I am not a huge fain of April Fools’ Day. Primarily for the reason that I am already quite skeptical of anything and everything I read online. But I do enjoy the yearly gags that some companies routinely roll out. Orvis’ efforts, with all the marketing power at their disposal, are usually worth a smile.
This year they didn’t disappoint. Here’s a quote from the press release from the “Orvis HG”:
Introducing the Orvis HG Bamboo Fly Rod! A triumph of science and craftsmanship, this new rod puts bamboo within reach of every angler, and it makes a great project for the whole family to enjoy. The HG is for “home grown,” because you actually start with a seed and grow a complete bamboo fly rod from scratch.
That is funny. Not chortle out loud funny. But cute, smile and read the rest of the satirical article funny. Which is precisely what I did as I was drinking my coffee on April 1st.
Then I got thinking. Why not? Why not grow bamboo? Why not fish with it?
I know: Picking, pairing, and planing bamboo takes the kind of skill that accompanies years of training and experience.
I know: Bamboo is, in many places, a dangerously invasive species.
I know: You’ll invest a lot more than what it would cost to spend a few grand on a well-made bamboo rod.
But if you love fly fishing and enjoy fishing bamboo rods, why not grow some bamboo in a controlled environment? Flowers are fun and vegetables are nice, but why not surround yourself with something that can serve as a tangible connection to your hobby/passion?
And who is to say that you won’t use your time tending and contemplating your little bamboo shoots in some productive, fly fishing-focused manner? You might not be the next Paine or Leonard, but you may very well go out and catch a fish by dapping a single-stalk rod.
Perhaps I am overthinking this. Perhaps I’ve taken a joke too far. But of all the stupid ideas and foolish schemes out there, I can’t imagine this one falls into the bottom third of the pile. You could do a lot worse than responsibly cultivating a faux fly rod factory.
Read Orvis’ entire “Orvis HG” April Fools’ post here.