One of the coolest and most respectful guys in the Steelhead community has to be environmentalist, rod builder and Steelhead geek Mr. Bob Clay from Kispiox in BC.
Bob have made a living handcrafting bamboo fly rods from his home in the beautiful Kispiox Valley. Bob has been steelhead fishing the Kispiox River, a tributary of the Skeena River, for more than 40 years.
Bob´s famous rods are crafted on the banks of the Kispiox River (tributary to Skeena river), one of the worlds premier steelhead streams in BC. Riverwatch bamboo fly rods are a continuation of the tradition of the great rod builders of yesteryear. Bob Clay use some of their time tested methods but also mix brand new procedures to build the finest fishing and casting rods available on the market.
There are lots of rods out there, so what makes a Riverwatch rod something you’d like to own? It has to do mostly in the way it casts and feels, however it also has to do with the way it looks. A rod reflects the ideas of the builder. Is he a good fisherman? And maybe more importantly, is he a good caster and a good judge of how the rod performs? Can he tell by casting and experience how to adjust the taper and construction to achieve the results he desires?
Bob Clay try to build bamboo rods that are light, sensitive and responsive. “I would like to think these rods build on the tradition of the rod builders of the past. And that with modern techniques, equipment and materials that we have now are forwarding the quest.”
Watch Andrew Hardingham´s outstanding small film about Bob, his life and his family. https://vimeo.com/19982291
Please Note: Riverwatch Rods are designed and hand crafted by Bob Clay and are only available through him – Visit Bob´s web page – http://www.riverwatchrods.com/about.html