I always get a little excited when someone brings me a request to make them a custom fishing accessory. When a friend & client named Chad asked me to make them a custom carrying case for their fly boxes, I was more than willing to give it a try. 

​The idea here was that the case would hold two fly boxes of the same size & that he could wear it on his belt so that his fly boxes would be out of the way, yet always close at hand as he fished & waded the streams. 

I wanted to make this case for a custom fit to his fly boxes - like it was made just for the boxes because, well, it was! Figuring out the dimensions for the case was no problem, as he uses Wheatley metal fly boxes. Wheatley fly boxes come in a few different sizes, so once I knew which boxes he had I knew what sizes to cut the leather pieces that would make up his case. 

We decided on the color & type of leather to use, the orientation of how the fly boxes would sit in the case, & the type of closure he wanted. Then it was a matter of getting to work. First, to measure & cut the leather:

​This case was designed so that the two fly boxes would sit inside one in front of the other, each in it's own pocket. The case would have a flap to cover it. First a pocket had to be made:

​Essentially, this case is two pockets put together with a center divider. The divider would have a notch cut out in the middle to make removing the fly boxes easier. Once the two pockets were stitched together it was time to sew the back & flap piece on. A belt loop was stitched onto the back piece of the case, then the pockets were stitched to the back. Once that was done, a brass stud closure was installed, the raw edges of the leather were buffed & dyed, & the case was complete. 

Because of the design of this case I had to hand stitch the entire item. There was no way I could make this on a sewing machine. The heavier thread used in hand stitching, along with the classic style of the saddle stitch, helped give this case a truly elegant look. It turned out to be a really fun project!

Do you have an idea for a custom fishing accessory? I'd love to hear about it & make your idea a real, tangible item you can use & enjoy while fishing. 

The Professor is a traditional wet fly that you're probably not going to read about on all the latest fly fishing news sources. It's been around for a very long time. That doesn't mean that it still doesn't catch trout. It does. It's one of those classic wet fly patterns we should all have with us along the stream. 

The short video below is very good in my opinion. I really like it for a number of reasons. First, the skill of the tier is excellent & he does a good job of showing you how this fly comes together. Second, he's using the old style silk (or you could use gut) leader. This is old-school, folks, before hooks had eyes. It is exactly how this fly would have been tied back in the day when it was a new design. Third, in addition to giving you some tips on how to fish classic wet flies, he shows you what this fly looks like underwater, in the drift. That kind of information is invaluable. I don't think we, as fly anglers, do this enough - really looking at our flies in the drift. Knowing that can make a world of difference. 

​Since today is a day for shenanigans & tomfoolery, I'm re-posting this oldie but goody from years ago. Enjoy........

​Seriously though, folks, blue trout do exist - in hatchery trout. This is a naturally occurring, but rare, abnormality found mostly in rainbow trout & in a few brown trout as well. It's believed that this mutation occurs because of an abnormality in the fish's thyroid that produce hormones that cause the odd coloration. At PA Fish Commission hatcheries, they separate these trout out from the others that will be stocked. That's why you never hear of anyone catching one. These blue trout can be found swimming in the pools at the hatcheries. If you want to see a blue trout, contact a PA Fish Commission hatchery to see them.

​To read more about blue trout, please click HERE.

There's nothing magical about a blue trout....or is there??..........

Below is a short, beautiful video filmed on the water of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, set to the words of John Voelker's (aka Robert Traver) "Testament Of A Fisherman". Even though Judge Voelker wrote those words back in the mid 1960's, they still ring true today. 

Take just two minutes & escape whatever the world is tossing at you today to step into the stream in your mind & enjoy this gorgeous video.  

Well, spring can't be too far away - the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission has released their annual adult trout stocking schedule for 2020. 

This year, the Commission will stock 4,600 miles of streams & 130 lakes totaling 7,083 acres!! There is a nearby place to trout fish just about anywhere you are in PA. Proudly, Pennsylvania offers some of the best fly fishing for trout in the world. 

Now, I'm not the type to follow the stocking truck around ready to pounce on the trout with my flies the minute they leave the bucket, but knowing when & where the trout will be stocked can greatly enhance your time spent on the water. This is especially true for folks who are making a trip here to PA to wet a line in the hopes of catching trout, or those with very limited time to fish. I always recommend to folks visiting from out of state that they check both the weather & the stocking lists to make sure they're fishing is the best it can be. 

You can look up which streams will be stocked & when on the Commission's website in an interactive list searchable by county, HERE.

Not sure what the county is where you'll be fishing? No worries, the Commission has a county guide, filled with maps & other info on their website. In addition to that you can also read all the fishing regulations & even buy your fishing license & trout stamp on their site as well. It's loaded with good, accurate information.

As the snow falls & the cold air outside sends chills, this a great time of year to tie up all your flies for next season & plan a good fishing trip - & now you'll know when & where the trout will be!!  

I'm sure that most fly anglers are familiar with the writer John Gierach. If you aren't, then please get yourself a copy of one of his books - any one will do - & I'm sure you're in for an enjoyable time. Those of you familiar with Gierach's writings know that he's a big proponent of bamboo fly rods. They come up in every one of his books & he even dedicated an entire book to the subject.

Last year he wrote a brief article about bamboo rods for Bloomberg News. In the article he address the mystique of bamboo fly rods, & touches on why some folks prefer them to rods of other materials. When addressing the question of why someone would spend so much more money on a bamboo rod then a modern graphite fly rod, his answers is, in my opinion, really good:  

He goes on to talk about the differences of bamboo rods - how each rod is unique & feels slightly different; how many anglers like the feel of casting bamboo - how "warm" they feel & the "friendliness" of a bamboo rod. 

One point he makes that I think is really worth mentioning is that a bamboo fly rod will 'break in' as it ages & is used. Bamboo rods have a tendency to 'warm up' after they are fished for a while. I've never been sure if this is the bamboo material being tempered over many casts, or if its a psychological thing where we anglers get more used to the feel & rhythm of the rod. Whatever it is, I know that the vast majority of bamboo fly rods get better with age, where graphite or fiberglass rods will (after many years) wear out. As Gierach puts it:  

I couldn't agree more with that.

You can read the entire article on the Bloomberg News site HERE. 

"The Rodmaker" is a film, about 20 minutes long, about famed Michigan rod maker Morris Kushner. Kushner made innovative & unique bamboo rods of his own design. He was a very respected & interesting character to the folks who knew him. 

Scott Mann, a multimedia producer of InSight Productions, & John Roman, made the film back in the early 1980's (Kushner was Scott's Grandpa). Unseen for many years, Scott offered the movie for sale on DVD for a while. The DVD is no longer available, but Scott has graciously put the film online for all to see & enjoy. Not only that, but he has also posted the full interviews with rod maker Bob Summers & author John Voelker (Robert Traver) that he conducted for the movie - the unedited interviews which are fascinating to listen to. I'll post those here separately later on, too. 

The film is a fantastic look back at an often overlooked, but important rod maker - & as such, a look into fishing history. It's a fascinating & well told story. Thanks to Scott Mann for allowing us all to enjoy it, as I'm certain you will. Enjoy!

I will frequently get approached by folks who are 'reviewers' of fly fishing equipment. I think all rod makers & producers of fly fishing equipment do. Most of the time the approach follows a pattern: an individual contacts me, explaining how they review fly fishing gear, how many followers they have on social media, how everybody in the world reads & trusts their reviews, etc. They then ask for my highest grade of bamboo fly rod to be sent to them, gratis of course, in exchange for their telling everyone how much they enjoyed my rod. 

Now, I'm not opposed to this, but more often then not there is a problem. When I investigate & look into their reviews, I find they haven't actually reviewed anything - maybe one or to products at most. They don't have a large following & they haven't been at it for very long, so they don't have a reputation in the business yet. 

But when Bryan Pearson of Bang For Your Buck Outdoor Reviews approached me, it was different than any other reviewer in the past. Rather than just blatantly ask for a free high-end custom bamboo fly rod, Bryan introduced himself & showed me his work & background writing reviews of all types of outdoor gear. He then invited me to take part in his operations in anyway that I wanted - i.e. he wasn't just after a free rod & it would be on his dime!! 

Well that was certainly different for me! So I looked into his work & lo & behold, here was a reviewer who actually did have a large social media following. Here was a reviewer who was truly bringing a large number of different outdoor gear to people's attention in an honest & clear way. Imagine that, someone actually giving honest reviews of gear they think we should all be aware of!! I totally appreciated Bryan's honesty & professionalism. This was someone I could get on board with.

So if you're looking for different alternatives for your outdoor gear, or you want to discover some maker of a product that you might not of heard of before, check out Bang For Your Buck Outdoor Reviews. In addition to fly fishing gear, the reviews also cover camping equipment, travel advice, even artwork! Bryan pretty much covers it all. You'll even see some reviews of my stuff there as well. Be sure to follow him on facebook & be sure to check out his website, too. In these days where you're told to question every review you read, it's refreshing to see someone doing it right!!!  

It was a busy summer out there on all the rivers, streams, & lakes. Thanks to all of you who took the time to share your photos & stories with me about your summer fishing. 

I learn so much from you all & get see places that are far away (to me). This summer I got see your photos from all over: from the Carolina's to Colorado; from California to Switzerland to right here indifferent places of Pennsylvania. ​

When I make a rod for someone, I'm usually not sure where all that rod will go. I'm always curious, as I spend a lot of time with each rod as I make them. I think of the different rods & the folks I made them for & wonder about the places they see. I'm so grateful when a rod client takes the time to share the stories & memories they make using my rods with me! It truly is a highlight of what I do. 

Thank you all so much! You folks are what keeps me going everyday making rods. Through this clients become friends & my life is so much richer because of you all. To see some of the photos anglers so kindly shared with me, please take a look at the Beyond The Rod Shop page of this web site. I'd love to see & learn about your fishing adventures, so if you have any good fish tales you'd like to share, feel free to contact me. 

I hope you're all getting a chance to get out there & enjoy some fall fly fishing. I was able to get out for a time last week. I've got to go back - I promised a few trout & slate drakes I'd see them again. Good luck on the water out there, folks!! 

Now that we've entered the month of October, the adult trout stockings for the fall will begin here in PA. These stockings help to replenish the trout population leading into the cooler months of the year. This is a great time to go out fishing for trout. As the water temps come back down to optimal ranges for trout metabolisms, the activity will naturally increase. Here's your chance to go out & catch some of the best trout of the year! 

While the PA Fish & Boat Commission will stock fish from October 1st through December, it's during the month of October where the majority of these fish will be put in. This October the PAFBC will stock more than 82,000 trout in certain sections of 91 waterways in 47 counties. These will include rainbow, brook, & brown trout. 

If you want to check where & when these fall stockings are to occur, be sure to check the interactive list the Commission has on their website HERE. 

And you should check it before you go out to fish. As October begins, we're experiencing a record-breaking heat wave here in PA. As a result, some trout stocking dates will be rescheduled until a later date in the month. 

Fall is a fantastic time to go fishing. It's my favorite time of year to wet a line. I wish you all good luck out there on the water this autumn!!