Angling history is a minor chapter of Historical studies. But, it's a fascinating aspect of History. The hobby of making fishing rods is also understanding that we are continuing a craft which is rooted in a universal tradition. And that bamboo rod making belongs to our own European and American tradition.

It allows to understand the life conditions of the generations before us, the technology available to them and the main events that affected their lives (wars, precariousness, chances, discoveries, luck and missluck).

The story begins by saying that traditionally (and this since the very beginning (i.d. ancient history, Egyptian hieroglyphs) mankind used natural material such as wood for making fishing rods (e.g. Hazelnut-wood, Ironwood, Greenheart, Willow, Bethabara, etc..). Then someone, somewhere, began to experiment with bamboo...

Read on...

History of angling - from wood to bamboo (the real beginning of what we do today)

Angling Tradition and History - in America (why America is so important)

History of angling - in the modern era (my view)

History of angling - resources (my "secret" for you to loose yourself in a time machine)

From Angling History to vintage bamboo rods

For a little introduction on Fishing Reels you can click here.