Hi, Rolf! It's a real honour to be speaking with you. You are the "father" of so many bamboo rodbuilders in Germany and Switzerland, Europe! How many people did you teach the craft? Did anybody become a bamboo rodmaker full-time as far as you know?
Thank you so much it is also a great honour for me!
Well, I think about 80-90 people in the last 6 years and a lot of them now are very good rod makers – but I am pretty shure that no one of them is going to be a full time maker, because you can not make your living from that if you are unknown and it takes a very long time befor other people take notice of you.

You told me you were a German and a History teacher and then you became a professional rodsmith. When was it? Which year?
I decided 2000 to cut my job and to start a new life.

At that moment there were certainly less bamboo rodmakers around. I know you were friends with bamboo rodmakers Bjarne Fries (Dänemark) and Leen Huisman (Holland). Was there any other bamboo rodmaker around, maybe in the UK?
All the times there where only a few professionals but very early in the 1980ths
I met Tom Moran and Mike Brooks from England and we had a wonderful time in England when we went fishing together. Today Mike lives in France and makes the “Poenix Silk Lines” and we stay in touch.

I would certainly love to hear about your stories like you did in your very beautiful book ("SplitCane Rods - Bamboo Treasures" , 2007, ISBN 978-3-033-01312-4), newly published and acclaimed as the best of its kind here in Europe. How long did it take to write it, by the way?
It took me four years.

I am sure your history studies and interests got along very well with the topic: the book is also an historical one, as a matter of fact. Was it difficult to collect pictures, dates and testimonies?
No it was not very difficult but I was very happy to meet the right people at right situation. Everyone was friendly and happy to help me. But I had a lot of travels in the US and Europe to make all the pictures and to get all the informations. My goal was to get the original informations directly from the people. Otherwise you never know if you are right or not. So I drove several thousand miles in America and Europe.

You were also at the first European gathering in Sansepoclro. Did you see Hoagy Carmichael book on Cascapedia? How did you find it, by the way?Well, I met Hoagy 2006 at the “Angler Club of New York” and we had some coversations about his new book and as you can imagine about rodmaking.

Ok, let's go back and let me ask a little about yourself. Where do you live, Rolf?I live in the north of Germany in Bremen, the hometown of Becks Bier and good coffee and my advatage is that it is not far away from Danmark for some fishing for searunning brown trouts which is realy sensationel.

When did you make your first bamboo rod?
That was if I am right 1981.

Let's talk about your rodbuilding moments. Which moment do you like the most?
If I sand down all the glue and do not find any gluelines and the blank is straight!

And the less?
If 5 blanks are ready and I have to wrap them all…..

Can I ask you how do you temper your bamboo strips, at which temperature and for how long?
Sure! Depending on the material the tempering is between 170 – 175 C for about 45 minutes.

What about you finish? How do you apply the varnish? By dipping it or by applying the varnish with a brush?
I strictly dip my rods 3 times.

Do you make your own hardware as well (reel seats, snakes guides, etc...)?
When I started I did all my hardware by myself but today it takes me too much time to make the ferrules in that quality that I need. So I buy the ferrules and the guides.

Which taper do you make and like? What kind of rod action do you prefer, I mean....?
I make my own tapers because today we have so much better glues and varnishes than in the “old times” and I love tapers that comes over the “whole blank “ which means that the whole rod is working because for me rods like this cast very easy. I do not like rods with “tip action” – most of the carbon rods have tip actions.

What about hollow-rods, do you often make them, i.e. on most of your rods or just a few ones? Any preference on the kind of hollow systems?
I do hollow rods if customers want it – but it’s a lot of work and most of the customers do not want to pay for it. So if I make a rod hollow I am using the “Howell” system.

Do you flame your rods sometimes?
Yes very often – the dark colour is very popular in the US because it is a tradition in the “Paul Young” rods.

Ok, esthetics or functionality, which one has the priority with your rods?
It makes no sence to have a good looking rod that casts like a stick! The first preference is allways the function of a rod.

Let's change topic. Which was the highest moment in Sansepolcro, in your opinion?
To sit outside with a glass of wine with so many good friends, casting so many fine rods and take it easy. Fantastic!!!

Who are your clients, where do they come from? Do they ask for custom made rods that you have to prepare or do they prefer the finished rods that you sell?
Most of my customers buy the “standards” but some want something special. So I try to do what they want and if I see that they are happy makes me happy too.

What would you suggest to a person who would like to buy his first bamboo rod?
Casting, casting, casting….. so much models if possible. If a rod feels comfortable - that`s it!

Thank you, Rolf! I hope I can meet with you again and talk with you about all the experiences and memories and all the fishing stories that you must have.

Rolf Baginski website

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