For more photos & info about these limited edition fly wallets, please visit the Accessories page & scroll down to the 'Mini Fly Wallets' section.
Over on the Accessories page of this website, I've just listed these new mini fly wallets. There will only be a limited number of these wallets made. Once they're gone there will be no more, ever. These mini fly wallets are made from the inside material of retired firefighter jackets& pants (turn-out gear). This is a rugged, tough material that will take any abuse you can throw at it, yet it's smooth texture feels good in the hand. They're made in the same fine design as the leather & canvas mini wallets. However, these have the added benefit of being water proof!!! Water & dirt will not stick to these wallets & the material will not stain. So if your mini wallet gets wet or muddy or dirty in any way, simple wipe it off. Because these wallets are made from gear that was actually worn by firefighters in the line of duty, all the material has been washed & sanitized before construction. This is a fantastic light-weight material that was made to take abuse. It's a special & rare material made specifically for firefighters in the line of duty (you cannot buy this material in any store). If it protects firefighters, it will certainly protect your wet, nymph, & small streamer flies, too!! Contact me today to reserve your limited edition mini fly wallets.
For more photos & info about these limited edition fly wallets, please visit the Accessories page & scroll down to the 'Mini Fly Wallets' section. All across Pennsylvania local volunteers help the PA Fish & Boat Commission stock trout into the stream, rivers, & lakes of the Commonwealth. Without their hard work, the sport of trout fishing would be nothing compared to what it is. You see, these folks help to spread the fish out by carrying them in buckets from the truck to specific spots along the stream. It's a lot of work & without them you're favorite spots to fish probably wouldn't have any trout in them.
Their work starts when the snow is still flying & continues on through the end of May. They'll be back at it again in early October, too making sure all the anglers can enjoy the sport by having trout to fish to, where you're used to catching them. If you happen to be in the Northwest part of PA & see one of these folks along the stream, take a moment to thank them for all their hard work. These dedicated volunteers do everyone who wets a line a huge service. To them I say: thanks for all your hard work stocking our trout!!!! Jim Green was one of the best fly casters & casting instructors in the industry. Along with being a casting champion, Jim also wrote a fantastic, short & to the point instructional book titled "Fly Casting From The Beginning" back in 1971. He also worked for the Fenwick rod company, testing out new rod models, helping in the design of the rods, & giving them his valuable feedback of the rods they made. He was actually the inventor of their famous Feralite ferrule. As a casting instructor there may not have been any better than Jim Green. Below is a video (shot on 16 mm film) Jim made back in 1975 for the Fenwick company. In it he describes & shows the basics of good fundamental fly casting. This is probably the best, most straight-forward, easiest to understand casting instruction I've seen. It's about 23 minutes long, but worth watching every second of it. Expand the player to full screen mode to get the most out of it. In fact, you'll want to take your rod out on the lawn for a while after watching this video & come back & watch it again & again. In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields. Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields. -Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae There are some things that seem really simple, yet for whatever reason we don't pick up on them. When you see things like that you have a 'slap-your-forehead' kind of a moment & say, "why didn't I think of that"? I was stringing up my rod one day along the stream, getting ready to go fishing while talking to a friend who was there. As I was pulling my line through the guides they asked me about how I was doing it, so I showed them. It was then that I realized that maybe not everyone strings up a fly rod that way. Below is a video in which Texas fly fishing guide Alvin Dedeaux demonstrates a great way to string up a fly rod. Simple & easy, but you might never have thought of it before, so I thought I'd share it with you. Got any tips like this one? Let me know & if it's a good one I'll share it with everybody here on "The Pliant Rod" so we all can benefit from your knowledge. Just contact me with your ideas, short cuts, & tips. I'd love to hear them!! I've just listed another rod over on the Available Rods page. This one is a restored vintage fiberglass 7 or 8 wt Shakespeare Wonder Rod. I've gone all over this rod. I've added more line guides to it & put them in the proper locations, so this rod will now cast better than it ever did. The new wraps are all made of rich, brown silk thread. The metal reel seat & cork grip have gotten a thorough cleaning. The shafts of this fly rod have received a complete re-coating. In short, this rod has been 'spruced-up' a lot. It's now ready for another 50 years on the stream!! There are just a couple of condition issues to mention with this rod. The end of the butt section, where it slides into the tip section, was broken. I've made all the necessary repairs & now the two sections fit night & tightly together with no fear of them coming apart, but as a result the rod is 1 inch short. So it is actually 8'-5" long (the tip section is about 1 1/2" longer than the butt section). Here is a photo of the repair: The only other issue with this rod is a small scratch on the metal slide ring of the reel seat. It couldn't be buffed out without doing more damage to the ring. Neither of these issues affects the rod's action or function at all, but I feel that I need to mention them so you know exactly what you're getting. So here's a chance to get a vintage glass fly rod that has received a new life!! This rod has a nice medium action & can be very powerful. A great rod for bigger flies & bigger fish, like large trout or bass. To read more about this rod & to see more photos, please visit the Available Rods page. Reduced Classical Series Bamboo!!!I need to make some room in the shop, so I've reduced the price of the 6'-6" 3 piece / 2 tip bamboo fly rod listed over on the Available Rods page. This rod's configuration (3 piece) in this length, makes this a unique & versatile rod. It breaks down into shorter sections for easy traveling, but will fish just well in many situations. Line it up with your favorite 4 or 5 weight fly line & cast your wets, nymphs, dries, or small streamers. This rod features: -Aluminum cap & ring style reel seat with a figured walnut wood spacer. The aluminum looks great with the benefit of reduced weight. -Winding check (above grip) made of Nickle-Silver -Chromed, stainless-steel line guides, hook keeper, tip tops, & stripping guide -Nickle-Silver ferrules -Olive colored silk thread wraps with black silk tipping wraps -Green, custom made rod bag with black embellishment stitches (to match the color scheme of the rod) -Green, canvas covered, custom fit PVC rod tube with padded ends, zippered closure, & leather name tag describing the rod inside I think you're going to really enjoy fishing this unique & very versatile rod. With this new, reduced price, it's not only a great rod but a great bargain, too!! For more info about both of these rods & to see more detailed photos, please go to the Available Rods page of this website. If you have any questions about anything you see there (or anywhere else on this site), please feel free to contact me. Spring has finally sprung & trout seasons are in full swing all over!!! It's a great time of year, isn't it? I hope you're all finding time to get out there & enjoy some fly fishing on your favorite streams. Please feel free to share your adventures with me, too. I always love a good fishing story. Stay safe & good luck out there, everybody!!
If you're going to be fishing in some small, tree & brush covered streams anytime soon you might want to consider using the "bow & arrow" cast. It allows you to get your line out into a small stream with a lot of cover, without walking right up to the stream. This way you won't put any trout down being too close to the stream. This is especially good with wild trout, as some are known for taking just about any fly, but are difficult to catch because of how cautious they are. One sight of you & they're not going to be feeding for a while. In those situations, the bow & arrow cast is the answer. Demonstrating the cast in the video below is the legendary Joe Humphreys. If you're not familiar with Joe, you should get to know his work. He is a legendary fishing guide & author. He was a long time teacher of fly fishing at Penn State. He's wrote a couple of outstanding books - some of the best 'how-to' fly fishing books I've ever read. He's dedicated his life to fly fishing & teaching it. Oh, yeah - he's a master with a fly rod, too. Check out Joe showing us how to make the bow & arrow cast in this short video below. Practice it & see if it doesn't help you out the next time you're on a stream with too much cover for "normal" casting. Thanks for sharing this with us, Joe!! A lot of folks are interested in the fishing bags that are made right here in my shop. These bags are a great accessory & even a nice alternative to wearing a vest. They have tons of features like pockets to hold all your stuff, D-rings to hang stuff from, a liner for easy cleaning inside the bag, I could go on & on. These bags are available in two sizes & sometimes people ask me about the differences in the sizes. The small bag is 12 inches wide & the large bag is 14" wide. Now, that might not sound like a big difference, but it is amazing to me how much it actually is when you compare the two bags side by side. The larger bag will hold a lot more stuff. It has room for a rolled up rain coat, a thermos or large water bottle, maps, or anything else you can think of - & all your fishing gear. They're perfect for anglers who like to hike to their fishing spots or anybody who needs to carry more stuff with them. The small bag has room to hold everything you'd want for fishing & maybe some room left over for a water bottle, etc. The small bag is great for a days fishing anywhere. Here's a photo of them side by side. On the left is a small brown bag & a large green bag is on the right (click on the photo for a larger image): Don't worry about overloading these bags, they can take it. They're built & sewn to last a lifetime of fishing & heavy use. To read more about the features of these bags & to see how well they're made, please click HERE.
To read more about these bags in general, please visit the Accessories page. If you have questions, or are interested in getting one of these bags, please contact me. Fly fishing can be dangerous at times, especially if we throw caution & common sense to the wind & do risky things. If you are wading in a stream or river, you must be careful at all times. Every year we see in the news where an angler has drown somewhere. You must respect the force of moving water. It doesn't matter if you're the best swimmer in the world, or the strongest human on the planet, you cannot win against the force of torrent of rushing water. So, if we use common sense, most of the time our biggest danger when wading is taking a dunk in the stream. If the water is cold (& trout live in cold waters) or you bump your head, you might be a little dazed the first few seconds you go in. Don't panic - that's the key. There are some things you can do to make your fall a little safer. There has been debate over the years about the safety of waders when you fall in the water while wearing them. Some claim it's no big deal while others urge caution. No matter what you believe, getting out of the stream with your waders filled with water is hard work. Please folks, if you wear waist or chest waders, please wear a wading belt!! It will trap air in your waders that you can use for flotation, making it easier to get out of the water & to stay safe. Please watch this short video below demonstrating the importance of wearing a wading belt & how to use your waders as an aid, rather than a detriment, should you take a dunk. Please watch this video & stay safe out there!! I know that many anglers have wondered about the old style, mortised bamboo fly rods, but haven't had a chance to ever try one. How do the act? How do they cast, or feel? Well, now's your chance to own a mortised rod without the large investment that it usually takes to either have one made for you or to buy an antique rod. I've just reduced the price of this mortised bamboo rod, listed over on the Available Rods page of this website. This is a unique rod in a few ways. First, it's a Prudential Series bamboo rod, which means that it is made with only one tip section, rather than the normal two tip sections that come with bamboo rods, which reduces the price significantly. Second, the strips used in the mortised grip & reel seat of this rod are not wood, but bamboo that has been flame-treated to a darker color than the bamboo that's used in the rest of the rod. This makes for a stunning & beautiful contrast between the two. Also, the grip & reel seat of this rod are elegant simplicity. The grip area of this rod (which is the same diameter of a normal cork grip) is covered in wraps of very soft, yet strong, leather lacing. In the times of mortised rods (late 1800's) this was a common grip for many tools. This leather lacing is a respectful nod to that era. The reel seat is a simple 'cap & ring' style. The pocketed butt cap & ring are highly polished aluminum for reduced weight that have classic good looks. The line guides are chromed stainless steel, as is the stripping guide. The rod is wrapped throughout with a gorgeous soft red silk thread. The rod comes in a custom-fit brown flannel rod bag with red embellishment stitches & a custom-fit brown PVC canvas covered heavy duty rod tube with padded ends, zippered top, & leather tag describing the rod inside. The moderate / fast action of this rod is delightful. The tip section recovers very quickly, i.e. - there are no extra vibrations in the tip after you stop moving the rod. It will cast a line very gracefully with either a 4 or a 5 weight line. It would do well for most trout fishing conditions & toss dry, wet, nymph, & medium streamer flies equally well. This is, in my opinion, a very smooth casting rod & it's a joy to use. Priced to move at less than $400, this rod is a chance for any of you who have been wondering about mortised rods to give them a try without a significant investment. Please contact me if you have any questions about this rod. To read a full description & to see more detailed photos of this rod, please visit the Available Rods page. Speaking of the Available Rods page, also listed there is a very cool 6'-6", 3 piece / 2 tip, Classical Series bamboo fly rod. You don't often see a 6'-6" rod in a 3 piece configuration like this. A perfect rod for travel or hiking or anywhere longer rod sections would be a problem, this rod breaks down into much shorter sections. We might call this a "pack rod". The rod tube housing it all only measures 29 inches in length!! A moderate action 4 or 5 wt rod, you'll love how it fishes for you when you put it together & string it up. A nice, all-around rod in a slightly shorter, convenient 3 pc configuration. For more information & more photos of this rod, please see the Available Rods page. Time to stock up on your fly fishing accessories!!Trout seasons are getting into gear all around North America & now's the time to get your fly wallets, reel cases, fishing bags, rod tubes, & other fishing accessories all together. Please check out the Accessories page of this site to see the entire line of products made right here in my shop. Also, remember that if you buy some accessories together you can save some money. Accessories set #1 includes a fishing bag, leather fly wallet, mini fly wallet, & a leather leader wallet. Accessories set #2 includes a leather fly wallet, canvas mini fly wallet, & a leather leader wallet. Save about 15% when you buy your accessories in these sets!!! Of course, you can buy these accessories individually as well. The sewing machines have been working overtime lately here, & we've been busy filling all kinds of orders for bags, cases, & wallets. We can make these accessories to your specifications, but to see the currently in stock leather fly wallets, click HERE. To see the currently available leather leader wallets, click HERE. To learn more about all the accessories we make, please click on over to the Accessories page. Take advantage of some overstock accessories!! For various reasons - maybe an order got changed after it was started; maybe we decided we didn't like a particular color, etc - I have some reel cases & other items on the Super Specials page. Please check them out for some great buys including a couple of cheap fishing bags!! Vintage Fly ReelsI also have a bunch of vintage fly reels available right now. Each reel comes in a custom-fit soft sided reel case which features a zippered closure & wool lining, a $20 value included for free!! These cases were made specifically for each individual reel for a custom fit, all included for free!! Right now I have a very nice Plflueger Medalist 1492 1/2. These are great reels & this model is especially popular among anglers who don't fish heavier than a 4 wt line. I've also got this nice Pflueger Sal-Trout 1554 (w/ Bulldog trademark) listed on the Available Reels page, too: Along with those reels, I also have this very cool - & rare - Gyro by Jana No. 53 vintage fly reel. These, & too many others to list here, can be seen on the Available Reels page of this site....& remember, each reel comes with a free, custom made case!! Please contact me if you see something there you like. Custom Fly RodsIt's not too late to order a custom made fly rod in time for some late summer or early autumn fly fishing. I've been extremely busy in the rod shop this spring getting completed rods out the door. I'll be honored to work with you to make the custom fly rod you've always wanted!! So, no matter if it's a custom graphite, fiberglass, or bamboo fly rod you've been dreaming about, please contact me about it. You & I will work together to make & design the rod just for you, to fish & look exactly how you want it to. It really is a fun process: you & I go back & forth -bouncing different ideas off of each other until we come up with a rod that is what you've always wanted. I think you'll be surprised how much fun it all is as we talk about rods, fishing, & figuring out the rod for you - & it doesn't break the bank, either. I've worked hard to keep my prices for custom rods low while keeping the quality the best you can get. A fly rod made just for you, how you fish, & with the highest level of friendly service unsurpassed anywhere. It's been a very busy spring here in the rod shop & I thank you all for that. Hopefully I'll have some time to hit one of the many local trout streams I'm blessed to have here for a few hours, a few times. Never the less, please know that I'm here to help you in any way that I can. Please contact me to discuss anything you see on this site, anything fly fishing related, or just to share a good fishing story. I always enjoy hearing from you all. Good luck out there & save some fish for me!!!
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The Pliant RodNews from the shop of Chris Lantzy, Custom Rod Maker along with industry news, profiles of interesting characters, reviews, history, & whatever else strikes our fancy. Your comments & feedback are welcome. Please email me your thoughts. Celebrating two decades of making custom fly rods!!
leather accessoriesCases, bags, wallets, & other fine leather angling accessories.
See more photos from the rod shop & stream sides!
SEE MORE ROD PHOTOS!!!Please visit my Flickr pages 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.
Watch Some Videos!!Take a look into the rod shop & see some rods in living color motion pictures!! Check out my youtube videos.
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