Blog Archives

Custom Fly Fishing Rods by Chris Lantzy, Custom Rod Maker

Designing Your Custom Fly Rod: Thread Wraps

6/27/2011

The thread wraps on a fly rod are literally the wraps of thread that go around the rod over the feet of the line guides, hook keeper, in front of winding checks, over the base of the ferrules, etc. They are probably the most noticeable feature of a rod & the first element the eye is drawn to.

In fly rods as well as in fly fishing, certain traditions are usually upheld. This is true with the wraps on a rod. For instance, the thread used on a bamboo rod is traditionally silk thread, while the more modern nylon is commonly used on graphite & fiberglass rods.

Silk thread gives a smoother, flatter wrap on a rod than nylon. Silk is also a lot thinner than nylon thread & lays down flatter on a rod giving a smoother, even appearance under varnish. If applied correctly, wraps of silk thread will appear “painted” on a rod after the finish is applied. The lighter colors of silk thread will become translucent, showing the guide feet, under varnish. This is a very traditional look.

The color scheme of the wraps is an open field where you can have any colors you choose on your rod. Some folks prefer to stick to more subtle & traditional colors such as red, brown, etc while others prefer to go for bolder colors & shades of green, purple, blue, etc. There are many different colors of thread available today. Also, on older rods &/or more expensive rods, you may find the wraps ending, or tipped, in another color. This is called “tipping” which gives definition to the appearance of the wrap. Tipping is usually done in a neutral or contrasting color & is very thin, consisting of only a few turns of thread.

When choosing wrap colors, it’s always best to consider the color of the rod itself, so that you’ll have an idea of the overall appearance of the finished rod. Also, the colors of the thread, unless treated with a product known as “color preserver” will appear much different under varnish than as it comes on the spool. This is where the guidance of a rod maker is valuable in helping to guide you when choosing wrap colors.

On the overwhelming majority of graphite rods today you will find the wraps made of nylon thread & an epoxy finish over the wraps. Most are bulky wraps (even on the best of rods) & appear to me to look more like an imitation ant fly pattern you might use at the end of your line: many little symmetrical bumps along the length of the rod. On all my rods (bamboo, graphite, & fiberglass) I choose to use silk thread for the wraps & finish the wraps with a traditional varnish. This results in smooth, flat wraps that do not boldly stand out in shape & size from the rod shafts. This follows tradition on bamboo rods & gives graphite & fiberglass rods a traditional appearance. Trends in fishing tackle come & go, but these traditional looking wraps never go out of style & give your rod a timeless appearance. Take a look at an older bamboo or fiberglass fly rod & compare the wraps to those on modern graphite rods. You will see what I mean about smoother, flatter wraps.

When purchasing a rod from a custom rod maker you can have a wide choice of colors for the wraps. This is one more choice that makes your rod as individual as you are.

More Books Available & Other News...

6/20/2011

I have just added three more books to the "available" page for you.
   -"Lefty's Favorite Fly Fishing Waters"
   -"The Orvis Encyclopedia of Fly Fishing"
   -"Fly Tying With A.K."
These titles are in addition to the others already available for sale. Please check them out. Many of these books are brand new & have never been read. Not to mention, the prices are reduced way below the cover price of what you'd pay for these books (of those that are still available in stores).

While you're visiting the available page, please check out the rods I have listed there. Two of those rods now have new prices for your consideration. I truly believe that you won't find a better price for hand made split-bamboo fly rods. These rods are also included in the special offer going on right now: buy or order a rod & get a free leather fly wallet. You can read about these wallets on my accessories page.

Also, please notice that all graphite rods now have new prices. I know that budgets are tight these days & I want to give folks a chance at a custom rod. Because of a change in my suppliers, I'm now able to offer these rods to you at a lower price. Rather than pocket the difference, I'm passing these savings on to you. As always, my rods are still made in the USA. "Classical" series rods (2 or 4 pc) are $350; while all "Custom" series rods (2 or 4 pc) are now $460. For all the details, please visit the "Modern Synthetic Rods" page.

I've also added a new page to this site to help you in deciding what you want your fly rod to be. This page is a work in progress & will be growing over the next few weeks. I hope that it helps give you food for thought about the different aspects of custom fly rods. There are many aspects that go into designing a fly rod & this new page aims to help you think of things you might not have considered when purchasing a fly rod before. That's because buying a fly rod from a custom rod maker is a lot different than buying one from a catalog or retail store. Please visit the "Designing Your Custom Fly Rod" page to learn more.

As always folks, contact me with any questions or comments. I'm always happy to hear from you all. There will be more news from my shop coming soon. I have some exciting things planed for you to take advantage of, so check back here often & shoot me an email anytime.

-Chris

LATE EDITION: I just added a couple of fishing bags to the "available" page. These are well made bags that I'm very proud to offer. These bags were prototypes for all the bags I sell. They will give you a lifetime of service & you can get these two bags for 50% less than regular price!!!

Designing Your Custom Fly Rod: Line Guides

6/13/2011

The job of line guides is to distribute the forces of the rod to the fly line. When casting, they take the energy from the rod & transfer it to the line in a controlled manner along the length of the rod. When playing or landing a fish, they distribute the forces on the fly line along the length of the rod & allow you to use the rod as a lever. In other words, line guides are pretty important to the over all function of - & your satisfaction with – the fly rod.

On fly rods today line guides are made from light weight bent wire. This is to reduce weight & friction on the fly line. The tip top guide is made of a metal tube which has a pear-shaped loop soldered onto the tube top. This tube is placed over the top of the rod tip shaft. On fly rods, more than any other type of fishing rods, it is very important that the line guides not be too heavy. That would greatly affect the action of the rod. Also, the guides must be spaced apart correctly so that the line does not come in to too much contact with the rod shaft while casting. That would cause friction that could dramatically slow the speed of the line down.

The number of line guides used on a rod is very important. There are always exceptions, but a good rule of thumb is that good fly rods have a tip top plus a number of guides equal to the rod length, in feet, plus one. For example, a good 9 ft rod probably has a tip top plus ten line guides. This is one way some production rods are available at a lower price – by not putting enough guides on a rod the cost of manufacturing is less. Also, how the guides are spaced along the rod is extremely important. As you progress from the tip of the rod down to the grip, the distance between guides gets larger. A couple may be spaced the same distance apart, but rarely (if ever) closer. Guides also get larger in diameter closer to the grip with the smallest guides being closest to the tip top. It’s very important to use the correct size guide in the right place on a fly rod. Many cheap rods, in addition to not having enough guides, also use the wrong size of guide, or too big of a guide near the tip of the rod.

There are two types of snake, or bent wire, fly rod line guides. There’s the standard guide that we see on almost all the fly rods today. Then there are British, or English, line guides. British line guides are made from the same wire as standard guides but they are bent in the opposite direction & have a more rounded shape, with the wire bent in a gentler sweep. Some folks claim that the British guides are more suited for slower, or softer, action rods & I tend to agree with this. That’s why I offer them as an option on some rods.

Line guides & tip tops come in different finishes. They are available in black, but after heavy use the black tends to wear away & diminish the guide’s appearance. Bronze guides are available, but suffer from the same problems as black guides. Titanium guides are available as well. They are very dark gray. The color won’t wear on titanium guides, but they are very expensive. Guides also come in hard chrome. These are cheaper in price than titanium & will hold up to heavy use well, continuing to look good after many decades. This is why I prefer chrome guides & use them as my standard guide. On bamboo rods its best if certain traditions are upheld, but on graphite rods which have less ‘history’, more choices are available. For instance, you should never put single footed guides on a bamboo rod, but they’re acceptable on a graphite rod.

The stripping guide is located closest to the rod grip & is the heaviest. It’s made from a complete ring in a soldered base of bent wire forming the two feet of the guide. On bamboo rods stripping guides are made with rings of tungsten-carbide or of a cut & polished agate stone ring in a nickel-silver bezel. Modern graphite rods tend to use stripping guides made from other, more modern materials like ceramic, etc. On graphite fly rods I prefer to use the traditional stripping guides that you’d find on bamboo rods. I think this is a way to bring the traditions & history of the sport into today. Plus, in my opinion, you cannot beat the looks of traditional components.

Stripping Guides:

Hold On To Your Hackles!!

6/7/2011

For those of you who haven't heard the news, there's a shortage of fly tying feathers this year. That's because the fashion industry has rediscovered feathers. Evidently, feather jewelry brought about the idea & interest (among those who think in such avenues) to use feathers in hair extensions. Now i have no idea how things like hair extensions work, but it seems that not any feather will do for them. The same feathers that we use to tie up traditional dry fly patterns are what the fashion world is buying up as quickly as possible.

All this demand leaves a shortage of feathers because there are only a handful of feather producers in the country. It takes a much longer time (& more money) to raise / breed a bird for feathers than it does for meat. The fear is, of course, that this new & sudden demand will not only limit supply but drive prices up as well. Even industry insiders can't get the feathers they need right now.

This story is gaining attention in the media. ABC News recently covered it in a short piece. Of course others closer to the fly fishing business have been covering it as well, such as The Billings Gazette. As this story gains attention, so will the fashion fad, & in turn so will the demand for feathers.

One person who has been warning us all from the beginning of this trend is master fly tier Joe Gablick. Joe is a professional fly tier with decades of experience. He (with his wife Amy) run The Contented Angler fly shop. According to Joe, if you're after some feathers & see what you want but aren't sure about buying them - buy them. If you have the feathers you need, don't waste a hackle!!!

So, basically as I understand it, because some celebrity on one of those 'American Idol' shows (or some other show I've never heard of) decided to put chicken feathers in their hair & prance around for all to see, you might not be able to tie up any of the dry flies you need. Great. Well, like all fads & celebrities, this will hopefully pass quickly & we can go back to buying feathers like we used to. Still, I fear this trend may get worse before it gets better.

Designing Your Custom Fly Rod: Grips

6/6/2011

The grip on your fly rod is a very important part of the rod that, many times, is overlooked by both rod makers & anglers. The grip plays a vital role in the use of the rod. A comfortable grip allows you to fish for long periods of time without fatigue to the hand & wrist, allowing you more time of pleasant fishing.

Cork is the standard material for fly rod grips & for good reason. Cork is durable, light in weight, yet rigid enough to transmit rod forces from the hand to the rod shaft without too much loss of response. Likewise, cork allows the action of the rod to be transmitted to the angler’s hand, giving a “feel” of the rod & line in the water. Cork is comfortable on the hands & doesn’t feel nearly as cold as other materials would when it’s freezing outside. The same goes for when the temperatures are high; the cork will not absorb the heat as readily & won’t feel hot to the touch, even in intense sunlight. Other grip materials, like foam for instance, are usually too soft for fly rods. This results in the rod being less responsive to your hand. Generally, the softer the grip, the more unresponsive the feel of the rod becomes in your hand. Cork allows for responsiveness while being comfortable to the angler.

Through the years many different shapes of grips have appeared on fly rods. Many have been a passing phase in fly rod fashion. Today you see three shapes, or styles, of grips more than others. These are:

Half Wells:

Reversed Half Wells:

Cigar (or variation of cigar shape):

The trend these days among fly rod manufacturers seems to be outfitting their rods with grips that are longer than in the past (approx 7 inches & longer) & grips that are thinner in diameter than before. While these grips may look good on a rod, a grip that is longer than it needs to be will generally make a rod feel less responsive. Should the grip be too small in diameter for your hand, your wrist & hand will tire from casting & fishing sooner in the day than a grip with a larger diameter. This is why I make the grips on my rods a little different than many on mass produced rods. While I fulfill any client’s request for grip shape, the overall standard grip shape on my rods is a very simple one. My grips are shaped with a gentle slope towards the front of the rod & mostly leveling out for the length of your hand. This would be called a variation on cigar shape I suppose, but I don’t necessarily think of that when I shape the grip. Instead, I focus on how the grip feels in the hand by stopping & holding the grip many times as I shape it. There are a lot of different shapes of grips for fly rods & this can sometimes be confusing when you’re trying to design a rod yourself. That’s why I feel the shape I use as my standard grip works best on most fly rods for the majority of fishing rods & situations.

The grip is more than just a place to hold the rod. It plays a very important role in the overall quality of the rod. It helps transmit information to & from your hand while helping you to cast & fish the rod comfortably for long periods of time. Do yourself a favor & don’t overlook the grip when purchasing your next fly rod.

Graphite Fly Rods : New Price!!!

6/2/2011

I have lowered the prices of my custom graphite fly rods. Making graphite fly rods is a real pleasure for me, but it can be a headache to keep up with the manufacturers of the graphite rod blanks. Unlike my bamboo rod blanks, which are all hand made by me in my shop, I purchase the blanks for my graphite rods from the manufacturer & other sources. The challenge for me is to have a blank that is of excellent quality, made in the U.S.A., & is at a price that allows me to offer you a value for your rod. Every year (& sometimes in between) the blank manufacturers change things on us. Either they discontinue a blank, leaving me to search for another that meets my requirements, or they ship production overseas which is something I don't care for at all.

Well, it's happened again to me. Not to be thwarted in my efforts to offer you quality custom graphite fly rods made in America on American made blanks, I've found another source for rod blanks that meets my requirements. Best of all, while these are very nice casting, well made rod blanks - they're slightly less in price than my previous blanks. So, I'm passing the savings on to you!!!

Custom graphite fly rods in the Classical Series are now $350.
Graphite fly rods in the Custom Series are now $460.

That's about $100 less than before. These prices include both 2 & 4 piece rods. I have made rods on these blanks before & I know the actions & quality of them well. The blanks are made in the U.S.A. & are of really good quality. I've worked hard to find these values & I'm proud to offer them to you. In full disclosure you should know that when I make a graphite fly rod, I don't make any money on the blank or components of the rod. Ultimately, you pay what I pay for those items in the full price of the rod. I do this so my prices will have a wide range to meet the different desires of my clients. Some folks want more things on a rod & that, of course, makes it cost more. So to be fair, I don't make any profit on components.

Please also be ware that I can & do build on any manufacturer's blank. I do this because some folks have a loyalty to a particular brand, yet want a custom rod with different features than the manufacturer puts on their rods. I also do it to give me the flexibility I need to work with charities, groups, or customers who are on a tight budget or have special circumstances. I think that just as you might hire a carpenter to make you custom cabinets in your kitchen, you should be able to have a rod maker make a fly rod how you want it & at a price you can afford.

As always, if you have any questions just email me. I'm always more than happy to work with you.

Thanks For Stocking Trout!!!

6/1/2011

Do you enjoy fishing for trout? Of course you do. Well, here in Pennsylvania, the Fish & Boat Commission stocks thousands of miles of streams & lakes with trout every year. They couldn't do it without help. All across the state, small groups of dedicated anglers like the ones pictured below help the Commission make sure that stocked trout are properly distributed. These folks give their time effort selflessly to make sure we all have trout in our favorite places. These volunteers have worked since the first days of March & continually until the end of May. Through all kinds of weather & conditions they have worked to make the fishing better for us all. If you fish for trout anywhere in Lawrence or Mercer Counties in PA, then you owe the folks in the photo below a big thank you for making sure you have trout to fish to. No matter where you fish in PA, we all owe the volunteers who help the Commission stock trout a pat on the back. Thanks for stocking trout, folks!!!

The Pliant Rod

News 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.

These rods are available right now. please Go to the "Available rods" page for more details:

There are currently no available rods for sale. I will be adding more rods here very soon, so please be sure to check back often. In the meantime, please feel free to contact me to inquire about the next rods to be listed & with any other questions you might have.

hand stitched leather accessories

Cases, bags, & other fine heirloom quality leather angling accessories.

NEW!! 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.

the pliant rod: