Wooden Fly Rod Update

As snowy weather settles in, a fly angler’s thoughts typically turn to winter projects. Cleaning and lubing fly reels, replacing fly lines and leaders, and re-stocking fly boxes are generally at the top of the list. But aside from the usual maintenance duties, there is also time to work on some of the more pie-in-the-sky type projects. One such project that I started last winter was the build on my fourth wooden fly rod (see How to Build a Wooden Fly Rod under Gear Guide). This new rod will be a replacement for my 8’ 4”, 5 weight wood fly rod that started to split last summer.

Building wooden fly rods has definitely been a learn as you go endeavor – some of the rods that I have built over the years have eventually succumbed to the strain of casting, either developing cracks or breaking. Most of the rod failures can be traced back to flaws in the original blank or poorly designed tapers. Despite the setbacks, I currently have two wood rods in my arsenal that have survived the test of time and that I have caught many good trout on. The one that I use most often, a 6’ 6”, 3 weight, is meant for working small streams but I recently had it out a few times on the North Ram during the low flows of late September. The other rod is the first fly rod I built; a 7’ 1”, 6 weight. It is a little clunky to cast but it gets the job done – and I like the look and feel of the solid wood grip.

The rod blank that I cut last winter has been casually seasoning (i.e. drying) in the garage all summer and will be ready for construction by March. I plan to start sourcing materials to complete the new wooden rod next week – I will compile a list of the tools and parts needed and post it next chance I get.