Yvon Chouinard & Nelson Ishyama
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"Dear Leon ~ Your rod is a masterpiece! Every detail is perfect. From the grip to the guides, to the finish overall it's a functional work of art. I'm amazed at the action which is like no other cane rod that I've ever tried. I can cast a mile with it, but best of all it suits the way I fish, which is primarily with wet flies. I've already caught a bunch of cutthroats..." ~ Yvon Chouinard, Patagonia Founder July 2015 |
pc John Shaner
To many of today's anglers, the classic bamboo rod is something from the past and more of a handicap than a truly useful fishing tool; pretty to look at, interesting to cast, but not very practical. Even though I have owned and fished and loved bamboo for almost 50 years, I had very similar feelings until just a few years ago.
Then I met Leon Hanson. Leon, along with a handful of other contemporary virtuosos, has changed the concept of what a bamboo rod can do and how it can compete with, and in some cases, surpass the modern graphite rod. Imagine an 8'6" 3 weight bamboo rod that weights 2.8 oz, that can cast 60' cleanly and still tackle 20" trout in big rivers. Well, Leon Hanson builds such a marvel and I can attest to its performance. The first time he showed me this model, I ordered one on the spot. It was soon joined in my collection by an 8'6" 4 weight that tips the scales to just a hackle's weight over 3 oz. And this rod is a 3 piece! Both rods are a joy to fish and have impressed everyone I have let cast them. They are practical, high performance fishing rods that add an extra dimension to my fishing and above all else, give me great pleasure every time I take them on the river. Leon is doing things in bamboo that many thought was outside of the realm of possibility. His rods are the product of radical hollow building, fine craftsmanship, his intuitive understanding of tapers and knowledge of the demands that different angling situations place on a rod. But his real genius is the ability to translate that knowledge and skill into some of the best performing bamboo rods ever built. Extreme light weight, superb tapers, the ability to cast crisply and cleanly at all practical fishing distances, and an almost austere aesthetic where performance is held above all else, are the hallmarks of a Hanson rod.
Any angler who loves the magic of bamboo would do well to consider owning one.
~ John Shaner
February 2020
Then I met Leon Hanson. Leon, along with a handful of other contemporary virtuosos, has changed the concept of what a bamboo rod can do and how it can compete with, and in some cases, surpass the modern graphite rod. Imagine an 8'6" 3 weight bamboo rod that weights 2.8 oz, that can cast 60' cleanly and still tackle 20" trout in big rivers. Well, Leon Hanson builds such a marvel and I can attest to its performance. The first time he showed me this model, I ordered one on the spot. It was soon joined in my collection by an 8'6" 4 weight that tips the scales to just a hackle's weight over 3 oz. And this rod is a 3 piece! Both rods are a joy to fish and have impressed everyone I have let cast them. They are practical, high performance fishing rods that add an extra dimension to my fishing and above all else, give me great pleasure every time I take them on the river. Leon is doing things in bamboo that many thought was outside of the realm of possibility. His rods are the product of radical hollow building, fine craftsmanship, his intuitive understanding of tapers and knowledge of the demands that different angling situations place on a rod. But his real genius is the ability to translate that knowledge and skill into some of the best performing bamboo rods ever built. Extreme light weight, superb tapers, the ability to cast crisply and cleanly at all practical fishing distances, and an almost austere aesthetic where performance is held above all else, are the hallmarks of a Hanson rod.
Any angler who loves the magic of bamboo would do well to consider owning one.
~ John Shaner
February 2020
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"I could write a long post about Leon Hanson's rods, but having cast about 8-10 of his rods, I have a few comments:
~ Nelson Ishyama March 13, 2013 
Photo: Nelson Ishyama
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 8'5 wt. / Slough Creek, Yellowstone.
pc: kevinnoblephotography.com
"The 8'3-piece 3 wt, is not my first Hanson rod... was fortunate enough to take delivery before a July 2019 trip to Montana. Fished it the first time one evening on the Gallatin above Big Sky. Caught several trout casting Caddis dries in the seam between the fast and slower water. But where this rod shone, was when I turned my back to the main river and noticed subtle rises of bank feeders. The pin-point accuracy of this rod is nothing short of remarkable. The ability of the Hanson 3 wt to drop the fly in the cup, led to me releasing several large, selective trout. The rod handled both the cast and playing of these fish with lively aplomb. My Hanson 3wt has become one of my most treasured rods.
~ Jared Tausig February 12, 2020 |
"Leon Hanson's 8 1/2 ft., #3 line rod is one of the most astonishing bamboo rods ever built.
His sophisticated hollow-building, combined with highly evolved tapers and radical use of components, has created a rod that would be completely impossible with traditional designs and construction."
~ Per Brandin
January 17, 2017