Jim Lepage

FLY RODS are designed to cast a fly to fish by building momentum in a fly line and controlling its direction and distance. They also have to assist in fighting a fish, and so the size and strength of the fish you seek to catch — whether they are 9-inch brook trout or 80-pound tarpon — also help determine appropriate size and stiffness. Most modern fly...

CURIOUS ABOUT what manufacturers mean when they throw around terms like 'mandrel,' 'scrim,' 'pre-preg,' 'resin,' and 'modulus?' Here's a quick overview of the basic techniques used in the manufacture of a modern carbon graphite fly rod. (Bamboo rod-building techniques require a book unto themselves.) To better explain how various materials and manufacturing...