Glass Builder - Matt Leiderman

The third blog post in the "Glass Builder" series is an insightful interview with rod builder Matt Leiderman of Pennsylvania. Matt Leiderman's rod builds are nothing short of stunning and I am constantly amazed by his work.


Let's start at the beginning, where did you get your start in rod building?

I was kind of a weird kid growing up. I always had hobbies and interests that were not terribly normal for a teenager. My obsession with fly fishing began when I was thirteen and finally had a fly fishing outfit (you know the Martin one from Walmart with the tuna-can reel and foam-gripped rod) of my own. From there I spent quite awhile with my best friend at the time (who remains in that role still today but lives in Montana which gives me a great excuse to visit) hitting ponds, creeks... basically any waterway that moved. Since neither of us could drive, we became involved in fly tying and were very serious at our new hobby.

My father was actually the first one to build a rod in the family. He was a casual fisherman but enjoyed heading to the stream and was learning fly fishing along with me. He purchased a kit from Cabela's and I watched him build, wrap, and finish it. I became interested in the process and few months later we assembled a kit for me to put together. Shortly thereafter, I finished my first rod (purple wraps with silver metallic tipping) and I could finally call myself a rod-builder. I had no idea the extent that this little hobby would takeover in my life.


From there, after building countless graphite rods and a few fiberglass, I became enamored by the glossy cane rods I saw in catalogs like Thomas & Thomas, Orvis, and Winston. Around this time there was a growing number of builders on this new thing called the “internet” and I found some basic information on how to build bamboo rods. Armed with a desire to build rods but a lack of tools and skills, I turned to my grandfather who is a woodworker and retired mechanical engineer to help out with the process. Together we put some wooden forms together and secured some culms of cane. After reading, re-reading, and memorizing Wayne Cattanach’s book, I setup a door on some saw horses in the basement and went to work. The rest as they say is history.

I was very fortunate to be surrounded while growing up with family who saw this obsession with fly fishing and rod building as a positive in my life and encouraged me to continue with it. Certainly from a financial aspect, I couldn’t afford to build rods as a teenager without a job but my parents made sure I always had them to work on. For that I’m extremely grateful.


Did you have any mentors that you have either worked with, studied their work, or have given you guidance while learning how to build fly rods? Is there someone who still inspires you today?

I was and continue to be pretty self-taught. I operate in a bubble sometimes and really don’t even have too many close friends that fish let alone build rods. Books are great resources but getting your hands dirty and failing a few times is the best education you can get in my opinion.

I learned to wrap by wrapping a lot of rods...some good, some bad. I learned to use a lathe by trial-and-error, trying different cutters, different speeds, etc....until I found what works for me. I don’t even know if I use the machine correctly, but I can make it work!

I love problem solving and thinking of new ideas or new ways to do something. I think I would have lost some of that if someone else showed me the ropes.
In terms of inspiration, I’d have to say my dad. He was always a hands-on person and did everything himself. It took a lot for him to hire someone to do something and that’s how I operate to this day. Unfortunately I lost my dad to cancer in 2003 just before I graduated college. He was such a supporter of everything I did and always wanted me to build rods for others. I think he’d enjoy seeing the pleasure the rods I build bring to other people. The older I get, the more I appreciate the things he did for me when I was younger. I wish more than anything I can thank him one more time and hit the stream for a few more casts.


When did you make the transition to fiberglass and what do you like about it as an angler and rod builder?

I built a few Lamiglas fiberglass rods back in the 90’s as an alternative to keeping bamboo rods in my car as a backup or “oh my god, that creek is loaded with fish but I don’t have a rod” rod (a situation no fly fisher wants to be left in).

Honestly, they did the job but I was passionate about building and designing bamboo rods at the time. They were spartanly finished and very utilitarian. More recently however, I read lots about some of the great glass being made by smaller builders all over the country. I called up Mark Steffen and ordered a blank of his 8’ 3/4 weight three piece. After seeing the quality of the blank, I decided it was worthy of more than a utilitarian build. I decided to finish it out with the same handcrafted components and quality of finish that I put into my bamboo rods. That rod has flown all over the country with me and for others to try out, been handled by some fantastic casters, and is really the one which cemented my love of this material. By nature I’m just a fly rod junkie, but fiberglass definitely found a permanent place in my shop and on the stream based on that rod.

As an angler, I love the feel and vintage look of a glass rod. It’s light like graphite but smooth like cane. With glass we find a bamboo feel with less worry about fishing it. Fighting a fish on a glass rod is the best of all worlds because you feel the fish and what it’s doing, but you can really work them in quickly with lighter weight rods because of the durability of glass. Personally, I have less worry over a fish doubling over a glass rod than a bamboo or graphite.

As a builder, it offers some challenges. First, I love rod design and with bamboo, I can have total control of the blank. Color, weight, length, solid/hollow, etc. With glass however, my role is strictly in the finishing department as manufacturing glass blanks is an undertaking that I will likely never pursue (but have thought about many times!). Thankfully, there are some amazing rod designers building these blanks and the end result they send out in blank form would be tough to improve upon.


What are the artistic techniques that set your builds a part from other builders?

I build rods that I would like to own. I’m a simple guy when it comes to fly rod cosmetics. A lot of people when they get a rod write me to say that there are many little details that otherwise go unnoticed unless you’re looking for them. By doing all the metal work on my rods in house, I can ensure everything matches and ties in together beautifully. Things like matching knurls on the seat hardware, winding check, agate stripping guide, and ferrule rings, the inscribed bullseye pattern on the bottom of a butt-cap, or the “clip-top” over-wrapped tip. Little things that don’t jump out but show someone put some time and thought into this.

Before I ever start a rod, I have in my head what I want it to look like in the end. From there, it’s just a matter of getting it to that point in real life. Every rod is a little different, and every piece of it is individually made and fit to the rod it’s on and only the rod it’s on.


Typically, from the time of order to rod completion how long are customers waiting for their orders?

Once I have a blank in house (which can take a few months in itself), I can get a rod turned around in a 3-6 months usually depending on my work load. I’m a teacher by day who is finishing a Master’s degree, and have a 9 month old daughter… I love rod building but life does have it’s priorities!

I will say that I am considering capping my yearly rod output. Building rods is something I enjoy doing but I never want it to feel like “work.” By limiting it to a number I’m comfortable with, I can assure each rod is made to the best of my abilities and with my total focus.


What would you like prospective customers to think about as they make a decision about a custom fly rod build and what should their expectations be?

It was put to me by a friend that buying custom fishing rods is not something people have to do...it’s something they want to do. A rod builder needs to realize this and make the whole transaction as smooth and fun for the client as possible. I’m a self-proclaimed rod junkie. I can talk rods for hours, even days on end. If someone is tracking you down to have a custom rod made, more than likely they’re the same way! An open line of communication should be established from order date through delivery. Anyone that has bought a rod from me has experienced a flurry of emails or phone calls back and forth regarding the build. This interaction and design process is probably my favorite part of building rods. Setting up a certain expectation in your client’s mind and then delivering or surpassing it is a great feeling.


When discussing a rod build, I’ll be happy to customize...with some limits. There are some things that I don’t excel at or care to do on my rods. Inlays, fancy wraps, burl spacers come to mind. If you’re interested in a rod with those details, there are some excellent builders (who have been posted here on T.F.M. a few times) that can definitely make the rod you’re looking for. It takes a lot of skill to do some of those finishes but in the end, it’s just not my style.

Lastly, I enjoyed hearing Gypsy give the advice to find “legitimate” rod builders to do this work. It’s important to find a builder that you mesh with but also one that has taken all necessary steps in establishing their business. In my eyes, this shows commitment to the craft and a rod builder who can provide assistance in the future should it be needed.