History and Timeline of Bamboo Fishing Rods

A private wealth advisor at Sucre-Vail Wealth Advisors, Houston, Texas, Henry E. Vail II helps wealthy families and physicians with charitable tax, wealth transfer, and asset protection. Henry Vail II loves to go boating and fly fishing in his leisure time.

Bamboo fishing rods date as far back as the 1800s. It is still unclear where the making of bamboo fishing rods started, but many people credit it to America. A man named Samuel Phillips, an angler from Pennsylvania, is one of the most famous makers of bamboo fishing rods.

At first, the best-known bamboo for making these rods was the Calcutta Bamboo due to its availability at that time. The 1900s brought about the production of bamboo fishing rods commercially, and the beginning of the preference for a special kind of bamboo called Tonkin cane due to its strength and straightness. The canes are divided into six strips glued in the shape of a hexagon to form a rod shaft.

A 1950s prohibition on the importation of Chinese goods, including these bamboo woods, brought about the use of fiberglass to make fishing rods. Though not as common as it used to be, the bamboo fishing rod remains preferred rod by many anglers.

A Quick Guide to the Blue Marlin

Henry Vail II earned his BBA degree in finance from Lamar University in Texas before going on to complete a program in certified financial planning at the University of Houston. Now a professional wealth advisor, Henry E. Vail II enjoys fishing in his free time.

One of the more popular sea game fish is the blue marlin (Makaira nigricans), one of the biggest, fastest fish species in the ocean. It possesses a distinctive blue top, white underbelly, and prominent dorsal fin.

The blue marlin is a predatory fish. It uses its pronounced jaw to stun and capture prey such as tuna. It prefers to hunt on surface waters, following warm currents for hundreds of miles due to its migratory nature. The female blue marlin can be as long as 14 feet and weigh 900 kilograms.

Blue marlin reproduce externally. Females release their eggs into the water, and males release their sperm, fertilizing the eggs upon contact. The structure of the blue marlins’ blood vessels allows them to warm up their eyes and brain, giving them advanced hunting skills.

Only larger sharks and humans hunt the blue marlin. It is a popular sport gaming fish, and its raw meat is served as sashimi, a Japanese delicacy.