Custom Fly Fishing Rods by Chris Lantzy, Custom Rod Maker
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  • Home
  • Split-Bamboo Fly Rods
    • Prudential Series
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    • Custom Series
    • Mortised Fly Rods
    • Rod Tapers
  • Graphite & Fiberglass Fly Rods
    • Fiberglass Fly Rods
    • Classical & Custom Series Graphite
  • Available Rods
    • Available Reels, Accessories, etc.
  • Leather Accessories
  • Designing Your Custom Fly Rod
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Overveiw of Making A Split-Bamboo Rod
    • Tackle Tips
  • About
    • Rod Making Philosophy
  • Links
  • Contact
  • The Pliant Rod (Blog & News)
    • Beyond The Rod Shop
Custom Fly Fishing Rods by Chris Lantzy, Custom Rod Maker

the pliant rod:

blog & news

state of the rod shop address

12/30/2019

 
​As another year has flown by, it's time once again for my annual "State of The Rod Shop Address" to you all. It really is amazing how quickly this year passed for me. I've been making rods full time for over fifteen years now & each year seems to go by faster than the one before. I'm pleased to report that the state of the rod shop is better then it's ever been!!
 
It was a very busy year in the rod shop. It began with a lot of leather work, making some of the best leather accessories I've ever produced. I was able to introduce a couple styles of leather reel cases that I've been wanting to make for years. Both clamshell & D-block style cases are now among my offerings. 
​These were a bit of a challenge to figure out, as I make them with mitered corners, which leave no visible seams in the case. In leather working, it is the top of the craft to produce a leather box or case with mitered corners. There's only two people in the market that make reel cases this way - & I'm one of them. I'm very proud of these reel cases!
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In addition to adding these reel cases, I also redesigned the leather fly wallets I offer. Through the years of making my old style fly wallets, I had different ideas on how to make them better, to bring them up in quality. Well, I believe I've done just that. Now they're made from vegetable tanned leather, they have 100% wool felt pages that have their borders cut with a pinking cut, & they are lined on the inside with a black suede leather. Talk about an upgrade!!
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I was also honored to make some really nice custom fly rods this year. Here are just a few of them:
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This was the year I finally jumped into the 21st century (well, sort of) by getting onto instagram. I must say that I was surprised - no, shocked - at what I've seen going on there. I am blown away at all the talented folks out there - so many people sharing their passions & work & stories there. It amazes me just how much talent is around in the world. The internet continues to amaze me. The instagram experience has reminded me just how much this sport of fly fishing brings so many different people together from all over the world. 

I say this almost every year in this address, but I sincerely mean it: the greatest part of being a rod maker is all the nice people I get to meet & work with. I've been so blessed by rod making that it blows my mind! I have friends & clients from all over the world, people of all different backgrounds, even some famous names you might recognize, & all of them are like you & me - they love fly fishing. I'm so honored to know & work with such awesome people from all walks of life. 
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I was having a conversation with a friend earlier this year & the discussion of money came up - what would you do if you won the lottery or suddenly came into a fortune. We've all had these thoughts. I didn't hesitate on my answer, which was that I would be doing exactly what I'm doing now. Sure, I'd love to be able to afford a brand new truck, have a nicer home & bigger work shop, be able to buy the fancy bread at the grocery store - but even if I had more money than I could spend I'd still be making fly rods. I would because I love it. It's my passion. I get up every morning & can't wait to get to work. I'm not the smartest guy in the world, but I'm pretty certain you can't buy that. I am so blessed to do what I do every day & to work with all of you. Thank you all so very much!!!
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​To that end, I'm excited to start the New Year. I have a new leather accessory in the design phase now that I hope to introduce before the spring fishing season comes around. I have some other very cool fly rods planned out to make & I'm currently working on a bunch of rods for folks who have ordered them. I plan to hit the new year running. I'm looking forward to working with you folks, making new friends, & continuing to produce the best work I possibly can in 2020. 
Happy New Year to you all, 
may it be your best one yet!!! 

merry christmas!!!

12/23/2019

 
To all of you who celebrate the Holiday, I wish you all a merry & blessed Christmas!!

​To celebrate, please enjoy this great version of the Wassail Song by a wonderful piano player & my friend, Phil Aaberg:
I also must share with you my favorite version of one of my favorite tunes of the season as well. It reminds me of the reason for the season!!
Merry Christmas!!

honored to be considered

12/12/2019

 
There are a lot of talented rod makers out there. When you decide to have a fly rod custom made for yourself, you have a lot of choices. It seems that every time I look at the work of the really good custom rod makers I'm impressed & inspired by the quality of their work. 

Recently, I was honored to be considered with two of the better rod makers working today - JP Ross & Shane Gray. Both of these guys produce excellent fly rods, so I was truly honored to be counted among these folks in a recent article by Bang For Your Buck Outdoor Reviews. 
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The article focuses on rods of graphite, fiberglass, & bamboo. I was featured for my work in bamboo fly rods. This was truly an honor for me. Anytime someone takes notice of my work it makes my day. Seriously, as rod makers we work long hours, alone, & it takes a constant discipline to ask yourself many times if the work you are doing is at the level it should be. When someone praises my rods, it reaffirms to me that I am on the right track in my work.

Thank you to Bryan - the brains behind Bang For Your Buck reviews. I truly appreciate - & am humbled - by his kind words about my work. Heavy in detail, the article is very well thought out & written (& I'm not just saying that because I was mentioned - it really is!)You can read the entire post about the three of us rod makers HERE. 

If you like what you see & are interested in having a custom rod made for you or a special angler in your life, please feel free to contact me & I'll be happy to answer any questions that you might have.  
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great gift ideas: fishing bags

12/3/2019

 
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If you're looking for a unique gift for a stream or river angler, you can't go wrong with the canvas fishing bags I offer over on the Accessories page. These fishing bags are a great alternative to wearing a heavy, bulky fishing vest. They're made from top quality duck-canvas material for strength & reduced weight. Plus, they are available in three colors: green, brown, & black - & in two sizes!! 
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​Each bag features all of the following:
- Wide, adjustable shoulder strap making them very comfortable to use all day long.
- 2 D-rings on each side for hanging accessories like nippers, landing nets, etc.
- 2 lamb's wool drying patches for your flies.
- Inside center loop perfect for hanging your hemostats or other hook removers.
- 2 large front pockets with velcro closure big enough to hold your fly boxes, fly wallets, or most anything else.
- 4 smaller side pockets with velcro closure made to fit tippet spools, flotant tubes, split-shot containers, & any smaller accessories.
- 6 small grometted ventilation holes on the bottom to allow water & moisture out & air to circulate inside the bag.
- Full cover top flap with snap closure.
- Fully lined inside with a stain & water-resistant lining, making these bags very easy to clean inside.
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These fishing bags are made & designed to last a lifetime of heavy fishing & will hold a lot of weight. One of the reasons for that is because the flap, back, bottom, & front are all one piece of canvas. There is no bottom piece or bottom seam to tear out on these bags. The body of the bag is all one piece for maximum strength. Plus, the the pockets are reinforced - the bag is two canvas layers thick at each pocket!! All this adds strength to the material. It won’t rip & it’s very resistant to punctures. 
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​The lining of these bags is not only sewn in at the edge seams, but also fused onto the canvas of the bag. This means that you can’t pull it away from the material – it’s attached everywhere. By sewing the liner in & fusing it to the canvas this greatly reduces the risk of the liner ever getting torn or ripped.
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To read more about how these bags are constructed, please click HERE. 

If you're looking for a unique fishing gift for that special angler - one that's made to last a lifetime - then please consider these fishing bags. 

For more information about these bags & to see more detailed photos, please visit the Accessories page of this site. 

If you have any questions about these fishing bags - or anything else - please feel free to contact me & I'll be happy to help you. 
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    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.


     leather accessories

    Cases, bags, wallets, & other fine leather angling accessories.
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    instagram

    See more photos from the rod shop & stream sides!
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    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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