It's been a very busy winter here in the rod shop & in between rods I've worked worked out some new accessories that I've always wanted to make. One of those is this newly designed fly book:

As you can see, this book is made from a thicker, sturdy leather in a traditional chestnut color. It features two side panels that help to protect delicate flies from getting crushed & also will keep anything from falling out of the book. There's nothing like reaching your hand into a pocket to find a loose fly - ouch! You won't have to worry about that with this fly book.

The thick wool lining inside the book will hold plenty of flies & it's thick enough to wick away tons of water from your flies. Plus it adds plenty of padding to protect delicate hackles, wings, & tails. 

While these fly books are perfect for streamers or larger salmon flies, you could store any size of nymph or wet flies in them as well. The gorgeous, flawless leather is infused with waxes during the tanning process to make it water resistant - water will bead up on the outer surface of these books.

These books are available in two sizes:
-Small: 4" x 6" x 2" thick
-Large: 6" x 8" x 2" thick

For more information & to see more detailed photos, please visit the Accessories page of this site. If you have any questions, please contact me. I think anglers are really going to like using these new leather fly books. 

Well, we've made it to spring!! In order to celebrate (& clear out some items that are taking up space in the rod shop) I've reduced the price of all available rods & some select accessories as well. 

At this time the available rods include this 6'-4" bamboo fly rod. It's one of my favorite & versatile tapers as it can be used on small streams up to medium sized rivers. It's got a great action & would be a great addition to your rod arsenal. 

Also listed now is this 4'-4", one piece bamboo "Banty" rod. Among ultra-light fly anglers this rod is very popular. As it's a one piece rod, there's no ferrules to interrupt the action & it's a great rod to use for small, tight quarters but you can also catch lake bass on it, too!

Maybe the best bargain among the available rods is this 10'-0", 4 pc, 5/6wt Custom Series graphite rod made on a Thomas & Thomas DNA switch rod blank. What's truly unique about this rod is that while it's made on a switch rod blank, it was made up with a traditional grip & reel seat for single handed casting. This is a great rod for high-stick nymphing, or in any conditions where you need more line control on the water. This rod will roll cast like nobody's business, too. Check out the rave reviews about the T&T DNA switch rods & I'm sure you'll like what you see. Finished out in high end components -including an agate stripping guide - this rod is the highest grade of graphite fly rods I make. At this new reduced price it is a great bargain. 

In addition to rods, I've also reduced some select accessories, too. These leather fly books are great for holding a ton of flies, or larger salmon flies. Check them out on the leather accessories page.

On the same page as the fly books above, you'll also find a couple of leather fishing bags. These are perfect for a day along the stream & now you can get them at a bargain. I have only one of each, black or tan. 

If all that wasn't enough, I'm continuing to list select overstock canvas reel cases at a steep discount. These are offered in a bunch of different sizes & colors. Once these overstock cases are gone, they're gone, so check them out! You can see all these discounted reel cases on the Available Accessories page.

If you're looking to add a new rod to your collection or you just need a great accessory as you gear up this spring for another season, be sure to check out all these bargains. If you have any questions about anything, please feel free to contact me & I'll be happy to help you out. 

I've just added another case to my list of accessories - a leather clam shell-style fly reel case!

​These cases are made from heavy 9 oz vegetable tanned leather in a traditional chestnut color. The leather has been treated for a smooth, flawless appearance & feel. Each case features a Sherpa lining inside to both wick moisture away & protect your fly reel.

A brass stud closure makes it easy to open & close the case. These cases are constructed with mitered corners of the leather for seamless edges & stitched in a traditional box stitch to last for a lifetime of use. ​

These cases will hold any reel up to 3 1/2" high x 2 3/4" wide (from back plate to top of handle), accommodating both regular & wide spool fly reels.
*more sizes coming soon!

For more information & to see more photos, please visit the Accessories page.

If you have any questions about these cases, please contact me. 

Over the many years of making leather fly wallets, I've often considered different ways of improving them. Now I have. These improvements take these wallets to a whole new level of quality & elegance. These new fly wallets have the same basic design & size of the ones I used to make. However the quality of the materials they're made from is now much better than in the past.

The leather of these wallets is a natural vegetable tanned leather in a rich mahogany color. It has a very rich grain marks throughout. It's been waxed & buffed so it's smooth to the touch - a pleasure to hold in hand. As it's tanned with all natural vegetable materials, it has that rich leather smell, too. It's a pleasure for all the senses. 

But the higher grade leather isn't the only improvement I made. Now, the inside of every wallet is lined entirely with a soft black suede leather. This gives the inside of the wallet a distinct look & helps to protect items you keep inside. These new wallets are a pleasure to the touch both inside & out.

Still not satisfied with just these better features, perhaps the biggest improvement I've made to these wallets are the pages. They are now made from 100% wool felt in a natural oatmeal white color. Thick & durable, each page features a scalloped, or pinking, cut edge to facilitate easier turning of the pages & to keep the edges from fraying over time. Hooks with, or without, a barb will store well in the wool felt.

​Every detail has been attended to in these new fly wallets. The stitching is done in a heavy duty black thread that ensures these wallets are made to last for a lifetime of use. Every edge of these wallets are dyed black & polished for beautiful finished edges.

These new leather fly wallets are among the best you'll find. It would be a treasured possession of any angler to add to their tackle collection & they make fantastic gifts for any special occasion. 

For more information & to see more detailed photos, please visit the Accessories page of this site. You should also feel free to contact me with any questions you might have.

I sometimes get questions from folks about older bamboo rods that they've acquired, wondering what they have & what it might be worth. While I'm no expert on vintage tackle, I am more than willing to help folks identify old fly rods (if I can) & tell them what I know. 

Often, I'll advise these folks on the best ways to sell their vintage rods, if that's their aim. When it comes to selling older rods I point them to some trusted dealers I know who have honorable reputations.

Before you contact anyone about your old rods, there are some things to look for which will help both you & the expert identify & estimate a value. These things are fairly easy to ascertain, so spend a bit of time studying the rod before you reach out to any dealers or experts.

Here are just a few key things to look for when evaluating an old bamboo fly rod:
1.) Identify any writing on the rod &/or logos, stickers, or labels. This is very valuable info to give the expert. 

2.) If the rod has 2 tip sections, note if they are exactly the same length. If they're different by even a half inch this could indicate that the rod has been worked on at some point & a tip top replaced.

3.) Look to see that all the thread wraps are the same color. They should all be look almost identical. If one or two are a little brighter, or darker - or if the varnish over them seems a bit different, there's a good chance a guide has been replaced.

4.) Examine the ferrules for cracks.

5.) Study the varnish over the rod shafts to see what condition it is in. Is it flat & smooth all over, or is dry & cracked like alligator skin?

6.) If the rod has a bag or a rod tube, be sure to look for any labels that match any information on the rod. 

These are just some of the points to look for when evaluating a vintage bamboo fly rod. It's a great start for you when contacting an expert for help. Armed with this information, the expert can save a lot of time in research & will have a better idea of just what you might have.

Also, be sure to take photos of the rod. These are a great help to any tackle expert. Be especially sure that your photos include these parts of the rod, as they help the most to identifying it:

-Any writing or labels on the rod, usually fond above the grip
-The grip
-The reel seat
-The ferrules

As far as values go, only a very rough estimate could possibly be made without the expert physically handling the rod. That means if you're looking to sell your rods you should choose a dealer that you trust, so be sure to research anyone before you send them what might be very valuable tackle. 

Armed with this info & these photos to show, you'll be that much farther ahead when you contact a vintage tackle expert for their advise & help in identifying your old rod.