I specialize in fly rods designed for trout & bass fishing of all different rod actions. I make the bamboo blanks from start to finish, taking the time to hand split & hand plane the bamboo. My split-bamboo rods are never built from mass produced factory made blanks. As an option I can hand make all the "snake"-style line guides from stainless steel wire that is extremely light, strong, & will not corrode (see below). I use Ferrules made from Nickle-Silver by Classic Sporting Enterprises. These are the finest ferrules available. The reel seats are all made in the USA & are the best in the world for appearance & function. All rod bags are made in house & to exacting standards of quality as well.
All rods are traditional, six-sided rods. For every rod you purchase I offer a five day inspection period in which you can return the rod to me for a full refund -in unused condition- if you decide the rod is not for you. Purchase a custom fly rod from me without risk or worry.
All rods are traditional, six-sided rods. For every rod you purchase I offer a five day inspection period in which you can return the rod to me for a full refund -in unused condition- if you decide the rod is not for you. Purchase a custom fly rod from me without risk or worry.
Chris,
I want to compliment you on the 8ft 5wt 3 piece rod you built for me. The fit & finish are first rate and indicative of rods costing much more. The rod action is exactly as you described and is what I asked you to build. I was able to fish the rod today for the first time. It easily throws 50 ft of line and has a very smooth action. I was lucky enough to find some dumb trout and took a few Rainbows in the 16” range which jumped as I brought them in. The rod easily handled the erratic motion and I was able to get them in the net without any problems. Again, thanks for a quality product. I look forward to many season on the water with the rod
-Ron, in New Hampshire
I want to compliment you on the 8ft 5wt 3 piece rod you built for me. The fit & finish are first rate and indicative of rods costing much more. The rod action is exactly as you described and is what I asked you to build. I was able to fish the rod today for the first time. It easily throws 50 ft of line and has a very smooth action. I was lucky enough to find some dumb trout and took a few Rainbows in the 16” range which jumped as I brought them in. The rod easily handled the erratic motion and I was able to get them in the net without any problems. Again, thanks for a quality product. I look forward to many season on the water with the rod
-Ron, in New Hampshire
"Our Project Healing Waters bamboo fly rod built by Chris Lantzy is a thing of beauty! On outings with our veterans they get to experience the unique and graceful feel of bamboo. Our rod came complete with two tips and a rod case for protecting this beauty. With a fish on all we can say is WOW!!!!!! Thanks Chris!!"
-Ray Markiewicz. Northeast Coordinator, Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing
-Ray Markiewicz. Northeast Coordinator, Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing
You can have anything you want on your fly rod. Listed below are the standard series for all my rods, in three different grades of rods. If you want something on your rod that you don't see listed on this website, contact me & let me know. As a custom rod maker I will make a rod to your specifications. For more information, please read the "Designing Your Custom Fly Rod" page.
Please click on the title of each rod series for all the details:
PRUDENTIAL SERIES:
For those of you who want a great casting split-bamboo fly rod, but at an economical price, a Prudential is just the rod for you. The lowest priced custom bamboo rods on the market, at only $660.00
CLASSICAL SERIES:
The standard of hand-made split-bamboo fly rods & the tradition of fly fishing. The best priced custom bamboo rods on the market, starting at $950.00
CUSTOM SERIES:
These are truly custom rods. Here, anything goes. You & I work together to make a rod that is truly unique to you. Beautiful, functional, & collectible these rods come standard with Nickle-Silver hardware, stone agate stripping guides, & the finest components available. Acquire the finest of fly rods, tailor made for you, for as little as $1275.00
MORTISED BAMBOO:
These rods feature a swell in the butt section that is accomplished by splicing wood into the rod between the strips of bamboo. The splicing begins just before the grip and continues through the rod to form an all wood & bamboo grip & reel seat. The artistic possibilities of this design are endless.
[email protected]
Please click on the title of each rod series for all the details:
PRUDENTIAL SERIES:
For those of you who want a great casting split-bamboo fly rod, but at an economical price, a Prudential is just the rod for you. The lowest priced custom bamboo rods on the market, at only $660.00
CLASSICAL SERIES:
The standard of hand-made split-bamboo fly rods & the tradition of fly fishing. The best priced custom bamboo rods on the market, starting at $950.00
CUSTOM SERIES:
These are truly custom rods. Here, anything goes. You & I work together to make a rod that is truly unique to you. Beautiful, functional, & collectible these rods come standard with Nickle-Silver hardware, stone agate stripping guides, & the finest components available. Acquire the finest of fly rods, tailor made for you, for as little as $1275.00
MORTISED BAMBOO:
These rods feature a swell in the butt section that is accomplished by splicing wood into the rod between the strips of bamboo. The splicing begins just before the grip and continues through the rod to form an all wood & bamboo grip & reel seat. The artistic possibilities of this design are endless.
[email protected]
To read more about different rod tapers & actions, please click HERE.
Give someone a custom made fly rod:
Graduation, retirement, birthdays, anniversaries, or that special Holiday gift - for a truly memorable gift, you can give that special angler in your life the gift of a custom fly rod. Bamboo, fiberglass, or graphite rods - there's a special rod for every angler.
Here's how it works: You & I discuss what grade of rod you'd like to give them & I might have a few simple questions for you to help me figure out what they need in a rod. Then after you've made the down payment, or paid in full, I'll mail you a special certificate that states a custom fly rod has been ordered in your recipient's name for you to give them on the special day. Think of it as a gift certificate for a custom made fly rod.
To make the presentation of the certificate really extra-special, the gift certificate can come rolled up, scroll style, in a hand-stitched leather tube much like a round document or print case. Please add $10 for this special presentation case. This is a really nice touch & will make giving the certificate to that special angler even more memorable!! Please add $10 for this special presentation case. While the leather used may vary, here is what it looks like:
Here's how it works: You & I discuss what grade of rod you'd like to give them & I might have a few simple questions for you to help me figure out what they need in a rod. Then after you've made the down payment, or paid in full, I'll mail you a special certificate that states a custom fly rod has been ordered in your recipient's name for you to give them on the special day. Think of it as a gift certificate for a custom made fly rod.
To make the presentation of the certificate really extra-special, the gift certificate can come rolled up, scroll style, in a hand-stitched leather tube much like a round document or print case. Please add $10 for this special presentation case. This is a really nice touch & will make giving the certificate to that special angler even more memorable!! Please add $10 for this special presentation case. While the leather used may vary, here is what it looks like:
After you've surprised them with the certificate, the lucky angler can contact me & the two of us will work together to design the rod exactly how they want it, with all the personalized customization just for them.
The normal policies apply here, where the second half would be due only after the rod is completed, giving you at least a few more months to pay the rest of the rod price. Naturally, I would mail you hard copy receipts for any payments you made for your records.
Of course, if you know what they're going to want their fly rod to be, that's fine, too. I'll mail you the special certificate so you can present them with it while they wait for their rod of a lifetime to be made!! A custom fly rod is sure to put a smile on any angler's face!! Please contact me to discuss a special fly rod for a very special angler.
The normal policies apply here, where the second half would be due only after the rod is completed, giving you at least a few more months to pay the rest of the rod price. Naturally, I would mail you hard copy receipts for any payments you made for your records.
Of course, if you know what they're going to want their fly rod to be, that's fine, too. I'll mail you the special certificate so you can present them with it while they wait for their rod of a lifetime to be made!! A custom fly rod is sure to put a smile on any angler's face!! Please contact me to discuss a special fly rod for a very special angler.
Custom Bamboo Fly Rods Video
Please take a couple of minutes to watch a slide show video showing only a few of the custom bamboo rods That I've been honored to make through the years.
NEW!! SEE MORE ROD PHOTOS!!!
Please visit my Flickr pages (www.flickr.com/photos.customrodmaker/) to see even more rod photos including those available for sale, different rod features, & more. I'll be continuing to add photos there, so check it often.
A note about line guides & spacing:
As an option, I offer a choice of line guides on my rods. You can have the guides in a standard twist. This is the same guides you see on most fly rods. You can also choose to have line guides hand made by me from a special stainless steel alloy wire, made in a "British" twist. This stainless steel alloy makes for line guides that are extremely strong, light, & will not corrode or rust. I form these line guides into a 'British' twist, which is the opposite direction of 'American' twist line guides that are most common on the majority of fly rods today. I feel that the British twist guides are very traditional & suitable for split-bamboo fly rods & aid in casting line. By making the line guides myself, from tools & dies I also made, my rods have yet another unique & highly functional feature that you'll not see on other fly rods.
In designing a rod one of the most crucial aspects is where to place the line guides for optimum line casting. I take into account the different characteristics of the rod blank I’m working with to place the guides at the proper distances apart of each other so that the rod will cast a line both far & short distances with little effort on the angler’s part. Mathematical equations (& some experimentation) allow me to find the appropriate number of & proper distances between line guides for a smooth casting fly rod. Unlike a “factory – made” rod, where the cost of production has to be balanced with sales projections, marketing budgets, etc, I focus solely on the quality & function of the rod. To learn more about line guides, please visit the "Designing Your Custom Fly Rod" page.
In designing a rod one of the most crucial aspects is where to place the line guides for optimum line casting. I take into account the different characteristics of the rod blank I’m working with to place the guides at the proper distances apart of each other so that the rod will cast a line both far & short distances with little effort on the angler’s part. Mathematical equations (& some experimentation) allow me to find the appropriate number of & proper distances between line guides for a smooth casting fly rod. Unlike a “factory – made” rod, where the cost of production has to be balanced with sales projections, marketing budgets, etc, I focus solely on the quality & function of the rod. To learn more about line guides, please visit the "Designing Your Custom Fly Rod" page.
A note about guide wraps & varnish:
Many rod makers coat both the rod shaft & guide wraps with the same varnish. Others prefer to coat the rod blank with a hand rubbed oil based finish, then wrap the guides & varnish the guide wraps with spar varnish separately. I use either of the two techniques, depending on what you want. My standard finishing method is to cover both wraps & rod shafts with varnish over a completed rod. This gives the rod a traditional look, as this has been the standard varnishing method for generations. With a hand-rubbed finish, both the rod shafts & guide wraps receive several coats of the different finishes. The result of this method is a rod that has a subtle, elegant contrast in appearance between the rod shafts & the silk wraps. The finish techniques I employ are yet another element that allows you more choices when purchasing a fly rod from me.
To read more about my rod making philosophy, click HERE.
©2010 - 2024 Chris Lantzy, Custom Rod Maker