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Nearly 30 years spent meticulously building bamboo fly rods has an impact. Bill Oyster’s dedication to precision craftsmanship has turned his workshop in downtown Blue Ridge, Georgia, into a bit of a pilgrimage site for a certain type of angler. Sure, the rods are some of the most sought-after in the industry, but the larger draw is Oyster’s passion in helping others build their own. He runs a popular workshop where anglers spend a week crafting their own fly rod with Oyster’s guidance.

“Most people never have the opportunity to make a functional thing from raw materials with their own hands,” Oyster says. “There will be no better rod to you than the one you built yourself.”

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And there’s also no better fish than the one you catch yourself—especially if you’re using a bamboo rod.

“There’s nothing practical about fly-fishing with bamboo,” Oyster says. “If you want to catch fish, get a net or a can of worms. The whole point of fly-fishing, especially with bamboo, is to do the thing in a more complex and satisfying way. It’s the doing of it that makes it special.”

Here’s Oyster’s advice on how and where to start a style of fishing that favors craftsmanship plus time immersed in local waters, staying patient for a payoff moment. Go deeper with Oyster and the other a group of one-of-a-kind visionaries who transform nature’s purest elements with time-honored traditions and cultivated experiences.

Tie Your Fly

If you can’t spend a week building a bamboo fly rod, you can at least get a taste for crafting something from scratch by tying our own flies.

“It’s a great way for anyone to experience the satisfaction that comes from creating something, then using it in the water,” Oyster says. “Catching a fish on a fly you tied yourself is an incredible feeling.”

You only need a few tools to get started: a vise, scissors, hook, and superglue. The materials that form the fly’s body are common household items like yarn; Oyster used hair from his cat for the first fly he tied himself.

Orvis makes fly-tying kits with materials to create several common fly patterns that have been proven to fool fish. Choose large fly patterns (size #10 or #12) first, as they’re easier to complete.

Clamp the curved end of the hook into the mouth of the vise, then start winding yarn around the long arm of the hook to mimic the body of the insect you’re creating. If you want professional help, most specialty shops offer hands-on courses in building and tying flies to match the hatch of your local waters.

Catch Your First Fish (or Master the Cast)

Hone the fundamentals of fly-fishing in some of the most scenic destinations in the country.

Madison River, Montana��
Float or fish from the wide banks of the iconic Madison River, which runs from Yellowstone National Park to the mighty Missouri, through vast valleys flanked by the often snow-capped Rockies. Learn from the best at the luxe-lodge experience of Orvis’s Trout School.

Lake Rabun, Georgia��
Tucked in north Georgia’s mountains, Lake Rabun is an ideal fishery—stocked with largemouth bass, walleye, and bream—for anglers to learn casting without swift currents to manage. A campground, beach, and hiking trails all offer easy access to 25 miles of public shoreline.

White River, Arkansas��
The target 100-mile tailwater section below Bull Shoals Dam will showcase the species diversity of the White River. Fish the same hole and you’ll have a chance to catch the grand slam of freshwater trout: brook, rainbow, brown, and cutthroat.

Crystal River, Florida
What’s the best reason to explore the spring-fed Crystal River (pictured above), which runs clear year-round? It’s sight-fishing: scanning flats and creeks from a boat, targeting healthy schools of popular saltwater species. Reel Florida can take you from first cast to landing your first redfish.

Beaver Creek, Colorado��
Beyond fast access to the high-quality trout waters of the Vail Valley, plus the legendary resort infrastructure of lodging, guides, and restaurants, Orvis offers an affordable one-day fly-fishing school on Beaver Creek to get the whole family hooked.

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