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Split Cane Fly Rod Review by Andrew Thornton

  • Writer: Chris Clemes
    Chris Clemes
  • Jul 29, 2016
  • 1 min read

"I recently had the good fortune to cast a four and a five weight Chris Clemes split cane fly rod. Immediately when you remove the rod from its tube it is obvious that nothing really compares to holding a handmade cane rod. The look, the smell even. Modern carbon rods can be fantastic tools but a handmade rod has a personality of its own, a uniqueness.

I cast the rods with silk lines which added to the traditional air. It almost seems inappropriate to use a modern line on a rod of this build. The quality of the finish is obvious with each custom rod being split, planed, straightened and finished by hand. The delicate eyes and guides set against the honey coloured blank made it a pleasure to hold the rod before even casting a line. I managed to cast short accurate lines and then strip some line off the reel to lay a whole line out in front of me so the rods appear to have power and beauty.

Personally when I am fishing a small chalkstream and want to complete the experience I can not think of a rod I would rather use."

Andrew Thornton AAPGAI

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Ready to fish a Chris Clemes rod?

Two ways to own one — same price either way:

Commission your own, built to your spec. Choose length, line weight, action, fittings, inscription. Lead time approximately 1-3 months — sooner if a suitable blank is already prepared, longer for a full bespoke build. Start your build →

→ Or buy a stock rod today. Best-selling Chris Clemes split cane and Sjambok S-Glass rods kept in stock at Farlows of Pall Mall (London), Stream & Sea (Paarl), and Hand Made Life (Franschhoek). View stockists →

Unlike most contemporary English split cane makers, you can walk out of one of our stockists with a Chris Clemes fly rod the same day.

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