This rod will be available online June 10th.
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This rod will be available online June 10th.
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For a recent fund raiser, JP Ross built and donated a saltwater fly rod for the Saltwater Fly Rodders club. Here is a link to their very informative web site.
Saltwater Fly Rodders Pacific#1 was formed in 1968 and has since then been the only club on the west coast devoted solely to saltwater fly-fishing.
Many of our past and present members pioneered saltwater fly fishing on the west coast and in Mexico during the ‘50s and ‘60s when saltwater fly fishing was virtually unheard of.
The club’s membership numbers around fifty. We are from diverse backgrounds, but our main fishing interest is saltwater fly-fishing. We have plied our sport worldwide, fishing in locations such as Thailand, Australia, The Seychelles, the Pacific Islands, Baja (both in the Pacific and the Sea of Cortez. We can’t leave out mainland Mexico (the Pacific and Caribbean, Belize, Costa Rica, Honduras, Panama) and Canada.
Our members have fly-fished both inshore and off shore on most of the coastal areas of the US. We look to ply the art of saltwater fly-fishing whether inshore, off shore, or blue-water.
As a club we support a variety of educational and conservation efforts to protect our saltwater fisheries and to promote saltwater fly fishing as a sport. Our members participate in many shows, especially when they are held in the Southern California area. We conduct fly tying demonstrations, slide shows and seminars – all related to saltwater fly-fishing.
If you are curious about or are already interested in the sport of saltwater fly fishing, contact us by selecting "Contact us" from the Navigation Menu.
JP Ross recently built a fly rod for the Adirondack League Club. The rod turned out beautiful and was sold at their auction for well over its value. We were happy to be part of such an event for a good cause. For more info on this rod and how to purchase one, check out our Corporate fly rod page here.
The fly rod is made with an eight and a half foot 4 weight, 4 piece Adirondack Blank. The rod is a medium action with a progressive taper. We trim the rod out with a Nickle Titanium Memory Alloy tip top, Gold Stripping guide, Flor Grade 7 inch cork handle, Stainless Single foot guides, and a Nickle SIlver Reel Seat with Maple Burl Insert. Engravings on the rod include ALC insignia diamond etched on the butt cap, ALC Crest on the Rod Tube Cap, and our famous Brook Trout Sketch on the Reel Seat barrel wood.
Every fly guide is wrapped in black just like the old guide boats used to be with a green accent on every guide. Partridge Feather is inlayed in the butt section and as usual, every rod is inscribed with a custom inscription. For additional information click here for our data sheet on the Adirondack League Club Rod.
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Yesterday I stayed in most of the day and cought up on fly rods that are in great need of getting out the door on Monday.
I was pleased to hear a knock knock at the door and there walked in my buddy Kim. (Not to be confused with the boy named Sue. ) Kim and I go way back to when I owned my fly shop. He used to come down and buy a pack of hooks, some fly tying supplies and once and a while a reel or a fly line.
He stopped by to see his new 6 weight 4 piece Adirondack come to life with a coat of epoxy. Here are some pics he just sent me.
The two of us have built a strong friendship and like many of my friends know, that usually means that sooner or later I tell them where I like to fish... Well Kim Ernst is one of the few that returns the favor and gives me updates and hints all the time.
I appreciate the fact that my company has brought me to a place where I can be happy to have met so many great people.
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SORRY SOLD OUT
There is not much that I know about the Wards Anglers Pride Bamboo Fly Rod. I know that they were sold by Montgomery Wards back “in the day”. I re-furbished this rod and outfitted it with agate stripping guide and Nickel Titanium double foot guides in traditional deep red thread wraps.
I am getting rid of this rod because it is sitting in my shop on a shelf and it is a rod I acquired in my quest for the perfect bamboo fly rod. The rod is very solid and would look just beautiful in anyone’s shadow box or corner study.
Based on the amount of time into this rod including the full strip down and complete re-varnish, I believe this rod is a steal at $295.00
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1929-1936
The 1931 catalog listed the "MEDALIST." The reel appears to be the one C.T. Pflueger applied for a patent on Oct. 27, 1928 and was granted on Sept. 9, 1930 as Patent Number D81995.
1930s-40s era Pflueger Medalists
- "Trademark, Pflueger Medalist, Made in USA" on spool latch cover
- Model #, "Patented" stamped on the reel body below the foot
- Bronze spindle
- Round metal Diamolite line guard
- 6 rivets around spool latch cover
- Amber colored plastic handle
- Aluminum spool latch cover
- Knurled metal drag knob
- Sculpted cross pillars, riveted to body
In 1931, the models were as follows:
Right Hand Wind/Round Line Guard: 1492, 1494, and 1496
Right Hand Wind/ No Line Guard: 1392, 1394, and 1396
Left Hand Wind/Round Line Guard: 1592, 1594, and 1596
1937
The 1396, 1592 and 1596 were dropped. The reels included the change to a spool arbor, which could be weighted. That was patent number 2,018,468, granted Oct. 22, 1935.
The models were as follows:Right Hand Wind/Round Line Guard: 1492, 1494, and 1496
1938 This year, the Medalist underwent a few more changes. The main one was the adjustable drag under Patent number 2,059,763. The dual click patent was awarded patent number 2,059,765.
The models were as follows:
Right Hand Wind /Round Line Guard/Adjustable Drag: 1494, 1495, and 1496
Right Hand Wind/No Guard/No Drag: 1392, 1394
Right Hand Wind/Round Line Guard/No Drag: 1492
Left Hand Wind/Round Line Guard/No Drag: 1594
1939
The Medalist line gained a wide frame model, the 1495 ½. The ½ models were 1" wide versus the standard 13/16" wide models.
The models were as follows:
Right Hand Wind/Round Line Guard/Adjustable Drag/Dual Click: 1494, 1495, 1495 ½, 1496
Right Hand Wind/No Guard/No Drag/Dual Click: 1392, 1394
Right Hand Wind/Round Line Guard/No Drag/Dual Click: 1492
Left Hand Wind/Round Line Guard/No Drag/Dual Click: 1594
1940 - 1949
The 1496 1/2 and 1494 1/2 were offered. The 1496 was dropped.
The models were as follows:
Right Hand Wind/Round Line Guard/Adjustable Drag/Dual Click: 1494, 1495, 1495 ½, 1496, and 1496 1/2
Right Hand Wind/No Guard/No Drag/Dual Click: 1392, 1394
Right Hand Wind/Round Line Guard/No Drag/Dual Click: 1492
Left Hand Wind/Round Line Guard/No Drag/Dual Click: 1594
1952
1950s era Pflueger Medalists
*1959, "Made in Akron O USA" was stamped on the reel body below the foot.
The reel foot is now tapered rather than having straight sides.
The models were as follows:
Right Hand Wind/Rectangular Line Guard/Adjustable Drag/Dual Click: 1494, 1495, 1495 ½, 1496, and 1496 1/2
Right Hand Wind/No Guard/No Drag/Dual Click: 1392, 1394
Right Hand Wind/Rectangular Line Guard/No Drag/Dual Click: 1492
Left Hand Wind/Rectangular Line Guard/No Drag/Dual Click: 1594
1958
The 1498 is added. The 1496 ½., 1496, 1392 and 1394 are discontinued.
The models were as follows:
1959
The 1594 and 1595 were discontinued with the availability of a left-hand conversion ratchet, part number 3933. This was supposed to fit any Medalists except for the 1492, which was a click drag.
The reel body now has the stamp, "Made in Akron O USA," versus just "Patented."
The models were as follows:
Right or Left Hand Wind/Rectangular Line Guard/Adjustable Drag/Dual Click: 1494, 1495, 1495 ½, 1498
Right Hand Wind/Square Line Guard/No Drag/Dual Click: 1492
1961-62
1960s era (pre-1966) Pflueger Medalists
* 1964
Right or Left Hand Wind/Rectangular Line Guard/Adjustable Drag/Dual Click: 1494, 1495, 1495 ½, 1498
Right Hand/Square Line Guard/No Drag/Dual Click: 1492
1963
Another change in the ratchet occurred; it was made so it could be flipped over and used for right or left hand wind.
The models were as follows:
Right or Left Hand Wind/Rectangular Line Guard/Adjustable Drag/Dual Click: 1494, 1495, 1495 ½, and 1498
Right Hand/Square Line Guard/No Drag/Dual Click: 1492
1966
The Enterprise Manufacturing Company officially changed its name to Pflueger. Shakespeare Tackle Company acquired Pflueger and manufactured the reels in Akron, Ohio, from 1966-69. The letters DA were added after the model numbers.
1970 Pflueger made the Madison Model 4/5, 6/7, 8, and 9 fly reel under the Orvis label. Medalists were now made in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
1972 The Pflueger name, model# DA, Made in USA was now on the frame. The 1" wide 1494 ½ joins the line up.
The models were as follows:
Right or Left Hand Wind/Rectangular Line Guard/Adjustable Drag/Dual Click: 1494, 1494 ½, 1495, 1495 ½, and 1498
Right Hand/Square Line Guard/No Drag/Dual Click: 1492
1973-74
The 1" wide model 1492 ½ joins the line up.
The models were as follows:
Right or Left Hand/Rectangular Line Guard/Adjustable Drag/Dual Click: 1494, 1494 ½, 1495, 1495 ½, and 1498
Right Hand/Square Line Guard/No Drag/Dual Click: 1492, 1492 1/2
1979
Production moved overseas to China, Japan and Hong Kong, Shakespeare Medalists had the reel foot assembly crimped and the contours of the foot were coarser and less refined. The letters CJ (Japan) and AK (Hong Kong, China) appeared after the model numbers. The reel foot had the words Japan, China or Hong Kong inscribed in it. The words "Pflueger Medalist" and/or "Shakespeare" appeared on the spool latch cover.
1990s
W. S. Franke Custom Fishing Rods, North Conway, NH, introduced the 1-Pfoot reel foot replacement for older Medalist reel feet with screws which allowed for use on more modern rods. Uses 4 screws for attachment. Reels with riveted feet could accept the 1-Pfoot if the rivets lined up with the holes on the 1-Pfoot and the rivets were removed to accept the screws. After the 1-Pfoot was discontinued, Shakespeare introduced a Chinese reel foot replacement. Current models include the 1492, 1492 1/2, 1494, 1494 1/2, 1495, 1495 1/2 and the 1498, but also include the 1500's with "Rim-Control."
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SOLD OUT
This was a fly rod that I possessed from my many years of searching for the perfect old bamboo fly rod that I could use in the Adirondacks. This one is pretty close. It has two tips and they are very straight. I refurbished this rod by myself and as you can see it even has strip wraps just like the original.
Company History:
During the first half of the 20th century Abercrombie & Fitch Co. was the definitive store for America's sporting elite, outfitting big-game hunters, fishermen, and other adventurers. After the chain went bankrupt in 1977, Oshman's Sporting Goods revived the Abercrombie & Fitch name but shifted its focus to more contemporary sporting goods and a wider array of apparel for men and women. The Limited, Inc., after acquiring the company in 1988, eliminated sporting goods entirely.
Abercrombie & Fitch Co. was founded in 1892 in New York City by David T. Abercrombie and Ezra H. Fitch. Abercrombie, a former prospector, miner, trapper, and railroad surveyor or engineer, owned a small shop and factory producing camping equipment in lower Manhattan. Fitch, one of his customers, was a successful lawyer in Kingston, New York, but the outdoors was his chief interest.
The partners were ill matched. Fitch was the visionary of the two, anticipating a clientele far broader than merely those who camped out in the course of earning a living. Furthermore, both men were hot-tempered. Following the latest of many long and violent arguments, Abercrombie resigned in 1907 to return to manufacturing camping equipment. Fitch continued with other partners. In 1909 he mailed out 50,000 copies of a 456-page catalogue. Since they cost a dollar each to produce, they almost bankrupted the company, but the subsequent flood of orders justified the expense. In 1917 Abercrombie & Fitch moved into a 12-story building on Madison Avenue at East 45th Street, a location the advertising department described as "Where the Blazed Trail Crosses the Boulevard." It included a luxuriously furnished log cabin that Fitch made his town house, with an adjoining casting pool.
By this time Abercrombie & Fitch's reputation as purveyor to the sporting elite already was well established. It had equipped Theodore Roosevelt for an African safari and also outfitted, or was soon going to outfit, polar expeditions led by Roald Amundsen and Admiral Richard Byrd and flights made by Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart. Every president from Roosevelt to Gerald Ford eventually would buy something from the store.
Fitch retired in 1928, selling his interest in the company to his brother-in-law, James S. Cobb, who became president, and an employee, Otis L. Guernsey, who became vice-president. In his first year at the helm, Cobb acquired a similar New York business, Von Lengerke & Detmold, respected for its European-made sporting guns and fishing tackle, and Von Lengerke & Antoine, the Chicago branch, which became a subsidiary of Abercrombie & Fitch but continued until 1959 under its own name. In 1930 Cobb bought Griffin & Howe, a gunsmith shop. The merchandise that Von Lengerke & Detmold and Griffin & Howe had in stock was added to the Madison Avenue store.
By this time Abercrombie & Fitch was selling outdoor and sporting equipment not only for hunting, fishing, camping, and exploration, but also for skating, polo, golf, and tennis. It also carried a variety of outdoor clothing, boots, and shoes for both men and women and cameras, pocket cutlery, and indoor games. In the 1920s Abercrombie & Fitch became the epicenter of the burgeoning mah-jongg craze and the place in New York to thumb one's nose at Prohibition by purchasing a hip flask. Also during the 1920s, Abercrombie & Fitch opened a summer-only store in Hyannis, Massachusetts, for the yachting set. Net sales and income, rising steadily in this decade, reached a record $6.3 million and $548,000, respectively, in 1929.
These figures would not be topped in the next decade. Sales, in the grip of the Great Depression, fell to $2,598,925 in fiscal year 1933 (ending January 31, 1933), when a loss of $521,118 was recorded, on top of a loss of $241,211 the previous year. During this period, Guernsey's negotiations with the firm's creditors probably saved it from collapse. Subsequent years were profitable, and in 1938 Abercrombie & Fitch resumed paying dividends. It also established golf and shooting schools in the store.
By 1939 Abercrombie & Fitch was calling itself "The Greatest Sporting Goods Store in the World." It boasted the world's largest and most valuable collection of firearms and the widest assortment of fishing flies obtainable anywhere (15,000 in all) to accompany its array of rods, reels, and other fishing tackle. Riders, dog fanciers, skiers, and archers all found every conceivable type of gear. Guns and camping and fishing equipment accounted for 30 percent of the New York store's sales volume in 1938. Sales of clothing, shoes, and furnishings accounted for 45 percent. Inventory on hand was valued at about 40 percent of annual sales, an extremely high ratio that reflected Abercrombie & Fitch's readiness to meet its customers' demands. Catalogue mail orders accounted for about ten percent of business.
Net profit during the 1940s was highest in fiscal year 1947, when it reached $682,894, which turned out to be an all-time record. In 1958 Abercrombie & Fitch opened a store in San Francisco. Soon after, it added small winter-only stores in Palm Beach and Sarasota, Florida, and summer stores in Bayhead, New Jersey, and Southampton, New York. Guernsey, who had succeeded Cobb as president, explained his firm's mission at this time in frankly elitist terms: "The Abercrombie & Fitch type does not care about the cost; he wants the finest quality."
The New York store remained, of course, the company's flagship. At the close of the 1950s the main floor sported heads of buffalo, caribou, moose, elk, and other big game, stuffed fish of spectacular size, and elephant's-foot wastebaskets. Here were sold a variety of contraptions for indoor and outdoor pursuits. One corner held dog and cat items. The basement was given over to the shooting range, while the mezzanine contained paraphernalia for skindiving, archery, skiing, and lawn games. Floors two through five were reserved for clothing suitable for any terrain or climate. On floor six was a picture gallery and bookstore concentrating on sporting themes, a watch repair facility, and the golf school, complete with a resident pro. On the seventh floor, the gun room, besides more stuffed game heads, held about 700 shotguns and rifles, constituting the most lavish assemblage of sporting firearms on earth. The eighth floor was devoted to fishing, camping, and boating, and reserved a desk for the company's fly- and bait-casting instructor, who gave lessons at the pool on the roof. He also handled mail and telephone inquiries on fishing, hunting, and skiing. The fishing section alone stocked about 48,000 flies and 18,000 lures.
In fiscal 1960, net sales rose to a record $16.5 million, but net profit fell for the fourth straight year, to $185,649. The next year net sales fell below $15.5 million, and net profit dropped again, to $124,097. Nevertheless, Guernsey's successor as president, John H. Ewing, saw no cause for alarm, rejecting the idea of a budget shop or "splash ads for storewide sales." He told a Business Week interviewer in 1961 that Abercrombie & Fitch enjoyed a special niche "by sticking to our knitting; by not trying to be all things to all people."
During the 1960s Abercrombie & Fitch opened new stores in Colorado Springs; Short Hills, New Jersey; Bal Harbour, Florida; and Troy, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. It also opened small shops in other stores. And in 1968, a year in which riots in the ghettos, protests against the war in Vietnam, and the assassinations of Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy seemed to be tearing the country apart, Abercrombie & Fitch was finally ready to shake up its way of doing business by holding a warehouse sale. More than 90,000 bemused customers sifted through the Manhattan store one summer day for bargains that included pop-up tents bought so far in the past that no one remembered how to pop them up, boots made of long-haired goatskin hide, miniature antique cannons, leather baby elephants, and Yukon dog sleds.
In early 1970 the store held another sale. A horde of hopefuls turned up to seize such bargains as a 15-foot inoperative hovercraft for $3 and eight $100 surfboards for $17 each. An offbeat newspaper advertising campaign followed that featured a single item, such as hunting shoes, accompanied by diagrams and copy that overwhelmed the reader with product information. If these antics indicated a measure of desperation, it was because Abercrombie & Fitch had recorded a loss of more than $500,000 in the latest fiscal year. In October 1970 William Humphreys, the new company president, said the ads would be changed and sales would cease because the people who showed up were not Abercrombie & Fitch's kind of customer.
In the ensuing years, Humphreys, a former Lord & Taylor executive, concentrated on cutting the company budget, improving inventory control and credit practices, and expanding into the suburbs. A new Abercrombie & Fitch store opened in Oak Brook, Illinois, north of Chicago. To win a broader range of clientele, the New York store moved its expensive sailboats upstairs from the main floor, expanded its gift and sportswear lines, added a discount clothing shop on the tenth floor, and hired new buyers for women's wear. Nevertheless, the company continued to lose money under Humphreys and his successor, Hal Haskell, its chief stockholder.
In August 1976, after a year in which the company had lost $1 million, Abercrombie & Fitch filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. When it closed its doors for good in November 1977, post-mortems pointed out the obvious: the company had failed to make the transition from supplying fat-cat sportsmen of the old school to the skiers, bikers, and backpackers of the 1970s. One advertising man described management as "ossified," and another said company officers had no faith in television's ability to draw in customers even after its first TV commercials, in 1969, filled the store.
Oshman's Sporting Goods, a Houston-based chain, bought the Abercrombie & Fitch name, trademark, and mailing list in 1978 and opened a store in 1979 under the A&F name in Beverly Hills, California. Featuring a 52-page catalogue and eclectic merchandise, including exercise machines, Harris-tweed jackets, and $70 pith helmets, it also outfitted actor Jack Lemmon for an Alaskan fishing trip and Dodger baseball star Steve Garvey for grouse hunting in Minnesota. A bigger Dallas store opened in 1980, complete with $40,000 elephant guns and an Abercrombie Runabout sports convertible for $20,775.
Abercrombie & Fitch returned to New York City in 1984, opening in the renovated South Street Seaport area of lower Manhattan. By the end of 1986 the chain had grown to 26 stores, including a second Manhattan outlet in midtown's glitzy Trump Tower. Net sales reached an estimated $40 million to $45 million in 1985. The Oshman-owned Abercrombie & Fitch chain stocked relatively few hunting and fishing supplies or exotic items, concentrating on exercise machines, tennis rackets, golf clubs, and other paraphernalia of more contemporary interest, much of it designed exclusively for the chain. Men's and women's clothing departments featured business and casual dress as well as sportswear, and the gift departments offered an array of goods, including gourmet edibles.
An upbeat assessment of the new Abercrombie & Fitch by Chain Store Age Executive in September 1986 was followed by a more skeptical appraisal by Forbes six months later, which described the chain's merchandise as a hodgepodge of unrelated items and concluded, "Sometimes it is better to bury the dead than to try reviving them." Forbes estimated sales for fiscal 1986 at $48 million and profits at "a so-so $1.5 million."
In January 1988 The Limited, Inc. acquired 25 of the existing 27 Abercrombie & Fitch stores from Oshman's for about $45 million in cash. The organization was moved to corporate headquarters in Columbus, Ohio, and the inventory was cleared out. A stronger emphasis was placed on apparel, with 60 to 65 percent of the merchandise men's sportswear and furnishings, 20 to 25 percent women's wear, and the remaining 15 to 20 percent gifts, including grooming products and nature books. "We can't get caught up in guns and fishing rods," the chain's president, Sally Frame-Kasaks, a former women's-wear executive, told a Daily News Record reporter. Nearly all the goods were midpriced and bore an A&F label.
When Frame-Kasaks became chairman and chief executive officer of Ann Taylor in February 1992, she was succeeded as president of Abercrombie & Fitch by Michael Jeffries, a clothing merchandising executive. At this time the chain had 36 stores credited with annual sales of about $50 million. Sales grew to $85 million in 1992, $111 million in 1993, and $165 million in 1994. There were 67 Abercrombie & Fitch stores at the end of January 1995, compared to 49 a year earlier. A target of 102 stores, mostly in malls, was set for the end of 1995. The Abercrombie & Fitch division established new records for merchandise margin rate and profitability during 1994.
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I made a fenwick fenglass fly rod a few years ago, here are some pics of it.
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This is another great Small Stream Fly Rod / Fishing article. I found it on http://old.greatoutdoorprovision.com/. This site is an excellent resource and I highly suggest you take the time to browse its many aspects. If you find these small stream fly rod articles interesting, please visit our Beaver Meadow Page and scroll through our own selection of small stream fly rods.
Fly Rods for Small Streams
By Tom Valone, Owner
Conventional wisdom on “small stream flyrods” dictates a very short rod, usually 7’ or under, fast action concentrated in the tip, and light line so that the small trout in these streams are more fun. Of course such rods work, but is there a better choice? Our staff’s experience and their observations of others fishing these streams suggest another approach.
A good place to start is to outline what will be required of small stream rods here in North Carolina. First, the rod needs to cast easily and accurately at distances from 10’ to 30’. Second, it needs to be long enough to mend line, and keep the line out of the fast water at the tails of the little “plunge pools” that characterize the steeper portions of these waters. Third, unless you are a dry fly purist, the rod needs to cast a wide range of flies, dry, wet, and streamers from #4 or 6 down to #22. And, it needs to be handy in close quarters.
For every cast over 30’, small streams offer up hundreds under 15’. We’re not talking “dappling” or “bow and arrow” casts, but short, conventional casts to close marks; overhead, side arm and roll casts are all necessary in a given day. One reason for the short casts is that our streams seldom open up, foliage wise, enough for longer casts. Another reason is that the water often flows through boulder fields requiring close stalking to get a good presentation and drift. And, as the stream gradient increases toward the headwaters, we find small plunge pools with little waterfalls and cascades at the head and tails of these pools; while standing in the cascades at the head of one pool, one seldom has an opportunity for long casts to the next.
This brings up the need to control drag. All fly fishermen are faced with controlling drag, but with the complexity of currents created by a rapidly changing underwater topography, and the typically fast water at the tails of pools, the small stream rod needs to be long enough to easily mend line, and long enough to keep the line out of the fast water at the pool tails. One is often faced with the necessity of several quick mends to get even a 2-3’ drag free float. And, while the angler may use a short rod and extend his arm to help with drag, a moving hand or arm is much more alarming to trout that the movement of a thin rod shaft.
While most of us tend to fish dry flies to see the rise and the strike, there are many days when a crayfish imitation or streamer will prove the most effective. A Muddler or Wooly Bugger in size #4 or #6, cast to the head of a pool, allowed to sink for a few seconds, and then retrieved as quickly as possible will often yield the best fish of the day. Weighted nymphs are also deadly, especially in pools or portions of pools greater than 4’deep, with big (#6 or #8), ugly stone flies being especially effective. In shallower water, small bead heads fished on a short dropper under a well dressed Stimulator or Wulff often doubles the productivity of fishing one or the other; even dual hook ups are not uncommon. These tactics require a line of at least 4 wt, with 5wt better and not much downside with a 6wt. If used with a well designed tapered leader, you can still go down to 7x for the small, late season terrestrials or tricos, and the baeits that seem to always be on the stream.
“Handy” is, literally, a moving target. Most folks define “handy” in terms of overall length, the shorter the “handier.” However, it is important to keep in mind that the static length of a rod fails to tell the whole story. A soft, slow or medium action rod that loads progressively and flexes well down toward the grip has a much more compact casting arc than the same length rod that has a fast, tip action. This action type also loads easily for very short casts, is forgiving with weighted nymphs and dropper combos, and is especially good with streamers. As the variety of rods is so great, only casting the various candidates will tell one which has the most compact casting arc. But, don’t be surprised if the softer, progressive action rod that matches the casting arc of a fast, tippy seven footer is 8’ or 8.5’ long!
So, what do we recommend? Keeping in mind that all good fly rods are neat, fun to use pieces of gear, and that none of us can seem to limit ourselves to just a few, we make the following recommendation acknowledging that there is no best answer for everyone, and even what is best for any one of us can be left at home when we want to try something for variety or challenge!
The rod would be between 7.5’ and 8.5’, have a slow to medium cadenced, progressive action that flexes well down toward the grip, so that it would load quickly, handle a wide range of flies, handle line mending efficiently and possess a compact casting arc. It would use a 5wt line unless dry fly work would heavily predominate, and then a 4wt would be fine. It could be made of bamboo, glass or graphite, with the material secondary to the quality with which the maker is able to accurately adhere to the design parameters. This is the place one would be truly sensible to splurge on the very best, as it will probably become your favorite small stream trout rod and may well become your favorite rod period.
One last note. We seldom get excited about new lines, but the Rio “Nymph” line is really a problem solver. It floats like a moccasin because it has extra flotation spheres in the coating, has a short front taper that loads a rod very quickly, and the back taper helps keep the line from sagging on long casts. A triumph, and a very good line for small streams as well as the nymphing it was designed to facilitate.
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I found this entry by Steve Robbins on one of my favorite websites - The Fly Fishing Forum. (http://www.theflyfishingforum.com/forums/) His article does an excellent job of articulating what a small stream fly rod is and the attributes that help to make it the "perfect small stream fly rod." It is no coincidence that the JP Ross Beaver Meadow Series exemplifies all of these attributes in one rod. Enjoy.
The Perfect Small Stream Fly Rod
By Steve Robbins
Fly fishing for native trout on a small stream in the back county can lead to one of the most rewarding experiences of a lifetime. Getting off the beaten path to find finicky fish in untouched waters is what the pioneers of the sport truly intended. On the other hand, some small streams are just off the roadway but are just as willing, or unwilling, to give up their inhabitants to the skilled angler. The proper clothing, flies and equipment can help you make the absolute most of your adventure. The fly rod may be the most important aspect of your small stream set up.
One question that I often hear is, what is the perfect small stream fly rod. Well, allow me to clear this up right now there is no perfect small stream fly rod. There, now you have it. I should stop here and leave it at that, but you know that I won’t.
Be careful, there are many self proclaimed fly fishing experts that are all too eager to give their opinion on the ideal rod for the smaller streams. Don’t be too hasty to accept their remarks as gospel and run out and buy a rod simply base on their opinions. I wish I could give you a cut and dried, etched in stone, answer and identify the specific rod that would be perfect for any small stream you may encounter in your fly fishing lifetime but I can’t do that. Neither can anyone else.
Most folks simply do not realize the factors involved in making a small stream rod selection. There are several things to carefully ponder before dropping the bucks for a new rod. That’s exactly what were going to do here. We discuss several important rod and stream factors that govern a small stream rod selection. After arming yourself with the proper information, it is you who will end up making the ultimate decision as to which rod is best for you.
Whats a Small Stream?
First things first… we probably need to identify exactly what constitutes a small stream. So, what type of water will you be fishing? Is it a small stream, a spring creek or a narrow river? Are all three of these really the same thing? All fly fishers are not on the same page here.
OK, look up “small stream†in the dictionary. What do you find? Nothing, right? There is no formal definition of this term. I know what I mean when I say “small streamâ€. But do you see in your mind the same thing that I see? Maybe, maybe not.
The Cimarron River in, New Mexico is no doubt a narrow river but don’t let the word river fool you. It consists mostly of small stream attributes. Most of the public water is lined with willows, cottonwoods and alders and provides anglers with undercut banks, riffles, runs, bend pools and pocket water. I fish this river as a small stream. The St. Vrain River in Colorado is another great example. There is no place on its banks where you cant comfortably roll cast to the other side. When the water is clear, there is no place where you cant see the bottom. On the other hand, Youngs Creek in Montana is about the same size and in some areas it is much wider than many stretches of the Cimarron and St. Vrain Rivers. I fish all three basically the same way.
Lets just say that a small stream is one that you can cast across easily just about anywhere on it, that you can wade, often cross in hip boots, that is way too small for boats, and has most of its structure exposed to view. Also, most importantly, we assume it has trout in it.
Back to the Rods
So now, what about the rod and stream factors? I will break things down by discussing each factor. As you study these bits of information, you should begin to develop a picture, in your mind, of what type of small stream fishing you’ll be doing and what rod you’ll be needing. You may find that, for you, one rod simply won’t get the job done. You may discover that you need two or more rods to satisfy your small stream desires. How bad could that be? You have now given yourself an excuse, and hopefully permission, to buy more rods. Who’s going to complain about that? Your spouse perhaps? If so, I have an answer for that too.
I know a guy, who will remain anonymous because I do not whish to expose him and his secrets, who claims he once purchased 6 empty rod tubes on sale. He brought them home and showed his wife the empty tubes and bragged about what a deal he had gotten. He said you never know when you or a friend may need a new tube. He then placed the empty tubes in the closet and they were never mentioned again. As time progressed, he began to fill these tubes with new fly rods that he just had to have. She never knew the "empty" rod tubes were no longer empty. Do you think this story is true? I cant say for sure one way or the other but, the thing is, it just might work. Do you think it’ll work for you?
Ok, now lets get back on topic. Our rod selection factors include weight, length, action, material, sections, color and several stream characteristics. We must also spend a little time on fly lines because this may also impact our rod choice. Also, there is no need to get fancy with a small stream rod. Terms such as modulus, IM whatever, titanium, and other high-tech sounding terms frequently make their way into the fly rod shopping process. The good news is that these are things that should not worry you during you selection process. You dont need the X15 Super Modulated Ballistic Fly Rod designed to cast a quarter mile on any small stream. Lets just keep it simple.
Rod Weight
Anything from a 0wt to 5wt will work well depending on the situation. The ultimate choice of the rod weight has a lot to do with the size fish you’ll be after. Many small streams only support small trout. Some streams, of course, have larger fish. I’ve caught some healthy 16 incher’s in streams, like Bear Creek in Southwest Colorado, which you can almost jump across. Generally though, you’re probably looking at catching fish from 6 to 10 inches. You’ll get an occasional 12 incher and several Jack Fish. Oh what’s a Jack Fish you ask? These are the fish, generally called fry, that are so small that when you set the hook you jack them up out of the water and they sail back over your head.
So, the fight of a small fish feels better to the angler if theyre using a lightweight fly rod such as a 2 wt. The 16 inchers will feel great on a 2 wt rod also but there are some distinct disadvantages with this scenario. One is that by the time you get the big fish landed, it may be exhausted to the point of no return and may soon die after its release. If youre going to eat it then that is really mute point. Secondly, you run the risk of breaking your rod from the strain. If youre deep in the wilderness fishing a delightful little stream, the last thing you need is for your stick to break.
Another thing to consider is hook set. The lighter weight flimsy fly rods offer you little help in setting the hook. I have a 1wt rod that is a joy to use. The problem is that I lose a good amount of fish within two seconds of the hook set (or lack there of). If youre using this type of rod you had best make sure your fly hooks are debarbed and honed needle sharp. I can use my 2wt with little problems of getting the hook set properly.
John Gierach, fly fishing writer and former Fly Rod & Reel Magazines Trout Bum of the Year, has his view of small stream rod weights. According to his book, Fly Fishing Small Streams, John believes that the lightest practical fly rod made is a 4wt. He says, If youre spooking trout with a 4wt, there is almost surely some other answer besides running down to the fly shop and buying a 2wt… a good small stream rod should be light enough to let the fish show off, but heavy enough to handle those same fish, and an extremely light rod often just cant keep that balance. John also indicated that a 5wt is the rod he feels more comfortable with on small streams.
I suppose I represent a little different end of that spectrum. I am a 2 and 3wt fan when it comes to small stream rods. I like the lightweight feel of these rods. I like to feel the fish fight. For me, there lighter weight rods allows me to present a fly more delicately. The play in the rods offers me some leader protection on days when I must use very fine tippets. Unfortunately, I dont catch many behemoths on the small streams that I frequent, so over fighting the fish is usually not a problem.
Cast-ability is another issue with rod weights. A 5wt rod is much easier to cast than a 1wt rod period. So, for the beginner, I would not recommend and extremely light weight rod. Perhaps a 4wt would be a better choice at this stage of skill level. But then, on the other hand, many small streams are so small that youre really not casting anyway. Youre only flipping and dapping with an occasional roll cast. If you look at it that way, first class casting skills are not overly important. It depends upon the size of the stream, brush, trees and even wind as to how much real casting you may or may not be doing. For example, a typical small meandering stream that snakes through a valley meadow will likely have no trees and minimum brush to contend with. However, the wind may create a problem when trying to cast a 2wt. You may actually need a 4 or 5 wt in order get the fly where you want it.
You can see that when it comes to the ideal rod weight for small streams opinions vary. One single rod weight is not going to be ideal for every small stream application. I will venture to say that most of the anglers that I know use a 3 or 4wt rod in this situation. These are good all-around rod weights that will handle a large variety of small stream applications.
Rod Length
My very first small stream fly rod was a 2/3 wt, 7ft rod. It was so cute. I once took a fishing trip to the Cimarron River where I booked Doc Thompson of High Country Anglers. We fished the Cita which is a private stretch of the Cimarron just bellow the Cimarron Canyon State Park entrance. This section is a classic small stream just loaded with hungry Browns. I met Doc at the trail and started to assemble my gear. He patiently watched as I assemble my 7ft rod. He then calmly said, Why dont you leave that rod here, well take my 9ft 4wt instead. I was bit confused and my feelings were a little hurt. I was taught that you need a short rod for small streams and this is definitely a small stream. However, I figured he was the expert on this river so Ill take his word for it. We were soon on the bank and Doc pointed out a nice pool to cast to. After I made a few drifts, he said, Here, let me see your rod for a minute. He then taught me how to properly high stick. I then saw the advantages of a long rod on a small stream. Doc had me to cast out with only about 1 or 2 feet of fly line hanging out of the end my rod. He then had me lift the rod high while keeping it parallel to the ground. I was trying to keep all of the fly line and as much of the leader as I could off of the water. This was creating, of course, a perfectly drag free drift. Occasionally I was able to lift the entire leader from the water so that the only thing touching the water was my dry fly. This took a lot practice but I finally got the technique down pat and caught a lot of fish. I made very few overhead casts. I mostly flipped and rolled so the brush and trees were really not much of a problem.
Rod length is a very important consideration and, in some situations, maybe even more important than rod weight. As you can see, there is more than one school of thought regarding the proper rod length for small streams. The short rod advocates are steadfast in their beliefs. The long rod proponents are equally convinced there technique is superior. I can see that both rods have their place. This is where the character of the stream itself will help you in determining the best length for you in a given situation.
Shorter rods, 5 to 7ft, may be ideal for the tightest and brushiest of creeks. Best of all, these short rods are so cute and so sweet. On the opposite side we may find the need for that long rod. An 8ft, a 9ft, or perhaps even longer rod may be the best choice for the meadow stream that offers little casting impediments. Maybe youll be high sticking to finicky trout and you need that extra reach. The Global dorbeR Group in Flippin, Arkansas now produces a 10ft 1wt fly rod blank for this type of fishing.
Don Oliver is no doubt one of the best small stream guides in the country. His fly shop and guide service is located in a small stream heaven called Durango, Colorado. With no less that eight small mountain streams within his reach, Don is a small stream and dry fly fanatic. Don says, My favorite small stream rod is a 7 1/2 or 8 foot two or three weight. He really enjoys his 8’ ¾ wt Voyager Fly Rod from Stone Creek Limited. Give him a fly rod and cigar and no trout is safe all day.
Rod Action
If your time is going to be spent chasing Brookies s on a smaller stream, then a fast action may not be the best choice. Medium and slow action rods are better suited for small streams. They offer better control, more accuracy, more tippet protection and softer presentations. I know there are some fast action fanatics out there and thats fine. If a fast action rod feels good to you, then by all means use it. Myself, I prefer a medium action rod. The medium action just feels good to me. They offer more forgiveness of my sometimes lazy casting stroke. They really do offer the accuracy and the delicate presentations that I often need on these small creeks. The medium action rod slightly out performs the slow action in the hook set, yet the slow action remains another great choice for fishing for small fish.
Material
I suppose our basic choices here are bamboo, fiberglass and graphite. Most rods sold today are graphite. Overwhelmingly so. Graphite rods are lighter in weight, more sensitive, and have a faster response than a bamboo or fiberglass rod. More than likely youll end up with a graphite rod and your decision to do so will be sound and safe.
It is important though to not overlook fiberglass and bamboo. With glass and bamboo, you have a solid structure consisting of fibers with varying densities. With graphite you have a hollow tube of uniform material. The result is that glass and bamboo is smoother, closer to natural action and a little less tiring.
You may hear that bamboo rods are heavier. This is true, however, this relatively small increase in weight is also one of its advantages, for this additional weight gives these rods an inherent loading characteristic that makes them very smooth casting. Split bamboo rods are also a fly fishing work of art. They certainly have an aesthetic advantage over glass and graphite. One problem is that theyre usually quite expensive.
Glass rods may be a better alternative to bamboo. Doug Macnair, long time casting instructor and fly fishing writer, says In the short rod format, fiberglass handles very much like bamboo and in my opinion beats graphite every time. I would suppose that my all time small stream favorite is the Little Betts fiberglass 6-footer from 1963.†Youll probably not find many 1963 Little Betts around but you can still get good fiberglass rods today. Diamondbacks Diamondglass rods are a perfect example of modern fiberglass fly rods at their best.
Sections
I have a 7pc 3wt fly rod that packs down into an 18” rod tube. Its as cute as bug. I thought it would make a great small stream rod because it disassembled into such a concealed package. I could store it anywhere. The last time I used it I was with a friend who had a 2pc rod. We drove up to only a few yards from the creek. We started rigging up for the fish. In a matter of what seemed like seconds, my friend was catching fish while I was still assembling my fly rod.
So, how many sections should your new small stream rod break into? It is a matter of preference as well as functionality. A 2pc rod is so convenient. You only have two sections to worry about. Aligning the guides during assembly is so simple. A 7 or 8pc rod is also convenient in its own way. Their tubes are very short which makes for a great travel or pack rod. If you are hiking or backpacking any significant distance to the back country stream then these rods are ideal. It just takes a little longer to assemble them in a manner so that the guides are all lined up. Its probably safe to say that the largest selling rods come in 4 sections.
Its a good idea to consider how you will usually be traveling to you fly fishing destination. Will you fly or drive? If you fly, well, that opens up a whole other can of worms. Were not talking San Juan worms either. This can get pretty nasty sometimes. Generally there is no problem flying with a four piece rod, without reel, as carry on. But like a lot of carry on rules today, a lot depends on who is working the security check point at the time you pass through. Trying to carry on a reel is a big no-no today. Airline officials have said there is enough fly line and backing to tie up a whole flight crew. The thing to remember is that the enforcement and interpretation of these rules are very inconsistent.
One very good solution is to purchase one of the new rolling duffels that have a dedicated space in the bottom to hold several four piece rod tubes and check it as luggage. Fishpond, Orvis and Cabela's have luggage with this feature. Just check the luggage and hope for the best. It should arrive safely. On the other hand, if you try to carry it on and get stopped at the terminal and are requested to check your fly rod tube, the chances of never seeing your rod again have just increased
One other solution is to FedEx or UPS your equipment to the lodge or hotel ahead of your arrival and arrange for a prepaid pick up after you leave. This also offers better insurance coverage than hassling with an airline if something is lost.
Rod Color
What about rod color? How spooky are the fish youre seeking? How stealthy do you have to be in order to get close enough to your prey to make an accurate cast? On a very still small stream youll find yourself having to sneak up on these rascals. Any bright or flashy colors will send them scurrying for cover not to be seen for hours. A fly rod with a matte finish may be in order.
Fly Line
Now that I have enlightened you on some factors and characteristics to strongly consider when purchasing your new fly rod I am finished, right? Well, in all good conscience, I cant just turn you loose right now without at least mentioning fly line and how it will affect your small stream rod.
First of all, let me make this perfectly clear, I usually advocate staying with the manufacturer's suggested line recommendations or, in the case of the heavier weights 6-9, underlining by one weight depending on the circumstances. Wait a minute did I say underline? Yes I did. Macnair opened my eyes to this concept. You see, it's in the amount of line you aerialize in making the cast. Consider for a moment that while you and I now know the weight in grains for the first 30-feet of our line, we don't know the weight of the remainder that typically includes the rest of the head, its rear taper, and the running line ... An interesting thought? It should be, because for every ten to fifteen feet we add to the initial 30 hanging in the air, we effectively add another line weight to the load carried by the rod. Said another way: a 5-weight line becomes the equivalent of a 6-weight when 40-feet of line are aerialized, a 7-weight with 60 to 65-feet in the air, etc. At some point, of course, our 5-weight rod will overload resulting in either a collapsed cast or worse, a broken rod. Then, as Doug would say, the Ancient Fishing Gods will be laughing.
OK, so what does this concept of underling a 7wt fly rod have with a small stream rod? Plenty the same concept applies but in reverse. Lets say youre using a 3wt rod with a 3wt line on a small stream. Most of your casts are going to be less than 15 or 20 feet. Take away the leader and you only have about 10 feet or so of fly line aerialized. Well thats not enough line weight to allow the rod to perform as designed. So, in this case, its makes perfect since to overline your rod. Ten feet of a 4wt line might give you enough aerialized weight to allow the rod to perform better and thus improve your casting. So think about it. You may want to overline your new rod depending on how far you think youll be casting.
Conclusion
During my recent conversation with Jason Borger, renowned fly fisher and original Shadow Caster, he said, "Unless the stream is running through a really tight canopy, I like a 7 1/2 foot for a 3 or 4 line. I can use a rod like that on many waters, with many flies (including small streamers and weighted nymphs) and many casting techniques (even Spey to an extent). If things get really tight, I certainly will go shorter. I have gone as short as a 5-foot, 1-weight, but that is an extreme example. On waters that tend toward a more open-sky/open-bank layout, I often find myself with a rod in the nine-foot class. I do that for the mending/line control factors and the ability to have a little more stand-off distance (if only a few feet), while still retaining a fair degree of that control. If the longer rod means I can crouch behind big rocks and still get decent line control, then I'll grab that rod. I will, of course, adjust my trajectory when casting close (think more up and down with the tip, versus back and forth). I suppose that one could write a short book devoted to rod selection for small streams. In the end, though, I would say consider the factors at play, and then pick a rod that will allow you best handle the situation at hand."
OK... there you have it. Now, have I covered every possible aspect of selecting the ideal creek rod? Probably not but you know have enough information to assist you in selecting the best stick for your specific applications. I think you now realize that no single rod will do.
Now, youd better go out and buy a few empty rod tubes.