Digger: Portrait Of A Bamboo Fly Rod Maker

Francis "Digger" Degere is the subject of this engaging portrait of an avid and accomplished angler who meticulously and lovingly creates beautiful bamboo fly rods from scratch. A fisherman for 55 of his 60 years, Digger demonstrates his craft, along with his assistant Fred Moran. Using such modern tools as a jackknife, hammer, planer, file, sandpaper, and a tape measure, Digger splits a bamboo shaft into 24 equal pieces, and then hones and binds six pieces to form a rod section. As he talks about his life and his work, we follow the building of the bamboo fly rod, and marvel at the completed piece of work. Digger is an excellent documentary in its own right; it also stands as a testament to those bygone days when craftsmanship was more than just a word. Highly recommended. (Available from: Chip Taylor Communications, 15 Spollett Drive, Derry, NH 03038; 1-800-876-CHIP.)