ANOTHER SPIN ON GLASS - The Hitokiri Stream Master Rod

The other day, Marc Beissler of MB Custom Rods and Soulmate Rods posted a new Bait Finesse System (BFS) rod build on social media and I asked if I could share his work on The Fiberglass Manifesto.  What I didn't anticipate was the great story and amount of background that Marc would send along with his stellar photographs.

Scroll down to check out this stunning build and read through what Marc shared on BFS rods.  

 

Now I want one.

Marc wrote...  "Not so long ago I became aware of some Japanese small stream fishermen who easily skipped their lures over the small streams and under branches to catch some nice yamame trout.  Besides that, the casting itself looked so easy and the presentation was excellent the behavior of the rod with fish on it was outstanding.  So I dug a bit deeper and found out they were using solid or hollow E-Glass blanks for their short rods.
 
Being fixed now I needed to try this by my own and experimented building with sections of my fly rods blanks.  This was a long try and error process and I felt that the tapers used for fly rods doesn’t fit the need of a BFS (Bait Finesse System) casting rod at all, so I decided to design a taper by my own and send it to my Soulmate Rods blank manufacturer in Korea to prototype it for me.

In mid 2021, I wrapped the first guides to the prototypes and got some testing going.  In the meantime, I discussed materials and taper with a fellow Italian rod builder who already used fiberglass blanks for his small stream and bass casting rods he built.
 
After some time of testing and refining, I decided to join forces with the fellow Italian builder and we ordered the production of a small batch small stream BFS casting and spinning blanks we could build on. The models ranged from a very short 4 foot rod to a longer 6'6" foot rod which were all two piece blanks.
 
Looking for a name to christen the new blanks with their Japanese origin, I came across a ghost samurai master in one of my son’s manga comics who was called a HITOKIRI.  So here we are with the Hitokiri stream master rod.

For me a rod with a total length between 4'6" and 5'3" works the best to load small baits over the blank easily.  Longer BFS glass rods tend to have less tension to load for a small spoon or hard bait, but on larger waters the extra length can be also fine if no underhand casting is required.
 
Here are some specs for the rod shown in the pictures that I built for a BFS enthusiast in Colorado. 

Blank - 5' Hitokiri S-Glass - 2-Piece

Lure Weight - 1-6 Grams
Grip and Seat Insert - Koa wood that was shopmade

Grip Hardware - Korean rod building supplier – 

Wraps - Japanese Kimono Silk in Teriyaki Color

Guide - Fuji Torzite Titanium Guides

The reel in these photographs is a Shimano CC 51 model 2021 which the rod new owner also intended to use beside a very nice Isuzu TRY Angle SSS in brown colored reel.
 
Overall I really recommend everyone to try a short fiberglass BFS rod to step up and experience new styles in his BFS stream game.
 
Thanks, Cameron for giving another spin (or cast) on glass room in your website!

Visit the MB Custom Rods and Soulmate Rods to keep with what Marc is doing in his shop.  Follow the latest shop news on Instagram.

A Glass Fanatic's Guide to Buying a New Fiberglass Fly Rod

Buying a new fiberglass fly rod shouldn't be stressful and in best case scenarios, you should feel good about the entire process of the purchase no matter if it's coming from your local fly shop, person to person, or a small shop custom fly builder. 

Tom Gould of the Fiberglass Flyrodders forum has put together a very in depth Guyer's Guide that is worth your time to read and consider.  I've also added it to the Fiberglass Fly Rod Makers page as a future reference as well.

I'm sure there are a few war stories about there from dealing with fly rod makers (I have a couple of my own over the years...) but if I would have followed this buyer's guide, I could have likely saved myself some anxiety and regret.

Did Tom miss anything in the Buyer's Guide?  Send me an email to let me know.

DAVE HALL FINE ART - Painting, Family and Moving Water

I've said it before but you should be following artist Dave Hall and sign up for his monthly email.  He captures western landscapes in a wonderful way and in this video, Dave talks of his connection to other artists in his family, fly fishing, and how water connects it all.

Visit Dave Hall Fine Art to see more of his work.  Follow along on Facebook and Instagram.

SKWALA - Free Digital Copy of Eastern Rises

Longtime readers know of my applause for the work of Felt Soul Media and it's little surprise that Running Down the Man made the Eight Greatest Fly Fishing Films Ever Made list in a recent post in the Skwala Lounge.  They now admit that Eastern Rises and Red Gold should have and could have made the list as well.  Duh...

Eastern Rises chronicles a journey in Kamchatka with big fish eats and hijinks and now through I don't know when if you use the code SKWALA at checkout on Vimeo, you get this movie for free.

 

It's easy.  It's worth it.  So do it.

 
Log into your Vimeo account.  Find Eastern Rises.  Click purchase.  Plug in the code SKWALA.

For things like this and more, you should be following along what's going down in the Skwala Lounge.

SANDY'S CUSTOM FLY RODS - Sandy's Ethos

Some time ago, I reached out to Sandy Nelson to ask if I could highlight some of his stellar fiberglass fly rod builds on The Fiberglass Manifesto and as things usually do, we ended up mapping out several articles instead of just one that I'll begin sharing today with "Sandy's Ethos". 

If you aren't familiar with Sandy, you should be.  He lives in Aberdeenshire, Scotland and grew up on the banks of the rivers Don and Deveron.  This made for a trout addict who ended up growing into a "Fiberglass Junkie".  He enjoys hunting monster fish with dry flies and relies on quality glass fly rods to get them to the net on light tippets.

Sandy considers himself a "Hobby Builder" but I think we'd all agree that his handiwork surpasses what that title usually implies.   

 
MY ETHOS...

Building and repairing rods has been my winter hobby for many years, right back to being a teenager. Building glass rods became a large part of this around 2012 when I first experienced Epic Fly Rods.  Being able to discuss things with Carl over the internet was exciting and changed my perspective on building.  Where I used to build for myself and friends using off the shelf components, I started to explore some of the smaller components makers and it became a bit of a mission to try and introduce people to modern glass rods and hopefully do for their fishing what it had done for mine.  The incentive to sell a few means I can afford to donate a rod to the Wild Trout Trust auction each year, here in the United Kingdom.


The Fiberglass Manifesto was one of the first online resources I came across and I have been avid follower ever since.  I encourage people to build their own rod as often as possible.  I have had so much fun doing it over the years that I think everyone should give it a go.  There is such a wide range of shops on the internet that support this, these days, that weren’t there 20 years ago.  There are some fantastic blanks available to everyone so you can really build something great from the outset.

Over the years I have gotten to know some of the makers really well and some of the other builders too, the internet is wonderful resource when used properly. I now count among my friends, Chris Barclay, George Minculette, Shane Gray, Nico Vreugdenhil, Ray Lee, Mark Williams, Tomo Ijuin, Mike McFarland and Dusty Smith.

These are guys I have talked fishing rods, components and even just shot the fishing breeze with. Some of these fantastic conversations have driven me in different directions and had me exploring other products and meeting other folk.

My whole ethos for sourcing is being able to support the small guys around the world that are doing cool stuff.  So I get my blanks from guys I can talk with Mike, Shane, Tomo and Dusty being the main sources.  Sometimes I discuss the products direct and I will often buy via Nico who has the established relationships for shipping things around the world.  It's great to be able to discuss new products and specific requirements for someone, directly with the designer. 

I deal direct with Ray Lee to choose my wooden inserts and sliding band real seats, Steve van Winkle at Struble and Joe Arguello supply my agate guides, which I also get to choose and is one of my favourite jobs.  I rely on Mark Williams and Marc Beissler for sourcing my metalwork (Struble or Lemke), Snake Brand guides, rod tubes and anything else I might need for building.  These guys run fantastic websites for rod builders and are full of advice for folk who want to build their own.  Finally I get all my cork direct from Marcia in Portugal and again get to chat and discuss exactly what I want. 

 

As long as you remember that getting things you want in a specific way will take time and you employ the same patience for sourcing your bits as you will need for building your rod and then catching your fish, its a wonderful adventure.

Stand by for a few days and I'll roll out two additional posts on Sandy's Custom Fly Rods.  In the meantime, you can see more of his work on Instagram.

Things Change Fast in Fly Fishing

Filmmaker and storyteller Rolf Nylinder is back with a new film to enjoy.  Press PLAY...

Follow along on Instagram and subscribe to the YouTube channel too.

VR REELS - A Dispatch from Vlad

When Ukraine was invaded by Russia, now over a year ago, I was concerned and wondered if Vladimir Rachenko of VR Reels had escaped the conflict and if he was okay.  I sent him an email and heard back a few weeks later that he had fled his home, leaving everything behind, but that he was safe. 

For months now, he's again building fly reels that he's having made for him in Korea and he's working on setting up a shop where he's living now as well.  Quite a story of resilience and I hope that he will be able to return home at some point to resume fly reel building in his own workshop.

The VR Reels Classic Series offerings are some of the most beautiful fly reels being made right now and if you're not familiar, you should be.  The VR Reels Instagram page is a rabbit hole of fly reels photographs that you might not be able to get out of without ordering a fly reel...or several.

Vlad wrote...  "Here's a little about me.  I was born in Kharkiv, Ukraine, and I started fishing in my childhood with help of my uncle and grandpa.  I graduated in 1993 with a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the Kharkiv Aviation Institute. 

Although my career has been in aerospace and transportation engineering, for the past twenty years I have worked with fishing companies within the United Kingdom and USA as a reel designer.

With VR Reels, I have been designing and making fine fly reels for more than 20 years.  All in all, we have designed over 30 different models of reel from small 2 1/4″ Trout Classics to huge 5 1/2″ super-modern disc drag reels capable of subduing a shark.  Our range extends from a simple traditional "Click & Pawl" design drag to a very complicated, fully sealed, cutting-edge carbon fibre drag system!  We have designed and manufactured many full Titanium models as well.

Our reputation has been built on delivering beautiful, innovative, high-end products that assist you not only while fishing but are also pieces of art on your shelf or in a collector’s cabinet!

Since the Russian invasion many many different things have happened in my life but I have finally managed to get the reels made and they are available again.



Even though because of the obvious reasons I was unable to produce the reels in my home country, I found a very accomplished engineering company in South Korea.  I'm truly delighted with the high quality of manufacture and I'm sure you will be too.  I visited the factory and controlled all the manufacturing processes in person.  Each reel has been inspected and built by myself personally.  So, I am delighted to say that I'm very much satisfied with the result!

Take a few minutes to visit the VR Reels website and follow along with the latest shop news on Facebook and Instagram.  Free express shipping worldwide is available on all fly reel purchases.

VR Reels are distributed in the United States by Graywolf Rods and you can visit the website to see what is currently in stock.

BLUE LINE CO. - Project Isuzu - The Bulid

The boys from Blue Line Co. continue their build on 'Project Isuzu' in this episode.  If you missed the first post on "The Shakedown" you should start there and then press PLAY on this video...

Check out the Blue Line Co. website and be sure to follow along on Instagram and YouTube.

BETWEEN TWO BANKS - A New Concept in the Rod Shop

I always like to share what is going on in the small rod shops and Jacob Rash of Between Two Banks made an announcement last week of a couple new fly rods that are added to his offerings that are worth a look.  It's great to see builders not only build on other makers blanks but to explore their own thoughts and designing their own tapers.  

 

Both the S-Glass and E-Glass offerings that Jacob describes below sound absolutely wonderful.  If I was picking one, the S-Glass might be perking my interest more than the other.

 

From the Between Two Banks website...

Last summer Jacob began the endeavor of designing fiberglass tapers. Applying the same thought and considerations as he would to a bamboo rod, and focusing on the fishing and places that have left their mark on him. Growing up in the mountains of Western North Carolina and then migrating to the high desert of Southwest Colorado, brook trout and cutthroat are the commanding inspiration for these rods. 

The S-Glass Series is inspired by a bamboo Payne rod. It’s smooth and responsive, with a nice “after burn” felt at the end of a back cast. The tip is designed to command an earlier engagement from the butt, although not something normally found in an S Glass blank, it derives power earlier in shorter range casting. The recovery is quick, allowing for a rapid casting stroke. Almost perfect for those back country, western creeks.

 

The E-Glass Series is a full working, deep loading, smooth, close range rod. The progressive nature of these butt sections, unlike most E glass, stops the flex ahead of the grip and pushes the majority of the power into the mid section. These rods are neither fully parabolic or progressive, the middle ground between the two drastically different actions. These rods are designed for a day of chasing brook trout, from dry flies to soft hackles, in the tightest of quarters.

 

All of Jacob’s rods come with his version of a modified forward wells grip. The design is one that he employs because quite frankly, it’s comfortable. The ergonomic design allows the caster to apply the right amount of forward pressure from the thumb, while also reducing wrist fatigue.

These rods are also equipped with hand-twisted guides, made in house on 3/4 hard nickel silver wire. Not only does this add an extra personal touch, it allows the guide feet to be made proportionate to the blank diameters, rather than a ‘one-size-fits-most.’

The aesthetics of these rods, as with most others, feel traditional. Perhaps reminiscent of a bamboo rod or a vintage fiberglass found in your grandfather’s basement. Best not to drift too far away from what you know.

This is a very limited run. Please be on the lookout for more lengths, line weights, and colors in the coming months.

Visit the Between Two Blanks website for more information and additional photographs of these builds.  Follow along with the latest shop news on Facebook and Instagram.

LOON OUTDOORS - Different Fish Different Places - Chapter 3

The folks from Loon Outdoors continue to tell stories of anglers and places with their 'Different Fish Different Places' series.  Stripers in the Cali surf?  Yes, please...

Check out Loon Outdoors for your tying and tools needs.  I continue to be impressed with their 2023 line up to include the Trout Plier and Apex tools line up.  These are now essentials in my gear bag. 

 

Postscript...  Here's an "extra credit" link on Lost Coast Outfitters and the Golden Gate Angling and Casting Club from a few years ago where I spent the morning with George Revel.  A lot has changed since then with a new shop location but this post holds up.  LINK

SOUTHERN CULTURE ON THE FLY - No. 46

A new era of Southern Culture on the Fly has begun so dive into issue No. 46 to give it a read...

 

CHECK IT.

FLYLORDS - Fly Shop Tour - Episode 3

The Flylords Fly Shop Tour continues with a few stops in Montana.  

Check out the Flylords website for more and click subscribe on their YouTube channel too.

HUFF

Over the last couple of years, Monte Burke's book Lords of the Fly and the Mill House podcast have given us a deep dive into the lives of captains and anglers who are hyper focused on tarpon and the places where they live.  This short film on Captain Steve Huff is a neat profile of his life story.

Want more?  Jump over to the Mill House for their interview of Captain Steve Huff and an article from a few years ago in Garden & Gun is worth a read as well.

6 Good Reads

Let's ease into the weekend with a bit of online reading.  This six-pack covers the bases from travel packing, upping your sight fishing game, staying ready through the winter, coffee, Iceland through images, and a few thoughts on grip and grin photos.

THE CONTENDER - MR. COGGINS GOES TO THE BAHAMAS

TROUTS FLY FISHING - GET YOUR SIGHT FISHING GAME ON POINT

WES ON COLD WEATHER PREPARATION

MIDCURRENT - THE STREAMSIDE COFFEE PROCESS

CATCH MAGAZINE - BRAIN O'KEEFE IN ICELAND

TROUT UNLIMITED - KIRK ON FISH PHOTOS

What are you reading this weekend?

ABEL REELS - Casey Underwood Edition Reels

As much as I try to tell myself that fly reels are really just a thing to put fly line on, I can't help but be drawn to the pretty and shiny things too.  That said, with carp and smallmouth always on my mind, the latest collaboration with Abel Reels and artist Casey Underwood has really got me going.

There are thirteen different art designs in the Casey Underwood Edition Reels and these graphic finishes can be placed on five different fly reels to include the TR, ROVE, SDF, SDS, and VAYA.

These two are my favorite.  I'd take the smallmouth on a 8-weight and carp on a 10-weight fly reel and it would be perfect for Beaver Island.
 

Check out the Abel Reels website to see all the Casey Underwood Edition Reels. 

Which one is your favorite?

GRAYWOLF RODS - The BRUTE Ready to Wrap Kits

In all honesty, I have a hard time keeping up with Shane Gray of Graywolf Rods.  He's always up to something and when he posted on Instagram yesterday about the BRUTE Ready to Wrap Kits that he was starting to offer, it seemed like a good thing to share with the T.F.M. readership.

Who doesn't need a new 7-weight or 8-weight that they put together themselves?

I've got a demo of the BRUTE 8-weight and it casts really nice.  Maybe it wasn't the perfect fly rod for the Louisiana marsh when it was blowing 25 mph but I'm looking forward to getting it out on our pond this spring.  I really like short heavy line weight fly rods and the BRUTE lives up to it's name.

 

What's included in the BRUTE Ready to Wrap Kit...

• 7'6" 4-Piece Fly Rod Blank in 7-Weight or 8-Weight
• Blank Color Choice of Amber or Brown
• Full Set of Snake Brand Guides
• Winding Check
• Tip Top
• Stripping Guides
• High Grade Cork Grip with Fighting Butt
• Metal Reel Seat Hardware
  

These kits are priced at $289 each.

Visit the Graywolf Rods website to check this and the many other options out.  Follow along with the latest shop news on Facebook and Instagram.

HOWLER BROTHERS - Spring '23 Collection

It still feels like winter around here but Howler Brothers is manifesting warmer vibes with the release of their Spring '23 Collection.  Go take a look...

 

The collection standouts for me are heavy in the snap button shirt category with the H Bar B Snapshirts, Crosscut Deluxe Shortsleeve Shirts, Open Country Tech Shirt, and the Gaucho Snapshirt with Frigates.  You can never go wrong with a new favorite hat too.
 

Visit the Howler Brothers website to check out the full Spring '23 Collection.

EPIC FLY RODS - Want 50% Off the Epic 370?

The folks at Epic Fly Rods are running a great promotion that if you purchase any size of their award winning Backcountry Fly Reel that you'll get 50% the purchase of a Reference Epic 370 fly rod.

Essentially, you'll get a great fly reel and fly rod for about the same the price of the Epic 370 by itself. 

 

 

I always like to pass along that I have a lot of familiarity with the entire fiberglass fly rod line up from Epic Fly Rods and if you have any questions on which one you should get, fly lines that work, or anything else, please send an email.

Visit the Epic Fly Rods website to take advantage of this deal.  Not sure when the promotion will end but I do know that the discount will automatically be applied in the cart at checkout.

Home from the Marsh with Things to Think About

I'm a few days home now from whats become an annual trip to the Louisiana marsh to spend a few days with Captain Steve Martinez.  These mid-winter rips can be tough where weather plays a lot into it and this time around gave us not so great conditions.  Wind, clouds, and dirty water were the norm.  We caught a few redfish and black drum but we really had to work to find them.  I missed a few shots when fish did come into view and I left a bit disappointed in how I performed at the pointy end of the skiff.   

Maybe I was distracted with too many other things going on in my head.  (I was.)  Maybe I need to practice casting more in the wind.  (I do.)  Maybe it was just a string of a few tough days.  (It was.)     

 

Kirk Deeter's latest The True Cast article popped up on my social feed the other day and it helped put into perspective what I was thinking.  The article nailed it with this ending thought...

 

"Failure is, in truth, the key to satisfaction.  Because when you do link all those variables together—you find the fish, you make the cast, you choose the bug, and you present it just right… and you see that big ‘ol snout come up for a sip… that’s the best puzzle you’ll ever solve. And that’s the greatest measure of success any fly angler can hope to realize."

 

I've said it for awhile that I like it when things are tough.  That's how I learn.  I enjoy putting puzzles together when when fly fishing.  I like the challenge.  I like it however when it all finally falls into place and I lay out a line to a tailing or cruising bull redfish and watch it move over to suck in my fly.  It didn't really happen this go around which was disappointing but that's alright.  There is always next time...

Postscript...  Thanks to "Sweet Chili" Martinez for the invite, Dave Fason for making the trip with me, and if you find yourself in New Orleans, Palm & Pine and The Will & The Way are highly recommended.    

FIBERGLASS FLYRODDERS - Dig Glass Rods? Join.

The other day, Tom from Fiberglass Flyrodders emailed to say that the online forum was down due to a system upgrade.  He wasn't sure when it would be back up and if anything would be broken when it did come back online.  For a forum owner, that's kind of scary and fortunately just a little while later the forum was back without any glitches.  Whew... 

I joined the FFR forum in 2006 and that was when membership was less than 300.  Fast forward to now, and there are over 7,900 members.  That shows you how much interest has grown over the years for glass fly rods and new members are joining almost daily.

 

There is an incredible amount of knowledge within the over 31,000 different topics on the board and many of the members are rod builders, worked in various rod shops over the years, collectors, anglers, and brain trusts on all things fiberglass.  It's downright amazing.

Fair warning though, not only did the forum solidify my interest in fiberglass fly rods, it also sent me on a journey into vintage fly reels that spawned Martin and J.W. Young collections.   

Jump over to the Fiberglass Flyrodders forum this weekend and give it a look if you haven't.  Join and be part of a growing and active community of 'GLASS GEEKS'.

CARPLAND - Fishing for Carp in the USA

Off the Grid Studios have been unlocking some of their films from years past and CARPLAND is a all-time favorite.  Press PLAY...

See more from Off the Grid Studios on their YouTube channel.

GATES AU SABLE LODGE - Au Sable River Stream Map & Memories

Twenty but going on thirty years ago, I used to hang out in Bob Smock's fly tying shop in his garage up in Grayling, Michigan and on an old book shelf was a stack of stream maps that he had printed off for customers.  More than once, Bob would circle or highlight an area on the map for me to check out.  He wouldn't say much other than to go figure it out and hand me a few flies.  That's all a teenager (who really didn't know what he was doing) with a fly rod and a ailing Ford Escort needed to hear.  Off I went.   

 

I still have a couple of those maps folded up in a box somewhere.  A lot of memories flood back from exploring the Au Sable River, Manistee, and South Branch when I open one of them up. 

While flipping through the Gates Au Sable Lodge online holiday catalog, there was a great map penned by artist Jeff Kennedy that was tucked in there along with a hatch chart that that you should check out too.

I know we all rely on maps on our phone or something more significant like TroutRoutes but the old memories part of me will always dig a hand drawn paper map to pour over with a cup of coffee planning the next trip to the river.  Where to go next and what bugs will be coming off?  

KORKERS - Devil's Canyon No Pebble Mine Edition Boot Sale

Hopefully, you've already heard the big news that Pebble Mine is over.  Done.  And if you're keeping score, this has been a too many years roller coaster that I truly hope that the ride is forever closed.

Korkers took their Devil's Canyon Boot for a limited No Pebble Mine Edition that they are running on flash sale for the next couple of days for less than $150 a pair.  This is a steal on a great boot. 

 

I've been wearing a pair of Devil's Canyon Boots for a number of years and they are a favorite for being lightweight, made of a bomb proof upper material, BOA Fit System, and change soles with the Omnitrax outsole system.  

The Devil's Canyon Boot No Pebble Mine edition include a free one year membership to Trout Unlimited and some No Pebble Mine swag too.

Visit the Korkers website to check this out before these limited edition boots go off sale or out of stock.

FLYLORDS - Fly Shop Tour - Episode 2

The Flylords Fly Shop Tour continues with some time spent in Wyoming...  

Check out the Flylords website for more and click subscribe on their YouTube channel too.

THE FLY FISH JOURNAL - Room on the Water

The Fly Fish Journal continues to tell needed stories within fly fishing.  Click PLAY...

Check out The Fly Fish Journal website and subscribe to the print magazine if you don't already.

Glass Rods. Click & Pawl. Half Set. Loops.

One of my golf resolutions for the year is to walk more and ride in the cart less.  The other thing that I am realizing is that I just have more fun on a golf course when I'm walking with a half set of clubs.  I have a Jones Players Series bag with seven or eight clubs and a few other essentials.  The bag is lightweight and I can walk a 9-hole loop at our local club in an hour or half or so while getting a three or so mile walk in.  

 

So, with that focus, along with figuring that I'm not the only person that digs glass fly rods and half sets, I have added a new decal to the T.F.M. Shop.  These are three inch squares like the rest in the "Glass Rod" series and if you need one (or several) reach out with an email. 

 

And, if you order a box of the Western Birch Retro Fly Tees, I'll toss in a couple of these decals along with the T.F.M. freebie decals.

FLYLORDS - Fly Shop Tour - Episode 1

The folks from Flylords took off last September on a 2,500 mile road trip where they dropped in on a dozen of their favorite fly shops and spent time on some stellar Rocky Mountain waters.



Check out the Flylords website for fly fishing content of all sorts and click subscribe on their YouTube channel too.

EPIC FLY FISHING - Building a Fly Rod - Part 2

Who is building their own fiberglass fly rod over the winter months?  Epic Fly Rods sure makes the whole process easy with their many Build Your Own Fly Rod Kit options which include a step by step booklet and online options to help you along the way.

In the second (you can watch Part 1 if you haven't already) film, Magnus Linhardt covers quite a bit of ground on his Epic fly rod build.

 

Interested?  Check out the Build Your Own Fly Rod Kit options on the Epic Fly Rods website.  There are eight fiberglass fly rod options to choose from that range from the Epic 370 to the Epic Boca Grande and another eight graphite and two-hander options as well.

As a reminder, I have an ongoing affiliate relationship with Epic Fly Rods and any purchases that are made by clicking through the banner ad on this page and the links in these posts all put a few coins in the T.F.M. piggy bank.  Thank you in advance.

Tip of the cap to Magnus Lindhardt for creating these short videos.  You can see more of his creative work on Instagram and consider subscribing to his YouTube channel too.

2023 FLY FISHING FILM TOUR - Watch This Space...

The Fly Fishing Film Tour is coming soon with a little later than usual kick-off date this year of March and keep an eye on the website as trailers, schedule, tickets, and more are loaded up.

 

A quick shout out to Matthew Phillip for his rad artwork that is being used as F3T poster this year.

Where will you see the F3T this year?

TROUTS FLY FISHING - Michigan Smallies with Schultz Outfitters

We are in that part of winter where I'm done with all the rain that we've been getting and thinking ahead to spring which will ease into summer.  I'm also thinking about native bass.  More on that later but in the meantime, let's jump in the wayback machine to last summer when Trouts Fly Fishing dropped into "The Mitten" for a few days with Schultz Outfitters.  Press PLAY...

Want more on this?  Listen to The Current with Mike Schultz and a photo heavy blog from the trip too.

SHORELUNCH WITH NATE P.

The other day I was listening to the Cut & Retie podcast where Joe Cermele was interviewing Nate P. of what's become one of my new favorite YouTube channels, Shorelunch w/ Nate P. 

Fair warning, Nate P. doesn't fly fish, doesn't always catch fish, and his shore lunch sometimes doesn't work out either.  What you'll find however is that Nate P. is a likeable guy, quick with humor, and maybe you'll even learn a few things too.  I especially dig the ice fishing episodes.

Listen to the Cut & Retie podcast first and then jump over to the Shorelunch w/ Nate P. channel to catch up on all the episodes there.

YETI - The LoadOut GoBox Family Grows

File this under things that I'm stoked about this week.  YETI announced the reintroduction and expansion of the LoadOut GoBox series with three sizes to include the GoBox 15, GoBox 30, and GoBox 60.  Waterproof, dustproof, and durable to handle any adventure.  OCD me really likes how I can keep everything organized with the caddy, zip pockets, and divided spaces.

As a family, we already have a short stack of GoBox 30's around that house everything from whatever camp, fish, and hunt gear we're carrying around and with Finn's golf season starting this month, it's likely put together one that will ride in the car with snacks, tees, gloves, hand warmers, extra balls, and whatever else he'll need.

Visit the YETI website to check out the LoadOut GoBox family.  They sure aren't cheap but nothing I've used so far comes close to the quality and function of these handy cargo boxes.

TOM'S TIPS - The Difference Between Dries, Nymphs, and Streamers

It's been awhile since I've shared Tom Rosenbauer of Orvis with the "Tom's Tips" series and he's back with a primer on flies.  Click PLAY...

See more on the Orvis YouTube channel and check out the latest gear on the Orvis website.