Trout Grass

Written and narrated by author David James Duncan (The River Why), Trout Grass is a beautifully lensed documentary that traces the creation of a bamboo fishing rod used in catch-and-release trout fishing. The story begins in a specific region of Southern China—the only place in the world where the desired species of bamboo grows (and grow it does, sometimes at the rate of three feet in a single evening). Per pound, bamboo has a strength equivalent to steel, but with the flexibility inherent to all wood, and it's these two characteristics that builders and customers of high-end (the $1,000-range) fly rods desire. After the harvest and selection (all done by hand), the perfect specimens are shipped to the U.S. and into the eager hands of craftsmen, who we see here lovingly engaged in the construction process, first splitting the bamboo logs, then honing them over several steps, and finally joining them together as a new piece of wood. Finally, we follow the “fly rod made of grass” to Montana, where Duncan and author Thomas McGuane (The Bushwhacked Piano) fish and muse on the interconnectedness of nature. Informative and entertaining, Trout Grass is highly recommended. Editor's Choice. Aud: P. (C. Block)