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Custom Fly Fishing Rods by Chris Lantzy, Custom Rod Maker

Fall Trout Stocking in PA

9/26/2011

It's that time of year again: Autumn. A time when we can start thinking about catching trout & the cooler temperatures bring on more hatches to fish. But, don't delay. This Fall trout season can be gone before you know it.

Here in PA, we're into the extended trout season. It's time once again for the fall trout stocking to take place in selected waters across the commonwealth.

Want to learn more about trout in PA? Go HERE.

Want to read about the top ten trout streams in PA? Go HERE.

So, try to take some time & enjoy the fall trout season. The snow will be here all too soon. Good luck & fish safe!!

Wright-Mcgill "Feather Light" Vintage Fiberglass Restored & Available

9/16/2011

(Click on any of the photos below for a better look)

I've just listed a vintage Wright-Mcgill "Feather Light" fiberglass fly rod on the "Available" page. It's 6 1/2 ft, 2 piece - 1 tip, 6 weight rod.

Unlike any other Feather Light you might find on the market, I've restored this rod & given it a customized tune-up like you wouldn't believe!! By adding the correct amount of guides in the right places along the rod, I believe I've made quite an improvement to the rod's ability to cast a line with ease.

I've said it before, but so often times the case with lesser grade vintage rods would be the line guides. Usually the rod blanks they used were good & the action fine. The grip & reel seats would be functional & do what they're supposed to. However in order to save a few bucks per rod (& lower the price), large tackle manufacturers would not put enough line guides on the rod &/or would not have enough different size guides on the rod. The result was a rod with guides that were too far apart & too large to control the line (especially near the tip). If a rod manufacturer could save, say, three line guides per rod & didn't have to use a bunch of different size guides, how much money could they save on each rod? How about over hundreds or thousands of rods? Add to this heavier, cheaper thread for the wraps with only enough varnish to keep the wraps together & they've saved even more money in materials & working time.

What I've done with this rod is to redesign the placement & size of guides & make it the fly rod it always could have been, if profit margins & budgets hadn't been as big an issue the time the rod was made. I've also re-wraped the rod with silk thread in, what I believe to be, a much more aesthetically pleasing color. Please don't compare this rod to the modern Feather Lights you can buy at your local store. This rod now performs & looks better than any other Feather Light you'll find anywhere. This upgrade has brought this rod into a much higher class of rods. It's now a nicer casting vintage fiberglass fly rod at a very reasonable price.

Please go to the "Available" page to read more about this rod & feel free to contact me as well.

The Contented Angler

9/12/2011

I want to give a mention & a "thank-you" to Joe & Amy Gablick of The Contented Angler Fly Shop. Recently, they were so kind to me as to make available on their website a page about me & the rods I make. I truly appreciate them recognizing me & my work.

I also appreciate all the small, independent fly shops across the country just like The Contented Angler. Joe is a master of fly tying & can guide anglers of any level through any aspect of fly fishing. Hey, these folks aren't getting rich doing this. No, their motivations are elsewhere, like the people they meet, the friends they make, & the folks they can help out. Maybe that's why they help the fly fishing community out all the time by giving to those in need & not charging for their fly tying classes. Go ahead & ask a catalog for the best rod or waders or fly line to suit your needs.....then ask Joe. He'll give you the service that someone answering the phone halfway around the world just can't give you.

Joe, Amy, & all the folks who work in small independent fly shops care about your enjoyment & success in fly fishing. Unlike a big box store or catalog company where the bottom line is king, fly shops like The Contented Angler derive their success from the relationship they build with you. As a result, they have a much more serious interest in you than anyone else. That's why I encourage you to shop at fly shops like The Contented Angler.

Remembering September 11, 2001....

9/11/2011

New York City firemen walk past the American flag as they work their way toward the heart of the devastation that was once the World Trade Center.

Flight 93 Memorial

How Do You Get To Carnegie Hall?

9/7/2011

How do you get to Carnegie Hall?......practice, practice, practice!!!!

Sometimes people who are trying their hand at making their own fly rod will contact me to ask questions. I always encourage this, as the guidance of another rod maker can be invaluable. We all learn from each other. I've also been asked in the past if I offer rod making classes of any kind. The answer is no, I don't, but I'm always willing to take the time to answer any questions you might have.

For those of you looking to get your feet wet in rod making, I can offer some suggestions that might help get you started. First, read every book you can on the subject. See how different authors / rod makers approach the craft. Next, think about taking a good rod making class. This can really help you overcome some of the problems you'll face starting out. Also, try to cast & see as many different rods as you can. Knowing what's out there is a great help in seeing what you need to do. Also, befriend a more experienced rod maker & listen carefully to what they have to say.

There is, however, a misguided view among some that once you learn how to make a rod, your rods will soon be as good as the others you see on the market. If only that were true, we would all be successful, master rod makers. (by the way, you can count the number of "master" rod makers on one hand, of which I'm not one). The hard truth is that once you learn how to make a rod, you've only just begun. You need hours & years of hard focused practice in order to become truly good. It's the same in all endeavors, not just rod making. For example, do you want the mechanic who just started learning how a car works to fix your engine, or the mechanic who's been working on vehicles every day for thirty years?

The truth is, we can accomplish most anything we set our mind to, but only if we work hard at it & have a love for it that will sustain us when the going gets tough. It takes a lot of practice to get good at anything, & the same is true for making rods. Recently, rod maker Jeff Wagner summed up everything I'm trying to say here much better than I can. I highly recommend that you read Jeff's thoughts by clicking HERE.

If you think you'd like to make your own fly rod but haven't yet, then by all means, give it a try. You may come to find that you truly enjoy it. Just don't get discouraged if your first (or second, etc) rods aren't as good as others you've seen. You will get there with patience & practice.

the pliant rod:

Fall Trout Stocking in PA

Wright-Mcgill "Feather Light" Vintage Fiberglass Restored & Available

The Contented Angler

Remembering September 11, 2001....

How Do You Get To Carnegie Hall?

The Pliant Rod

leather accessories

instagram

SEE MORE ROD PHOTOS!!!

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