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Custom Fly Fishing Rods by Chris Lantzy, Custom Rod Maker

the pliant rod:

blog & news

Small Stream Fly Fishing: Part I (Intro & Overview)

2/20/2013

 
(Spread out over the next several entries we'll be covering the topic of fly fishing in small streams. These articles are aimed at the angler who has a good fundamental knowledge of fly fishing, but has very little experience fishing in very small streams.)


There's quite a lot written about fishing in smaller trout streams with a fly rod. In fact, enough to write entire books on the subject & some have. No matter how big a subject it is, I'd like to mention a few condensed thoughts about it. I grew up fishing in smaller streams for trout. These were small, brush & tree covered streams that held wily trout. Some were so small you could easily jump across them. It's in these places that I "cut my teeth" as an anglers, so to say, & mainly where I learned to fish. In this way, I think I was lucky, without realizing it. Whenever I fish medium or larger sized waters, I simply adapt the tactics I learned that the smaller streams taught me, only on a larger scale. 


It's my belief that it's easier for a fisher of small streams to adapt to bigger water than the other way around. The skills learned in fishing smaller streams will serve you well no matter where you go fishing. The challenges inherit in fishing in tight quarters will make anyone a better, all-around angler, if they have the patience & disposition to meet those challenges. 


This isn't to say that larger water doesn't have it's own set of problems for the angler to overcome, or that all larger streams are easier to fish than small ones. Much skill is needed to be successful in fly fishing almost anywhere you choose to fish. 


I simply think that there are a general set, or list, of fundamental skills necessary to be a good angler. Fishing on small streams takes those skills & narrows them down to a microcosm. Smaller runs, smaller pools, closer obstacles to avoid (trees, shrubs, etc), closer proximity to the trout, - these all magnify the actions & skills needed to catch trout. In this setting an angler might learn from their mistakes & successes in a faster way. In close quarters it's often easier to see what went wrong or right. "Where to begin", an angler might ask on larger waters, but on small streams it might be immediately obvious where the best trout would be. 


Over the next few entries we'll discuss some of the most important skills needed for small stream fishing. All these skills are important on any size stream, but we'll examine how they relate to small stream situations. They are, but not limited to: reading the water, casting, wading, patience, & appropriate tackle. 

Books, Books, Books

2/17/2013

 
Do you enjoy reading books about fly fishing & fly tying? Well, I've just added another page to this website, listing all the books I have available. I've added quite a few more titles to the list & they're all offered at a good price. 


There's a good mix of paperbacks & hard covers by authors like John Gierach, James Prosek, A.K. Best, & many others. Almost every book is in brand new condition, too. The variety of titles is pretty good & some of the books are first editions. Other titles listed there are out of print as well. All these books are available at a very reasonable price.


Some of the books available are: 
"Modern Fly Tying Materials" by Dick Talleur
John Gierach: At The Grave of The Unknown Fisherman
Jerry Kustich: "At The River's Edge", 1st edition
"Brook Trout" by Nick Karas

........& many others


So please, check out the books page. Contact me if there's a book you want or if you have any questions.

Introducing Prudential Series Graphite Fly Rods

2/12/2013

 
I'm very happy to announce a new line of custom fly rods: the Prudential Series graphite rods. These are the best value in a custom made fly rod I think you can find anywhere. They're priced under $300 & available in 2,3, or 4 piece configurations in line weights of 2 through 8. That covers a wide range of fishing situations. You can choose many of the features on these rods or upgrade them in any way you want.


These rods are perfect for anybody wanting a custom made graphite fly rod with a low price. They would be a great rod for beginners on a tight budget wanting to see what custom made rods are all about. Also, maybe Mom or Dad already own a custom made rod, but have a son or daughter dedicated to fly fishing & would love to get them an affordable custom rod to use & enjoy. Maybe the dedicated angler who has a collection of custom made rods & is already convinced of their benefits would love to have one to keep as an extra rod in the car or truck? These rods are perfect for all that & more.


Prudential Series graphite rods are cheaper than many production made rods that cost a lot more. Included with the price of the rod is a custom fit rod bag & rod tube with a leather name tag & padded zippered closure. Of course, you also get to choose the color of the silk thread wraps & the finish of the metal, too, along with a personal inscription on the rod of your name or whatever you choose.


The possibilities with this new series of rods are endless & through it we can introduce even more anglers to the pleasures of fishing with a custom made fly rod - made just for them to their specifications. I'm really excited about this!!


Please check out these new Prudential Series graphite fly rods, then contact me to discuss your new rod!!!


I've also changed the way the info about my other graphite rods is viewed on this website. Rather than have all the info on one loooong page, I've listed the details of the Classical & Custom Series graphite rods on their own page. This makes it much easier to see the differences between the two & what the standard options are. It's just on more way I'm trying to improve this website & provide you with a higher level of service.


Please contact me with any questions you have about any of the rods I offer. 

Tying The Spider, or Skater, Fly: One Method

2/11/2013

 
In the last post, we talked in general about the spider / skater fly - what it was & how to use it, along with some history about it. This time, let's talk about a quick & easy way to tie this fly up. It's really easy & takes only a couple of minuets at the vice.

First off let me say that there are probably dozens of ways to tie this fly. This is only one method that seems to work well for me & my somewhat limited tying skills. So, to prepare the fly, tie in a layer of thread on the front 3rd (towards the eye) of the hook hook shank, you don't need to go all the way back to the bend. Then:

1.) Tie in two feathers in about the middle of the hook. These should have the longest hackles possible. Tie them in by the base, (or wide end) of the feather. It helps to tie the longer of the two in first, then the shorter one (if they're not exactly the same length) just in front of it.

2.) Wrap the smaller of the two feathers up the length of the hook, just like you would regular hackle on a winged dry fly. When you get to around 1/8 inch from the hook eye, tie the feather off.

3.) Now wrap the other feather up the hook in the same way as the first, this time winding the feather in between the wraps of the first. When you get to just behind the eye of the hook, tie it off leaving enough room to secure the feather well.

4.) Take both feathers & bunch them together on the hook with your fingers. Don't use any tools for this, as you might damage the feathers. Just push both feathers together toward the middle of the hook. You don't have to push very hard, only enough to make the hackles stand out a little more from the hook shank & give them a definite shape.

When fishing with this fly, you're going to have to apply some floatant. One way to help the hackles ride high on the water & not get water-logged is to apply a thin layer of head cement to the ends of the hackles when you finish tying this pattern. Put a small dab of head cement on your thumb & index finger, then gently pull the hackle tips between your thumb & finger, lightly coating the hackles. It's best to do this while it's still in the vice.

There you go. A simple dry fly that's quick & easy to tie & can work wonders between hatches at the right time of year. If you haven't given this fly a try, go for it. It won't take long to tie up a mess of them, & you just might find a new "go-to" fly for prospecting trout. 
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The Spider, or Skater, Fly

2/9/2013

 
The spider, or skater, is a large dry fly tied on a smaller hook with no body or tail & over-sized hackle. 

This fly was allegedly invented by Edward R. Hewitt in an attempt to catch some of the trout he saw rising to large butterflies. He called it "The Neversink Skater" in honor of his Neversink River. He claimed that because of the over-sized hackle, more line (about 40 feet) is needed to cast the fly -especially on a windy day. Also, he said that proper sized hackles for the fly are hard to find. they need to be very long & very fine.

Hewitt said that the proper way to fish this fly is to cast it over trout & "skate", or pull, it across the surface. However, you can't pull it too fast or it won't work. It can have a tendency to put trout down & spook them if moved too fast. No movement at all doesn't deem to work very well either. You have to find the right speed to skate the fly to get it to work.

This fly can be very effective when there is no hatch occurring  It seems to be even more effective when the larger mayflies have been around on the water, say, late May to early June. The claims that Hewitt put on this fly would make think it's one of the best ever made. So why don't we hear more about it? Because it does have some draw backs.

The long hackle quickly becomes water-logged & is hard to dry. So you have to change flies often. Also, only larger trout seem to rise to it - in the 12 inch + size. Alas, you'll miss a lot of fishing action based on this. Another draw back is that because it takes a longer line to cast well, it can be tiring to cast this fly all day long.

Hewitt believed that a spider tied as a bi-visable was best (brown hackle with a white hackle front). He also found it effective in cream & grizzly, too. It's to be tied on a smaller dry fly hook than you'd think, about size 12. The hackles, when wound around the hook are to be about 2 inches in diameter or longer if possible.

John Atherton goes into a lot of detail about these flies in his book "the Fly & The Fish", devoting an entire chapter on it.  

So the next time you want to try a different attractor dry fly, consider giving this one a try.
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Pennsylvania Trout Stocking For 2013

2/6/2013

 
The PA Fish & Boat Commission recently released the dates for their state-wide trout stocking program for 2013. This is good info for anyone trout fishing in PA or planing a fishing trip to the Keystone state.


The stockings are broken down by county, showing the time & place where the stocking truck will show up, waiting for volunteers to help stock the trout. The trout stockings are a fun time & also great for kids & the entire family. Many kids get to see the fish up close & can even help carry buckets of them to the stream. Mom & Dad will see where the fish go & maybe even learn of a few new places to fish that they didn't know about before.


The Commission welcomes volunteers to help stock the trout. However, before you go to a trout stocking please read THIS. Your safety while stocking is not something to take for granted.


There will be plenty of opportunities to see a trout stocking this year as well. Overall the Fish Commission will stock almost 4 million trout this season!! (read more about it HERE).


All the trout stockings scheduled for the year are available HERE. You can also find each stream on interactive maps on the Commission's website, showing you exactly where to go fishing. The website is also full of other information regarding all aspects of fishing & boating in PA. You can even purchase a fishing license from them online!!


I always look forward to this time of year when the Commission releases the trout stocking dates for the year. It means that it won't be too much longer before I'm wetting a line & watching the trout rise to a nice hatch. It's comforting to read the list for my area & think of the fishing season to come. As the snow piles up outside my window & the thermometer reads single digits, I'll take any comfort I can get, even if it's just from a stocking list!!

Fishing Flies as Imitations

2/1/2013

 
There are two different schools of thought when considering how a fly should look. There are those that believe the imitation should look as close to the actual insect as humanly possible; while others feel all a fly needs to do is look good enough to pass itself off as a real bug to the trout. Both trains of thought are valid & both can be right or wrong depending on the fishing situation.


The "match the hatch" crowd has it's work cut out for it. In order to tie an exact replica of a mayfly, caddis, etc, you first have to study the actual bug very closely. It's not enough to completely know what every part of the insect looks like, you must also have the fly tying skills & knowledge to actually make a perfect (or near perfect) re-creation. Depending on the level of detail you want to accomplish with your imitation, it could a lifetime of experience & practice to get your fly the way you want it. This is not to mention the availability of tying materials, etc.....


On the other hand, the "as long as it fools the fish" group of anglers simply tie up a box full of different patterns at the bench while relaxing & dreaming of their next fishing trip. Sure, they've practiced tying these patterns & are quite skilled at making them. Yes, they've studies the natural insect's behavior & learned how to impart that behavior into their imitations. But have they studied magnified photo slides of a particular insect? Looked at it under a microscope? Raised a family of them in a fish tank from egg to spinners? No, they haven't. Nor do they want to. This group is quite content with the contents of their fly boxes, thank you very much.


So, is one of these two schools of thought taking a more correct approach to the sport & therefore better at it? I don't happen to think so.


In my personal experience, I've tried both approaches & had enjoyment while fishing either way. I tend to lean more towards the "casual imitation" way of thinking about flies, but I blame this on my general lack of fly tying skills. If I had more time to devote to practicing fly tying, I'd get better (hopefully). Since I don't, I'm happy that the flies I tie are just good enough to get the job done (again, hopefully). Still, there are one or two specific hatches on my local streams that I do go to the trouble of matching as closely as possible, but I don't have the skills to do that all the time.


In the end who's happier, the general or the exact imitators? I guess that depends on your personal disposition & which aspects of fly fishing you most enjoy. Either way that's the point isn't it: to enjoy the sport? I say follow the school of thought that makes you happy!!

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