fest!)
2-4 PM

🕋 WHERE: Oyster Bamboo Workshop
494 East Main Street
Blue Ridge, Georgia 30513
706.374.4239

CAST ✨ Cast A Bamboo Rod from Oyster’s Personal Collection

HANG ✨ Hang with the Gang & take a Workshop Tour

PARTAKE ✨ Beverages and BBQ

🎞️ Stinger…The Plot Thickens at the Oyster Shop…Come check out Oyster’s New Good Good. 🤫







Handcrafted for your lifetime…An heirloom for future generations

04/15/2026

“You’ve got to make that fly look exactly like what they’re used to eating, or they just won’t do it. You need a delicate presentation. You need fine control of your drift, and the supple, flexible nature of the bamboo rod is ideal for that.“







Handcrafted for your lifetime…An heirloom for future generations

04/10/2026

☀️ Welcome Oyster’s March 23–28, 2026 bamboo fly rod making class. We welcomed 6 repeat students and 4 new rod makers. ☀️

🏔️ 6 days in Blue Ridge, Georgia, dedicated to making a bamboo fly rod entirely by hand.

2️⃣8️⃣👑 Kathy from Birmingham, AL was here for her 28th class! TWO-EIGHT! She called the class “addictive.” This time, she crafted an 8′ 6wt for herself. See you soon! 😉❤️

3️⃣ Cliff joined us from Michigan for his 3rd class. He signed up for this week specifically to attend with Kathy. He built a 7′9″ 6wt to fish the Hex Hatch in July.

3️⃣ Mark was here from Murfreesboro, TN for his 3rd class. He says, “It is one of those things you keep doing; it just feels right to leave with something handmade.” Mark built an 8′ 4wt this time. See you soon! 😉

2️⃣ Stan from Dacula, GA was here for his 2nd class. Stan says the class experience is “awesome”; he enjoys creating a rod from a raw stalk of Tonkin bamboo. He decided on a 7′6″ 4wt for smaller streams.

🌽 Jim and Marilyn joined us from Wheaton, IL. This was Jim’s 2️⃣class and Marilyn’s 1st. They enjoyed the experience and spending a week with new people. Jim crafted a 7′9″ 6wt for freshwater, and Marilyn made an 8′ 9wt for saltwater fly fishing in Florida.

2️⃣ John was here from Chicago for his 2nd class with Jim and Marilyn. John’s favorite part about the class is that it is mostly “self-driven.” This time, he built a 7′9″ 6wt to fish in New Hampshire and Maine.

🎶Scott and Lynda were here from Nashville, TN with their friends Jim and Marilyn. Scott built an 8′ 6wt for freshwater. Lynda made an 8′ 6wt to gift her son for his wedding. 💒 They both enjoyed learning the craft of bamboo rod making.

🦀 Chris joined us from Maryland. He said this class combines two of his passions—fly fishing and a craft that he uses his hands. This is Chris’s first bamboo fly rod, and he made a 7′6″ 5wt for small creeks.

💫 Keeping the Craft Alive 💫

❤️ We are honored you joined us and spent the week here. Because time is so limited, choosing to spend the week making something as lasting and beautiful as a bamboo fly rod also makes us so happy here at Oyster. Thanks y’all!