A friend of mine gave me a old split bamboo fly rod. The rod is 9ft and is a 3 piece rod. The rod says Granger Special and is in good condition. Can I use it for fishing or should I sell it or hang it on the wall.

Hang it on the wall.

What weight rod is it? If it is a 5 weight or down I would fish the [censored] out of it. I love fishing bamboo, great rods. Does the rod look like it is in good shape with no splitting or cracking? If all looks good you will have some good times with it. Don't just put it on the wall.

Just remember that bamboo casts differently than graphite...the action is reeeeaaaalllly slow in comparison.

The rod looks good, all original. I do not know what the weight is. Under the reel it says, made by Goodwin Granger Company Denver. Pat. April 12, 1938.

Don't use it.

Goodwin Granger Company Denver. Pat. April 12, 1938
Hang it on the wall

I second hang it on the wall. You can get in touch with Carl White through Bassmaster mag. he can give you an accurate value of it. The amount may shock you.

+1
I made the mistake of using my Grandfathers split bamboo rods from Scotland and broke them. Sure would be nice to have one for posterity.

I inherited a 9' split bamboo flyrod when I was a teen ager. Having never had one before I did not know what I had. No one in the family ever used a fly rod. I read magazines and check out books from the library and taught myself (big mistake) how to use the rod. Unfortunately it I broke both tip sections hanging up on trees with errant back casts. I "used the fire out of it" as one poster said.
I would give my left arm to have that rod today. Not because of what it might be worth, but because it would be a remembrance of my long dead uncle who used it to catch pike and muskie in Minnesota.
Your split bamboo fly pole is antique, irreplaceable, and a family heirloom.
Hang it on the wall. Tell your kids about the good old days of fishing. But DO NOT USE IT!!!! You can still buy bamboo but I imagine they are very very expensive.if you want to fish with bamboo.