How to build your own fly rod (with tips from the pros)
March 9, 2022at3:00 AM
Fly Rod Blanks and a Perfect Presentation
Custom fly rods can be built from different blank types, including natural fibers like bamboo (Tonkin Cane). These different fibers impact how the rod “fishes” or casts and can make a surprising difference in how far or accurately you can cast. Phillip can build his American-made custom fly rods from many of these different materials but chooses to focus on fiberglass for his customers. “I choose fiberglass because it asks the angler to let the rod do the work.”
Philip’s point is that the slow load and the deeper bend transfers the weight of the line deliberately and rewards a disciplined tempo and speed with a clean, splash-less presentation. “That’s what I go for with my clients,” Philip says. “I want that last false-cast to be a perfect unloading, with the fly meeting the water's surface as gently as possible.”
There are different types of fiberglass rods with different speeds: fast, medium, and slow. Phillip’s go-to blank manufacturers are Blue Halo and North Fork Composites. If you are looking for the fastest fiberglass rods, ask him for the unsanded finishes.
Fly Rod Grips
Once again, fly rods have the distinction of being….different. With fly rods, you grip the rod around the grip with your whole hand, not around the reel or reel seat. Fly rod grips come in many shapes, tapers, and lengths. You can find grips from EVA foam covered with rubber, flocking, or carbon fiber sleeves. Most often, the grips of American-made fly rods are cork. The designs that can be done with cork are varied. Some builders can burn logos and detailed images or layer different colors of cork. Philip sticks with cork.
“I stay with cork because it’s light, durable, and does not get heavier when wet. I treat my grips with a sealant that helps them stay tacky to the touch even when wet.”
Fly Rod Guides
There are different sizes of guides on each fly rod. The larger guides are called stripping guides and are located closer to the reel. The running guides are the guides that are next in line as you go from the stripping guides to the tip of the rod. The last guide at the tip of the rod is aptly named the tip-top guide. Phillip says he has a different take on the snake guide. He’s aware snake guides can be ever-so-slightly lighter but can also be harder to shoot line through.
“If you look at competition rods, many of the distance set-ups have ring guides through the rod to the tip-top guide.” It’s this observation that makes Phillip inclined to recommend ring guides for his fiberglass rods. “The weight difference is negligible but the distance is measurable.”
Reel Seat
When anchoring the fly reel to your custom fly rod, Phillip believes in the ALPS Triangle Fly Reel Seat for one very practical reason. “The ALPS Triangle shape keeps the reel foot pockets precisely aligned. In doing that it prevents the hood from spinning loose on the body of the seat. You can slide the saddle of the reel directly into that pocket and snug it up with the locking rings and you are done.”
When breaking your fly rod down at the end of the day or moving from place to place during your outing, trying to stab the reel seat pocket that spins around can be tedious. This go-to reel seat looks great and makes the experience more enjoyable.
Over the years through P2 Fly Rods, Phillip has been able to fish with and alongside many anglers and builders to arrive at these conclusions. He’s able to build you a rod out of many different components and will thoughtfully guide you through the process. He’s also happy to share his years of experience with new builders to help them shake loose the conformity they are running from.
