Thursday, March 24, 2011

Phoenix Classics "Glass Fibre"

Besides offering silk fly lines which are used by anglers the world over, Mike Brookes of Phoenix Classics, is also offering a limited number of custom light line weight fiberglass fly rod builds as well.

Mike is currently building three models of fiberglass fly rods in one and two weights and lengths of six foot and seven foot.  The fly rods are built on Steffen Brothers blanks and finished with brown thread wraps, nickel silver hardware, walnut reel seats, and cigar shaped grips with 'flor' grade cork.


Mike wrote...  "Our prime business is the fabrication of silk fly lines but I have been a bamboo rod builder since the early 1980's and I continue to build and lecture on bamboo rods and the building thereof.  I specialize in short rods around six feet and can happily build bamboo rods down to three weight.  Below that line size I have turned to glass fibre in one and two weights built on Steffen Brothers blanks."

"Glass fibre as a rod material that is as close as I can get to bamboo 'action' and we must not forget that both these materials have been fished for countless decades and just because manufacturers wanted to make more money out of carbon rods does not mean that either is now unsuitable for fishing."

"Silk fly lines are a very useful addition to a fisherman's arsenal.  The have thinner diameters than the equivalent plastic lines and therefore cut into the wind better, lift off and land more delicately, and mend and roll cast superbly well ( I would say that wouldn't I?).  They really don't take much looking after and serve well for many years."


All fly rod builds are sent with a cloth rod sack and a hexagonal wood tube.

I have been intrigued by silk fly lines for some time now and Mike recently sent a lightly used 4DT silk fly line which I hope to use quite a bit this spring on several different glass fly rods.  I will share that experience on T.F.M. in the coming months with a review and photographs.

Please visit the Phoenix Classics website for more information about silk fly lines and their other offerings as well.  Mike can also be contacted by email as well for any further questions.

 

3 comments:

middlemac said...

Very nice rod elements, are you going to test one at some point?

As a woodworker I'm intrigued by the mahogany case, looks like Phillippines wood but I could be wrong.

Jen Bone said...

Nice looking rod. You are an artist
chris
thedailyhuntandfsih.com

Cameron Mortenson said...

middlemac...I haven't been asked to demo one of his builds but I do have a silk fly line to use this summer.