custom rods

[ssy]

has any one heard of or has rods wrapped by angler habitat out of idaho or dave mcneese out of oregon?

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Dave McNeese has made very nice custom fly rod for decades, mostly built on Sage blanks.

http://www.davemcneese.com/


Never heard of Angler Habit?


There are thousands of custom rod makers. They come and go all the time.


If you work with the top ones like Gary Anderson in southern Oregon, you can get them warrantied just like a factory rod.

http://www.andersoncustomrods.com/contact.htm

[amoeba]

has any one heard of or has rods wrapped by angler habitat out of idaho or dave mcneese out of oregon?

I have seen and used angler habitat rods. They are slightly higher quality workmanship than similar factory rods (cork quality, some of the components), and a few minor differences; in handle shape, and the ends of the pieces don't have plugs in them (doesn't mean anything), a little nicer aluminum non-factory tube, and they cost somewhat less than factory. They have all sorts of warrantee and trial period money back stipulations, I have not heard any complaint. They make alot of rods and are faster in making a rod than some of the other customs. I would call them semi-custom.

[ssy]

i was surfing the web looking afor sage rods and came across those builders. seems their cost is less than the factory. i'm not familiar with the hopkins/holoway or struble components used in their rods. this is getting scary. i'm actually thinking of getting one of these high $$$ rods to treat myself

[Tony Buzolich]

I don't understand it. Why would a person feel the need to have a "custom" rod built when there are so many great rods out there in the market today. Is it the "cosmetics" with fancy color thread wrap or light and dark cork handles? Maybe even the woven thread fish or name patterns that become artistic decoration. Is there actually a model rod out there that isn't made?

I guess if it was something special that wasn't built by any various manufacturer then there would be a "need". But as I see it most custom rods are simply a "want".

The other thought is there is a satisfaction in building your own custom rod. Just like tying flies, or loading bullets, or any number of other things. You can buy them already made and ready to go but maybe not with the "custom" features a person a wants.

I think manufactured rods today are one of the best values a person can get if looking to buy a new rod. Companies like TFO and Redington make some fantastic rods that are incredible values because they are made offshore. The simple cost of labor.

I mean no disrepect to any of the higher end companies like SAGE or Winston because I have a bunch of these too. But as I use my Redingtons more and more I find I really like them too and often go for them first.

I guess it's just a matter of "wants" because craftmanship is pretty darn good for these offshore imports.

These are just a few of my thoughts and may add to a little more discussion on this great board. :)
TONY

[FISHEYE]

I have a few rods from Anglers Habitat. All Sage blanks. They have better quality cork than the factory rods and better components. The reason I bought them is that I wanted the particular rod and they cost less than factory. I broke one, sent it back with whatever Sage was charging for a replacement and got the rod fixed back in about a month. I am 100% satisfied. I talked with Wayne a few times and he seems like a very nice guy.

[ssy]

I don't understand it. Why would a person feel the need to have a "custom" rod built when there are so many great rods out there in the market today. Is it the "cosmetics" with fancy color thread wrap or light and dark cork handles? Maybe even the woven thread fish or name patterns that become artistic decoration. Is there actually a model rod out there that isn't made?

I guess if it was something special that wasn't built by any various manufacturer then there would be a "need". But as I see it most custom rods are simply a "want".

The other thought is there is a satisfaction in building your own custom rod. Just like tying flies, or loading bullets, or any number of other things. You can buy them already made and ready to go but maybe not with the "custom" features a person a want
I think manufactured rods today are one of the best values a person can get if looking to buy a new rod. Companies like TFO and Redington make some fantastic rods that are incredible values because they are made offshore. The simple cost of labor.

I mean no disrepect to any of the higher end companies like SAGE or Winston because I have a bunch of these too. But as I use my Redingtons more and more I find I really like them too and often go for them first.

I guess it's just a matter of "wants" because craftmanship is pretty darn good for these offshore imports.

These are just a few of my thoughts and may add to a little more discussion on this great board. :)
TONY
i hear ya, tony. i have a tfo clouser rod i'm just getting use to, but if i can get a sage xi3 for 100-200 bucks cheaper than the factory rod. why not. like i heard a striper guide tell me once,"i just need 1 more rod". i'm still considering the tfo bvk in 9ft. 9wt. for a topwater rod.

[Scott V]

I don't understand it. Why would a person feel the need to have a "custom" rod built when there are so many great rods out there in the market today.



The only reason I would go "custom" is because as much as I love my TFO Pro series rods, the guides are crap so I would buy the blank so I can put on quality guides, plus I could turn my own handle to fit me hand size. I wish I could afford a better rod with better components but I can't.

Ssy, I would love to get my hands on a BVK 9 weight myself. I cast the 6 weight and they are great rods.

[ssy]

The only reason I would go "custom" is because as much as I love my TFO Pro series rods, the guides are crap so I would buy the blank so I can put on quality guides, plus I could turn my own handle to fit me hand size. I wish I could afford a better rod with better components but I can't.

Ssy, I would love to get my hands on a BVK 9 weight myself. I cast the 6 weight and they are great rods.

i hear the bvk doesn't have the lifting power for stripers. who knows. i would like to finally get a nice rod for bigger flies. i throw the lunker punker and the mag spooks and would love to hook one on a topwater fly

[NVswitch]

If you are interested in a custom rod, i would highly recommend Gary Anderson at Anderson Custom Rods. I have had him make 5 or 6 rods over the years and have always have been completely satisfied. He uses his own blanks or Sage blanks for single hand and spey rods.
I personally believe his custom rods to be better than factory models. Better cork, better components, better wraps. You will not be disappointed, Mike

[amoeba]

i was surfing the web looking afor sage rods and came across those builders. seems their cost is less than the factory. i'm not familiar with the hopkins/holoway or struble components used in their rods. this is getting scary. i'm actually thinking of getting one of these high $$$ rods to treat myself

Those are common component suppliers of guides and seats, nothing to worry about. I believe sage uses h/h guides and struble seats in it's factory rods; sage sells rods, rod-making kits that have the identical components, and blanks - which a builder can mix with other components as they see fit, and they usually do, although it's not rare that a builder will make a rod from a factory kit too. It won't be wierdly different; the biggest difference is that the blank will have a decal that says "b" after the model; meaning it isn't a factory rod. But the blank of the same model, say a sage z-axis, IS the same blank as a factory rod. There's no difference. But it all has to be put together correctly.

In it's factory rods, Sage usually keeps the wraps the same over time, but might vary the components very slightly between runs - the wood in the seat, the precise handle shape, and a few knick-knacks in the components - usually don't vary the nickel-silver seat components, tho (seem to be the same). Sage factory makes a very nice, consistent-quality rod, that they stand behind - I do not mean to say that customs are necessarily a better choice, or value. And you can try out and buy the exact factory rod you will own at a fly shop, look at all the components up close, and pay full retail (which you will, for a current model rod, and they don't change models that frequently). People do it all the time; they may not buy 10 rods a year, but they'll buy high- and low-end rods here and there and accumulate them until the closet is full. Mine is.

[Rich Morrison]

I've had a number of custom rods made to give as gifts over the last few years...one for my Dad and this year at Christmas for my daughter's first rod. All have come from Jim Clarkson who runs Raptor Rod Works in Chico. He built rods and ran the shop for Press and Powell Rod Co for years. He has rods at every price point and he will spend some time talking to you about what sort of job you want the rod to do, what you want to spend, and at the end of the day you have a great looking rod designed to do exactly what you want how you want with whatever grade and type components you want. You Nor Cal guys can even drop in and cast some rods with him to figure out what blank might best suit you. I got a sweet little custom built 7' 6" 4wt 4 piece (w/ a tube) built on a Batson blank for my 10 yr old daughter (her first fly rod) for, if I remember correctly, under $200. And it's got her name on it - which she thought was SO cool. There is actually a great interview with Jim in the Dec 10 issue of California Fly Fisher. Read it if you haven't - he's a great guy and is just a superb rod maker.

www.raptorrodworks.com

Rich

[Michael Baker]

There are pros and cons for both factory and custom. I build my own because I enjoy the process and like fishing something a little different than others. You can pick and choose the exact componants and appearance you want. If you are paying someone to build you a rod you can usually get a rod built with more care at a better price than a factory rod, provided he is a competant builder. If you go this route you'd better like the rod because resale compared to a factory rod will probably be abysmal. If you break it you have to have the builder send it back for warranty and then he has to rebuild the rod. You break the factory rod you just send it in and pay ,IMO, a ridiculous fee for a factory repair. Yea, I know, it is a lifetime warranty. That's why it cost more up front and the processing fee pretty much covers the cost of repair. Just a few of my thoughts.

Mike

[ssy]

i spoke to a guy who does a lot of fly fishing and he seems to think that it would cost about the same to buy a factory rod vs. having one built with the same components. ant truth to that? i would think a custom rod would be more.

[BillB]

It depends on the components and builder ssy. Often there is little savings on rods you build yourself when you toss in the time/value variable. All my first Sages (mine, my wife's and one for my daughter) I built because I enjoyed the process and I did save a little in the long run. Reel seats alone can run from a few dollars to well over a c-note. You can find many companies who sell components as well as kits on the web. Speaking of Raptor Rod Works, grab a California Fly Fisherman, December I think, for a nice article on Raptor.

[590Mike]

I have a couple Sage rods built up on blanks and there is some savings,but what you really get is upgraded components. My Z-axis has composite blends on the ends of the grip for durability and upgraded the quality of the guides. Larry Lee in Citrus Heights builds a great rod and he is willing to teach you if want to save a few more dollars. Larry does insist that he does the handle and varnish so everything looks good when the rod is finished.
L3Rods.com