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Custom graphite and fiberglass fly rods

 

I have built fly rods, off and on, for 50 years and fished them in the tumbling freestone streams of western New England.  Woronoco, an Algonquian Indian word meaning "The place of many windings" is the location where I have chosen to create beautiful, functional and affordable fly rods.  It is a place where the Westfield River cuts through the Berkshire Hills and meanders on its way to join the Connecticut River on its way to the sea.  I live only a few minutes from some excellent trout fishing water.

 

My rod building is a reflection of my experiences fishing the small and mid-sized streams and ponds of western New England.  Even today I much prefer fiberglass fly rods because they require the relaxed casting stroke of bamboo without the fragility and the cost.  I also enjoy graphite rods even though they require a more frenetic casting stroke.  Graphite makes me a better long caster and I would not be without it in heavier weights for saltwater, Atlantic Salmon and wild wind and water conditions.

 

Even though it is a passion, rod building is still a recreation for me.  I had a day job completely unrelated to the fishing tackle industry.  Now I am semi-retired and I have returned to spend more time with my passion.  To my thinking, custom-crafted fishing rods can be tools, but also artistic expressions of the builder's and the owner's psyche.  Fly rods do not have to be made on the most expensive or the most popular rod blank to achieve that goal.

 

 

New for 2024

For 2024, I will continue my offerings of glass and graphite fly rods.  As usual, check my offerings in Rods On-hand for NFC iconoglass and proprietary olive-green glass rods.  These are sweet casters, and I am offering them at a great price. 

 

Speaking about prices, I will continue to offer my rods at last year‘s prices at least through the spring.  Please consider that my discount to you.  Supply prices have risen, and blanks have been in short supply these days.


I will also continue to offer builds on blanks from my stash and will do so until they run out.  These include a few of my “Klassic” e-glass small stream rods in white or melon orange.  I also offer my Batson SPG glass small stream fly rods in either one-piece, or two-piece spigot models.  I make them as 5/6 weight freshwater, or as the saltwater “mangrove” version in 5/6, and 7/8 weight, 6 feet or 6-6 feet versions.

 

For those who enjoy the smooth action of Livingston Western Glass rods, I will again be offering 8’ 6” #5, and 6 weight versions personally rolled by Dusty Smith and featuring his proprietary black, or white s-glass.

 

I continue to offer graphite builds in IM6 black matrix, and my proprietary IM7, and IM8 blends in matte black.  These rods provide relief from the high modulus whiplash action rods that plague graphite today. 

 

For faster graphite, I offer the more moderate fast action MHX Fly, the faster action MHX Traditional, and the high performance MHX Native rods designed by the folks at Mudhole.  These are the best of modern graphite materials in sweet tapers that do the job well.  And, their blank replacement warrantee cannot be beat.

 

I appreciate my many clients and friends who have encouraged me to design and build some really fine fishing rods.  Please contact me if you need a specific build, or if you have a blank that needs to be built out.  If you need a reel seat and/or grip replacement, contact me.  If ferrules, or spigots are mis-behaving, or you need a new guide, contact me.  I offer a complete rod repair service for those who can’t bear to part with a damaged rod of sentimental value (see some of my services offered under Other Services, and seen under my pictures section.

 

Remember, I continue to offer custom-crafted fishing rods on blanks that perform to the highest standards, and I guarantee my work.  I am not satisfied until you are satisfied. –John Pretola