Blog Archives

Custom Fly Fishing Rods by Chris Lantzy, Custom Rod Maker

Refreshing A Fly Rod

9/28/2013

After heavy or hard use, it's a given that your fly rod isn't going to look as good as it did when it was new. The rod shafts will loose their shine or luster & if you rod has a matte finish, it will show the dirt even more. Obviously what's needed is a good cleaning, but there's even more you can do to help restore your fly rod's appearance.

I've covered the process for cleaning your fly rod before & you can read all about it on the "Tackle Tips" page of this website. However, I'd like to add a little more explanation for those really dirty rods.

What you want to do is remove all the dirt. That's vital. A lot of folks give the rod a quick wipe down & figure that's good enough. Well, that's what you should do after every day fishing, when putting the rod back in the tube at the end of the day. I'm talking about giving it a good, thorough cleaning. With a soft cloth & a gentle liquid glass cleaner (the blue stuff), give your fly rod a good cleaning. You're also going to want to use some cotton swabs to clean the line guides & the corners of the guides & wraps. Take your time & be very thorough. You don't want any dirt left at all.

Now that you've got all the dirt off the rod, let it dry. This next piece of advice is for really used rods - those that have seen better days. Take a good paste wax - the kind made for use on cars & autos & gentle apply it to the rod. Let it haze over & then gently remove it with a clean rag. Again, use cotton swabs to get the wax out of the line guides & their corners. Make sure you remove all the wax. Now what you'll find is that, for a little while, the more you gently buff the rod shafts, the cleaner & shinier the rod will become. So be sure to polish the rod a lot after you've removed the wax.

In choosing a wax you want to make sure that you don't use a wax that has cleaners or other chemicals added. Some are made with these additives for alder cars. You don't want that here. What you're after is something called carnauba wax, which can be found at any auto parts store. Make sure that you spot test the wax on the rod before you coat the whole thing. The butt area just above the grip is a good spot to do this test.

This method works very good on graphite, fiberglass, & bamboo fly rods that do NOT have a matte finish. You can apply wax to a matte rod, but you will loose some of the matte effect. The best part of doing this is that in the future you're going to find that water & dirt just slide off the rod & that your fly rod is going to look & stay cleaner than before. Taking care of an older rod will give you extra years of service from it & help you get even more out of your investment.

Line Guide Feet

9/21/2013

A good rod maker has to think about every little detail of the rod their making. That's what separates their work from the mass produced rods you find in stores & catalogs. It's this fine attention to detail, & the degree to which they are obsessive about the details, that make for a good rod maker & good rods.

The line guides on the rod are no exception. A conscientious rod maker will take the time & the effort to shape & polish the feet of each guide down to a taper. This makes for a smoother transition of the thread from rod shaft to guide foot. It also allows the guide to sit better on the rod.

While some line guide manufacturers claim to have already shaped the guide feet down to a taper, it is rarely ever good enough for a good wrap. So, I always taper the guide feet down myself.

The photo below shows a line guide foot as it comes from the manufacturer. This is also how they look if & when I form them myself.

As you can see, the shape of the guide foot is pretty square. It does have a slight taper downward, but those square sides will never do on a good rod. So, I grind those feet down to shape on a rotary sander.

After the feet have been shaped to a good taper, both downward & on the sides, I give each foot a quick polish with some polishing paper, just to make sure the thread winds smoothly over the foot. The end result looks like this:

Sure, this takes a few extra minutes to do but it's all worth it in the finished rod. Cheaper rods will not have guide feet shaped like this because it takes time & as we all know time is money. Custom rod makers take the time to do the little things that all add up to a fantastic fly rod.

Fishin' With The Buccos

9/18/2013

It's no secret, & anyone who knows me will tell you, I'm a big baseball fan. In particular, I'm a Pittsburgh Pirates fan. Always have been. So naturally, I'm loving this years baseball season.

For those of you who don't follow baseball, the Pirates have been the worst team in all of professional sports for the last twenty years. All that's changed this year & they are in line to go to the playoffs & maybe even win their division for the first time in two decades. For a fan like me that had to endure all those years of lousy baseball, this year is awesome.

So why the heck am I talking about baseball here on a fly fishing website? Well, I was talking to a fishing buddy the other day about the Pirates & it recalled a funny fishing story that involves the Pirates:

I was out on the trout stream one spring afternoon several years ago, enjoying a peaceful day. I had seen only a few other anglers & had the creek mostly to myself. I was working my way downstream through a very long stretch of stream that flowed through a wooded area & that dumped out into a very large pool along an opening in the woods.

I heard them before I saw them......two guys talking rather loudly & what sounded like a baseball game on a radio. As I approached the clearing, sure enough, there were two gentlemen sitting in lawn chairs with a cooler of beer & a radio between them. They were "trout fishing" & carrying on a conversation while drinking beer & listening to a Pirates game on the radio. As I approached, they never heard or saw me because they were talking & staring intently at their bobbers floating in the water.

Not wanting to appear like a creepy guy who just walked out of the woods, I announced my presence by saying hello to them. The one gentleman replies to me in a booming voice, "What ya say?", to which the other guy tells him (in just as loud a voice) "He's saying hello to us, ya deaf idiot". They then both greeted me back & we began to have a short conversation which was actually the three of us yelling at each other over the stream (we must have been heard for miles away). It dawned on me that both of these guys were actually hard of hearing & with the game turned up loud enough for them to hear it, talking to them would involve a lot of yelling. So in an attempt to wind our conversation down, I pointed to their bobbers & asked them, "doing any good?" to which the first gentleman replied, "nah, their loosing 8 to 2 in the bottom of the 8th"!!!!

Now I listen to as many games as I can on the radio, but not when I'm along a trout stream. Don't get me wrong, I'm not above listening to a ball game while fishing - as long as it's late at night with the ballgame on quietly, usually while I'm trying to catch catfish by lantern light on a muggy summer evening. I've never associated trout fishing with listening to the radio. But who am I to judge? As long as we can enjoy the sport without interrupting anyone else's enjoyment, I say to each their own - even if it involves more beer & baseball than fish!!

New Mortised Rod Available

9/16/2013

I've just listed another rod on the "Available" page. This one is rare. It's a mortised bamboo rod, made as a Prudential Series rod & priced accordingly. I don't believe I've ever offered a mortised rod with one tip before or at such a low price.

It's a beautiful looking rod that is mortised with darkly flamed strips of bamboo. These strips run all the way through the grip & reel seat area. The grip is made from soft, but sturdy, black leather wraps making for a very comfortable grip. The reel seat hardware is in the style of down-locking cap & ring. The rod itself is wrapped throughout with soft red silk that adds to the rods elegance.

This rod has a very smooth moderate / fast action. It will cast a line very accurately & will throw dries & wets / nymphs equally well. It is made for either a 4 or 5 weight line, making this rods good for many different fishing situations & perfect for most trout fishing.

So, if you've ever been wondering about mortised rods, but didn't want to spend the money on something you're not familiar with, here's your chance to own one with a minimal investment. I think you're going to like this rod's great, classic looks & it's silky smooth feel. A great looking rod that casts a wonderful line at an awesome price!! Please see the "Available" page for more info & photos of this rod & feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Thread Wraps & Color

9/13/2013

If you take a close look at the line guide wraps on a modern mass-produced graphite fly rod & a classic bamboo rod, comparing the two, you'll notice some differences. What you're likely to see is that on the bamboo rod, the wraps are smoother & somewhat transparent - you can see the guide feet under the wraps (unless it's wrapped in a really dark color thread). On the new graphite rod you won't see the guide feet & the wraps will be much more bulky, almost looking like a set of little dumb bells. Here's why: the bamboo rod was probably wrapped with thin silk thread & coated with real varnish, while the graphite rod was wrapped in heavy nylon thread & coated heavily with epoxy (yes, like the glue).

Personally, I've always preferred the look of wraps done in silk thread & real varnish. To me they look more like what should be on a delicate fly rod. I say leave those bulky wraps for the big bait casting rods. Besides being a heavier thread, nylon is cheaper than silk.....& weaker. That's right, silk thread is stronger than nylon. So that really leaves only one reason to use it on a fly rod - to save a few bucks.

So we've established that silk thread is superior to nylon. Now, what about the thread color? Well, one of the things a rod maker has to know (& let their client know) is that silk thread changes color when varnish is applied to it. Sometimes this color change can be dramatic. What looked like a red thread on the spool might turn to brown under the varnish; yellow thread might just disappear altogether against the bamboo; a blue or green thread may look more like black against the black graphite rod shaft. So it's extremely important that the rod maker know this before wrapping the rod. Color samples might be in order here.

The photo below demonstrates how silk thread changes color under varnish. Both guide feet are wrapped in the same thread, but you can see how much the color has changed.

You can also see how the wrap becomes semi-transparent under the varnish. Also I should mention, that the color change shown in this photo isn't nearly as dramatic as with some thread colors.

This change of color can be prevented with a treatment called 'color preserver'. The preserver locks in the pigments in the thread allowing the color of the thread to remain the same under the varnish as it was on the spool. So why not use color preserver all the time? Well, if you treat the wraps with the preserver, it takes away any transparency. You won't see the guide feet & this is a look that some folks want because it shows that real silk & real varnish was used on their rod - quality, traditional methods of craftsmanship went into making their fly rod.

Choosing the exact wrap color you want on your rod can take time & patience. You'll have to experiment a little & plan ahead when looking at spools of thread. In the end though, I don't think anything beats the look of a rod wrapped in fine silk thread & coated with varnish. Those classic good looks never go out of style.

Remembering 9/11....

9/11/2013

"I can hear you, the rest of the world can hear you and the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon."

-President George W. Bush

"We will rebuild. We're going to come out of this stronger than before, politically stronger, economically stronger. The skyline will be made whole again."

-New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani

We remember that day & will never forget it. Enough time has passed now that there are children who are learning about the events of that day as history in school. They're too young to have witnessed it. We need to make sure that those kids know everything that happened on that day, how it effected all of us, & how it changed our lives. This was a stark reminder that evil does exist in the world, but it also showed the world how Americans respond to such acts with bravery, kindness, & fortitude.

"Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts shatter steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve."

-President George W. Bush

Book Review: "There's No Fishing Like Fly Rod Fishing"

9/7/2013

Back in 1972 the Cortland Line Company, along with Richards Press, published a book titled "There's No Fishing Like Fly Rod Fishing". The book is a compilation of essays by ten of the top fly fishing writers of the time, each author having written a chapter for the book with an intro by Bing Crosby (yes, the old crooner was an avid fly angler, too). Even though this book was written over forty years ago the information inside it's covers is still relevant today. A skeptic may think for that to be true the book must not be very specific in it's details - but it is. The advice & techniques offered in the book will work today, with today's equipment & fish, just as well as it did back then. So when all these experts get together in one place, it pays to be there too.

The topics covered in this book cover a majority of the different types of fly fishing & related subjects. From the history of the sport, fly tackle, fly tying, fishing in the East & the West, fly fishing for bass, saltwater fly fishing, to the (then) future of the sport, this book covers a wide range of discussions. The authors involved in this book are: James Bashline, Leon Chandler, Larry Green, Bob Eliot, Donald DuBois, George Harvey, Roger Latham, Charles Waterman, Mark Sosin, & Tom McNally.

Perhaps the most informative & useful chapters, at least for me, were the ones about techniques by Harvey & the bass chapter by Waterman. Focusing on the practical rather than what may be fashionable, Waterman's advice is so good both beginners & experienced bass fly anglers will find it useful. His humor & his wit make him someone I'd enjoy fly fishing with.

George Harvey was a master. If you've never heard of him you're missing out - big time. He taught tens of thousands of students fly fishing for decades at Penn State & countless more through his writings. In his chapter he explains very detailed techniques for catching trout. From nymphs to dries & streamers he shows very specific methods. This isn't just an overview of how these flies work. He tells of different tricks & approaches to take on days when the fish won't cooperate. He offers tons of advice in a direct & easy to understand way in his pages of the book. Harvey was famous for, among other things, his formulas for leaders. Here he gives us the formula & explains the theory behind it all. I suggest reading this book for this info if for nothing else. This is probably the most succinct & informative single chapter from any 'how-to' style fly fishing book I've ever read.

Roger Latham's short chapter on the philosophy of fly fishing is also a pleasure to read. A legend & outdoor guru in Pennsylvania, his writing style was superb, making his work some of the best in the outdoor genre. His untimely passing was a loss to all readers & outdoor enthusiasts.

I think this now out of print book is a forgotten classic. There's something in it for everyone who fly fishes & anglers of every experience level. You'll learn more about the things you thought you knew & be introduced in intelligent ways to subjects you don't know. I'd be willing to bet that most fly anglers have never heard of this book. That's a shame because I don't think there's any of us out there who couldn't learn something to make us better anglers form reading this book. I highly suggest you find a copy & give it a read.

Classical Series Graphite Available

9/3/2013

I've just listed a new rod on the "Available" page. It's fresh from the rod shop & so has never been fished & is in brand new condition. This is a Classical Series graphite fly rod, 9 ft long, 4 pieces, for a 5 weight line. It's an all around fly rod for many different fishing situations. It has a moderate to fast action & is extremely smooth. I think this is a really sweet rod.

This rod has a special feature: the silk thread wraps are variegated. This is a distinguished effect sometimes found on classic bamboo rods. The way the hint of dark blue shows through with the red color of the silk wraps is striking.

The rod also features:

-An up-locking, screw-lock reel seat with a beautiful Cocobolo wood spacer.

-Reverse Half Welles shaped cork grip.

-Nickle-Silver winding check (above cork grip).

-Stainless Steel, chromed line guides, tip top, & hook keeper.

-Modern style ceramic alloy stripping guides in stainless steel chromed frames.

It also comes complete in a blue flannel rod bag with red embellishment stitches & a burgundy covered heavy duty PVC rod tube with padded zippered closure & leather tag describing the rod inside.

I think you'll really like this rod. It is easy to cast a line on this rod & feels great. In fact, I feel confident in saying that this rod casts & fishes as good as other rods that sell for more than twice as much (the price of this rod is only $300). For more info about this rod, please visit the "Available" page & feel free to contact me if you have any questions or are interested in acquiring the rod.

Getting Ready For Autumn

9/2/2013

I've been busy, busy, busy in the rod shop making rods to go out the door to clients. As the summer winds to an end it's time to start thinking about Autumn fly fishing again, the fall hatches, & getting your gear & trout rod back out of the closet (if you ever put it away this summer).

Maybe you want to start the fall season with a new rod? If so, be sure to check out the "Available Rods" page to see what I have listed. Be sure to check back often as I'll be putting new rods up there in next few days & even more rods throughout the fall.

Maybe you want to order a custom rod from me? That way you'll have the rod ready to go for the first day action next season. What could be better than starting a new trout season with a custom made rod?!!? Please contact me to talk about the rod you want.

Summer Fishing Bag Sale.....

The summer-long discount on fishing bags was quite a success!! Thank you to all the anglers who took advantage of it. But all good things must come to an end. Not to worry though, as recent developments have allowed me to lower the prices of these fishing bags. The new, regular price of these bags is even lower now!! Yes, they're still made with top quality materials right in my shop. Please give them a look on the "Accessories" page. We're busy now making more bags to replenish our stock, so just let me know which bag you want.

The special deal where you get a free, shop-made reel case when you order any rod continues. However, this limited time special won't be around forever, so take advantage of it. Get a free reel case when you order a rod!! Plus remember, every reel I have listed on the "Available Reels" page comes with a custom made reel case included in the price of the reel.

I'm very excited about working in the rod shop this fall. It's my favorite time of year & I'm almost giddy thinking about the rods I have planed for my clients & the fly rods I'll have available for everyone. I've got a lot of great rods & other stuff in the works planned for the rest of the year so please check back here often.

It was a great, but busy, summer & it's shaping up to be an even better Autumn!! As always, everyone should feel free to contact me anytime to discuss fly rods & fly fishing. I enjoy talking with you all.

the pliant rod:

Refreshing A Fly Rod

Line Guide Feet

Fishin' With The Buccos

New Mortised Rod Available

Thread Wraps & Color

Remembering 9/11....

Book Review: "There's No Fishing Like Fly Rod Fishing"

Classical Series Graphite Available

Getting Ready For Autumn

Summer Fishing Bag Sale.....

The Pliant Rod

leather accessories

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