Bamboo Fly Rod Giveaway

Buy a ticket to win this beautiful hand crafted bamboo fly rod and come join us at our Fall Upland Dinner & Fundraiser where we will draw the winner. Chili, Beaver Stew, BYOB will be served and we will have two great speakers, Lynn Dee Galey from Firelight Bird Dogs and Scott Smith DVM from the Jim Foote Chapter of the Ruffed Grouse Society, to talk about a range of Upland Hunting topics. 6:00 - 9:30 PM, Saturday October 18, 2025 at the Lovells Township Hall, 8405 Twin Bridge Rd, Grayling.

Paul H. Young Driggs River replica

7-foot, 2-inch, 5-weight Bamboo Fly rod.

The “Driggs” (also called the “Driggs River Special” or simply the “Driggs River”) is one of

Paul H. Young’s classic bamboo rod models. Its name comes from Young’s fishing

experiences in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, on the small, brush-covered Driggs

River—renowned for its brook trout.

The Driggs entered Young’s lineup in the early 1950s, during his post-WWII period of

experimentation and expansion that also produced models like the Midge, Perfectionist, and

the Parabolic series. Some of the earliest documented Driggs rods date to 1954–55; for

example, an April 1954 rod built for Barney Fisher bears the inscription “Driggs River

Special.”

While subtle changes in hardware (ferrules, reel seats), finishes, and grip styles appeared over

the years, the essential character of the rod remained consistent: a 7′2″ two-piece with two

tips, built on a taper suited for tight, brushy brook-trout streams. Production continued

through the 1960s—first under Paul Young himself, then after his death in 1960 by his wife

Martha Marie and son Jack. Later examples often feature details such as truncated ferrules

and oil finishes.

The Driggs is a rod deeply tied to place, intentionally crafted for a particular fishing

environment. It balances delicacy and backbone—light enough for precise casts with small

flies, yet strong enough (for a #4–5 line) to turn fish quickly in heavy cover. Each rod carries a

degree of individuality: variations in weight, hardware, finish, grip shape, or ferrule style make

no two exactly alike.

This rod was crafted by local rod makers including R. K. Perry, Peter Jones, Mark Wendt, and

Karen Harrison. A project associated with the 2025 Lovells Township Historical Society

Bamboo Rod-Making Exhibit, the steps to complete this rod are featured on our you tube

channel with several rod makers at the bench. (https://www.youtube.com/@LovellsHistory).

It comes complete with a moss green 3” Iwana reel, 406 fly line, backing and leader, custom

cloth sock, tube and ferrule plug.

A piece of Michigan Fly fishing history from Michigan’s Fly Fishing Museum.

Michigan Raffle License R81715