Spring of 2009 marks the inaugural Ozark Rod Makers School in scenic Mountain Home, Arkansas. This weeklong school will take novice makers from a stalk of bamboo to a finished fly rod, ready to fish. On the last day of the school, you will actually be casting YOUR completed rod. Just imagine the pride of casting a bamboo fly rod that you have made.

The Ozark Rod Makers School will cover rod design and resources, techniques and tools, and all the secrets of turning bamboo into works of fly fishing art. Included in the $2495 tuition price are all materials and instruction, two meals each day and lodging.  Lodging will be at Dale Fulton's Lodge on the banks of the White River.  Bob and Harry will treat everyone to lunch every day.  Some days we'll go out to eat, some days we may have food brought to the shop. Evening meals will be dutch treat, as there will be a few evenings when the students are free to go and Bob and Harry may spend several hours preparing for the next day's class schedule.

 If time, weather and water levels allow, we'll try to get in an afternoon or two of some of the worlds best trout fishing on the Blue Ribbon waters of the beautiful White and Norfork Rivers. The school provides all tools and top quality equipment. Show up with your toothbrush, leave with your finished fly rod in a cloth bag and aluminum tube. Rods made by Bob, Harry, and other modern and classic rodmakers will be available for casting at any time during the school to help guide you in your search for that unique feel that makes the rod your own; a rod designed by you, for you. At all times, a safe, fun, working environment will be maintained and the proper use of tools will be stressed.

This fast-paced course starts the class by selecting, splitting and straightening their pre selected bamboo and continues to take them, step by step, through a completed rod.

Only the finest bamboo, from the working stock of RL Nunley Rodmakers will be used by the class participants. In other words, the bamboo you use will be the SAME bamboo used to produce the high end, extremely high quality rods that Bob and Harry produce.

Imagine taking a raw bamboo pole and turning it into a fine fishing instrument in less than a week, hand planing at the same benches where some of the finest bamboo rods in the world are produced.

Once the strips are planed, then they'll be glued with the same high quality, proven rod glue used by not only Bob and Harry, but by many of the worlds top rod makers.

Add to your new custom blank the finest quality ferrules and reel seats and the rod is close to completion.

The class will finish out their rod with a choice of red or brown wraps, using the finest rod making silk wrapping thread available.  Again, the students will use the same silk thread that Bob and Harry use on their custom rods.  As a matter of fact, the silk comes directly from their private shop stock.

With the class on schedule, the final coat of varnish will go on the rod on the evening of the fifth day and on Saturday morning, the rods will be ready to take home, or maybe even cast to a few trout, weather and water levels permitting.

Harry and Bob will be there, guiding you every step of the way. Not only will they be there for you during the class, but after the class has
ended, each graduate will have a lifelong consultation with both rod makers as long as you continue to make rods.

This full immersion, hands-on approach to teaching the fine craft of split bamboo rod making will insure that you walk away with a truly personal and functional piece of fly-fishing art.