Perfect Fly “Superb Five” Construction Quality

The Construction of the fly rod determines how efficiently it’s going to transfer the energy
from the arm of the person casting the rod to the fly. A fly rod that is constructed poorly
won’t transfer the energy efficiently. The tip of the rod often wobbles when the forward
stroke of the cast is completed. This wobbling tip of a rod causes the fly line to wobble, or
to unwind in a weak, inaccurate manner. This loss of energy also reduces the length and
the accuracy of the cast. The better the rod is constructed, the higher its efficiency in
transmitting energy. Highly efficient rods cast accurately at all distances.

Blank
The best fly rods are put together with great care but if you are to expect high quality,
premium performance, they should also be constructed using the best materials
available. Although the modulus of the fibers used isn’t everything, in general, the higher
the modulus of the graphite, the better the graphite. The graphite used in our “Perfect
Fly” Superb Five fly rod is high modulus carbon. This provides great strength at a
reduced weight. It also provides superior sensitivity.

The higher the modulus of the graphite, the lighter the rod for a given amount of
stiffness, but keep in mind it’s the exact methods used in the construction of the blank
that’s important. The amount of resin and additives used, and the exact process the
materials are combined in making the blank is critical. The lightness advantage is only
valuable if the rod is strong.

Recent research and development in the manner in which the materials in a fly rod blank
are put together has greatly improved the performance of graphite rods. The way a rod
forms a loop and the way the loop travels out for the rod is critically important in
obtaining distance and accuracy. Our fly rods transfers a great amount of energy with a
minimum amount of effort.

Reel Seat
The fly reel seat is REC’s Master Series Nickel Silver NSGX- DK (Diagonal Knurl) model.
The Uplocking design is REC’s top of the line reel seat. It has a skeleton barrel featuring
a trim band, decorative knurl butt cap, knurled nut, knurled slide band with fine trim lines,
and knurled fixed hood.

Reel Seat Spacer
The spacer is made of beautiful exotic stabilized Amboyna Burl wood. Amboyna is a  
marvelously luxurious burl from a tree commonly known as narra. It’s technically from the
Pterocarpus Indicus of the family Leguminosae. The wood varies in color from yellow to
golden brown but is mostly red. Each spacer is uniquely figured with numerous,
captivating swirls. It is the most expensive wood spacer offered by any of the fly reel seat
manufacturers.

Cork Handle
The REC cord fly rod handle has a western style grip and is constructed of high grade
“Flor” cork direct from Portugal. The “Flor” grade is the highest grade of cork.

Guides
The guides are REC’s Single foot RECOIL Guides, Black Pearl RSFXB Titanium guides.
RECOIL Guides are made from a special nickel titanium alloy with unique physical
properties. Regular rod guides are plated or use ceramic inserts to provide wear
resistance.  RECOIL guides are made from an extremely hard but flexible “Shape
Memory” alloy, which doesn’t require plating, cannot corrode in any environment, and
returns to its original shape after repeated deformations. The single foot guides help
reduce the overall weight of the fly rod because it reduces the epoxy wrapping to half of
that required for a double foot guide. The guides have three light coats of epoxy rather
than the typical factory single heavy coat. They are totally enclosed with the epoxy such
that water cannot get under the guides and such that all of the wrapping thread is
throughly covered and protected.

Striper guide:
The striper guides are Fuji’s new Concept Alconite guides, BLNAG – size 10j (10MM ring)
and size 12 (12MM ring)., Fuji BLNAG guides feature an Alconite ring and black stainless
steel frame. Alconite is a special form of ceramic that offers strength, light weight, and
durability. Alconite has 80% greater compression resistance and is 20% lighter than
aluminum oxide. Fuji’s diamond polishing give alconite a smoother finish than Hardloy.
When alconite is combined with Fuji’s New Concept lightweight frame, it results in a guide
up to 35% lighter and up to 50% stronger than ordinary guides.

Rod Tip:
The tip top guide is Snake Brand’s Black Nickel model.

Folding Hook Keeper:
The small hook keeper is Fuji’s folding hook keeper designed to prevent damage to dry
fly hackles and fold out of the way while you’re fishing.

Cloth Rod Sack:
Four Component Cloth Rod Sack by Landmark Component Company

Aluminum Rod Tube:
Sierra Black Aluminum Rod Tube with Gold Anodized Ends and Perfect Fly Logo by
Landmark Component Company, Loveland, Colorado.

Copyright James Marsh 2013

You see it all the time. A new “series” of fly rods, ranging from a 3 weight to a 9 weight. Okay,
but what does a 3 weight fly rod have in common with a 9 weight fly rod? The answer is “very
little”.

They could use the same brand of guides but I would hope they would be different sizes.
They could each have cork handles, but again, I would hope they would be different sizes.
They could use the same brand of reel seat but again, I would hope there would be size
differences. They could use the same taper but how could a 9 weight fly rod and a 3
weight fly rod with the same taper both cast well?

The lengths of the fly rods vary, so that wouldn’t be similar. The ferrules could be the same
type but again, they would have to be different sizes. The action could be called the same,
but would that really be true if they were different sizes and lengths? Remember, there isn’t
any criteria that is standard for the action of a rod. It is easy to say they have the same action
but would it necessarily be a fact?

We’ve got it. They could be the same color. That is it! They are the same color! That’s what
makes a “series” of fly rods.


Are all of the fly rods in a series of fly rods designed and built to perform equally or the
same?

No, that’s impossible. Each individual rod of any given length, weight classification, number of
sections, etc., would have to be individually designed and manufactured differently in order
for them to perform a well as possible. Not all the rods in a series of fly rods perform as well
as they could if they were individually designed and built. We have found that when you
determine the best performing fly rod in a series of fly rods, you won’t usually find another
one that equals its performance. Most of the rods fail to come up to the performance of the
best rod in the series.


That said, then why do manufacturers come out with series of fly rods instead of just a
new fly rod?

Like most any product, much of the fly rod manufacturers cost is marketing their new product.
New art work has to be done. New ads have to be developed for magazines. New pages have
to be created for their websites. Pricing and other information has to be sent out to all the
dealers. Press releases have to be sent out to the media. In most cases, 4 color brochures
have to be designed and printed.

When this can all be done for a “series” of fly rods, the cost per rod goes down drastically. It’s
much more economical to advertise a “series” of several different fly rods than a single fly rod.


That said, then why didn’t “Perfect Fly” come out with a series of fly rods instead of one
fly rod?

The answer is one simple but very important reason. We put performance and quality before
savings in our marketing cost. We wanted every rod we manufacturer to be individually
designed to perform at its best.

Copyright James Marsh 2013

The fly rod is the angler’s primary tool. Other than the fly, it’s the most important part of your
fly fishing outfit. To become a master at fly fishing, it’s essential that you maximize your
performance casting and presenting the fly. Other than your own skills and ability, the fly rod
plays the most important role in accomplishing that.

There are three things the rod must do well in order to be a good fly rod. It must cast, set the
hook and fight the fish. At the same time, it should do each of these three things in a manner
that provides the highest degree of pleasure to the angler.

Fly Rod Size (Line Weight Size)
Some anglers think the size of the fly rod should be determined solely by the size of the fish
you plan on catching. While it’s generally true that both the weight of a fly line and size of the
fly rod should be proportionate to the size of the fish you’re after, more importantly, it must be
able to cast the size and type of flies you need to use to catch the fish you are after. If you
are fishing for small fish, the best fly line size is most likely the one that allows you to present
small flies accurately. If you are after large fish, you may need a heavier fly line to turn over
larger flies on long cast, even in windy conditions. Once you determine the species and size
of fish you want to be able to catch, you should determine the size and type of flies you need
to use. When that’s done, the next step should be to choose the size of fly line that best
presents those flies. Finally, you should choose the rod that best cast that particular size fly
line.

To summarize, the size of the rod is determined by the size of the line that’s required to
properly cast the correct size of the fly necessary for the fish you pursue.  

By the way, the most versatile fly line for freshwater fishing is a five weight. It will cast a large
variety of flies that are commonly used for the majority of the species of freshwater fish.
That’s why we chose to manufacturer five weight rods prior to other sizes.

Fly Rod Length
The type of fishing and the type of water determines the best fly rod length. In the case of
small streams, anglers tend to disagree. Many contend that since small streams usually
means tighter casting situations shorter fly rods are better. Others will quickly tell you that a
long rod can offer some big advantages on a small stream. It will reach farther, control the
line better and make better roll cast. The shorter rods are more manageable, but they won’t
perform as well, even in small streams.

When it comes to fishing big Western rivers or saltwater, there isn’t much question about the
length. You need a longer rod. It will increase your casting distance. Steelhead and salmon
anglers prefer longer rods where roll cast and large mends are easier to make.

The best all around fly rod length for the great majority of fly fishing needs is nine-foot. It’s
not only the most popular selling length of fly rods, it’s the most versatile length. Generally
speaking, a nine-foot rod is ideal for the vast majority of fishing situations.

Fly Rod Action
The action of a fly rod is determined by where the rod flexes. A “slow action” rod flexes near
the butt of the fly rod. A fast action rod flexes near the tip. A “medium action” rod flexes  
somewhere in between the fast and the slow action rods, usually near the middle of the fly
rod. There isn’t any set standard manufacturers use.

The action of a fly rod determines how well the rod will generate line speed. Line speed
determines how quick the loop travels away from the rod tip. A fast action rod requires less
effort to cast farther than a medium or slow action rod. It also cast more accurately.  

Many think beginners should start out with a lower priced fly rod. That’s can be a big mistake.
There isn’t any sense in anyone learning to cast a poor performing rod. Some anglers will tell
you that you should start with a slow action where you can feel the line better; however, in
most cases it’s much easier for a beginner to cast farther and more accurately with a fast
action fly rod.

Number of Fly Rod Sections
If it was convenient to carry around and stow a one piece fly rod, rods wouldn’t need to come
in sections. Two piece fly rods are convenient to carry around in most large vehicles but are
not so easy to carry on long hikes or on the airlines. We chose to make our first fly rods in
four pieces simply because they would work well under any of these conditions. It cost a little
more to make more sections and it takes a few more seconds to assemble, but you can use
the four piece fly rod anywhere you want to fish and however you need to travel to get there.

Copyright James Marsh 2013

When we formed the “Perfect Fly” Company, we did so with a business model that provided
for manufacturing everything the fly angler needs from head to toe, and from the butt of the fly
rod to the flies on the end of the tippet. We didn’t want our first fly rod to be something to just
get us started. Quite the opposite of that, we wanted it to be as good or better than any fly rod
being manufactured by anyone. We must admit that turned out to be a much bigger challenge
and far more involved than we originally contemplated, but we are positive the results turned
out to be worth all the time and effort it took. That’s why were are almost two years later than
first anticipated in coming out with the first fly rod.

You cannot produce a top of the line fly rod if you are overly concerned about the cost
of manufacturing it.

Cost is always a factor with just about anything, but if you are concerned about quality,the
cost of manufacturing the rod cannot be the main controlling factor. This is the exact problem
most fly rod manufacturers have. It’s also why they always come out with a “series” of fly rods
instead of just one fly rod that’s best for its intended purpose. We will explain this later.

We are concerned about the cost but not near as much as we are concerned about the
quality of our fly rods. We used this same philosophy with our flies and the slight increase in
cost and the resulting final price of some of our Perfect Flies has proven to be well worth it to
our customers. If we sold them through the normal rep, distributor, fly shop channels, and
didn’t offer them directly to the customer, they would be far more expensive. So would our fly
rods and other product.  

I guess you could call this re-defining the high-end fly rod market but it’s really just a matter of
taking advantage of the latest technology to produce the highest performing fly rod possible.

It was our intention from the beginning to make our flies, gear and equipment directly
available to the consumer.
Most fly rods and other fly fishing manufacturers products are sold through reps or factory
sales representatives. Much of the same product is handled through distributors. Both the
reps and distributors add to the final cost of the product because they both must make a
profit. After the manufacturer, rep, distributor and retailer (fly shop) all make a profit, it greatly
increases the final retail price the customer has to pay for a product.

We’re certainly not the first to sell fly fishing product directly to the consumer. Companies like
Orvis have been doing that for some time now but they still have to maintain a certain retail
price level to maintain their non-company owned Orvis dealers. Perfect Fly doesn’t have any
obligations to anyone other than our customers. We don’t have the expense of maintaining
retail outlet stores. We can sell product directly to the customer at the lowest possible
price.

Brick and Mortar Stores
“Mom and Pop” fly shops served their purpose well during the era customers had to go to the
shop to purchase their fly fishing gear. However, times have changed. In order to compete in
today’s market place, fly shops are increasingly having to rely on online sales.  The same
thing is true of the so called large “Box Stores”. They rely heavily on online sales. However,
the cost of the building space and the overhead cost of operating a brick and mortar store
adds greatly to the price of the fly fishing products they sell. Times are rapidly changing
and online stores provide the best deals.

Copyright James Marsh 2013

The size of a fly rod doesn’t mean its length. It refers to the weight of the fly line it is
designed to cast. Now, it’s true that some fly rods will cast more than one line size, some
as many as two or three; however, in those cases they will cast one certain line size
better than the others.

I have already emphasized that a fly rod should be designed and built to cast a fly line of
a certain weight range. This means that the length, taper, stiffness and flexibility of a fly
rod should be such that it cast a particular fly line size easily and efficiently. Generally
speaking, the shorter the cast, the more one could get by casting more than one line
weight.

As I have already said, wind will affect the cast and this is especially true when you are
using a rod that is not designed for the size line that you are attempting to cast. Fly rod
manufacturers usually mark their rods with the size line that the rod is made for on the
butt plate or butt section of he rod.

Some anglers prefer to use a larger fly line than the rod is designed to cast. This usually
is because they are not very good at casting but not always. If a rod is casting a fly line
on the heavy side, it does give the person casting the rod a different feeling when the rod
loads. Heavier fly lines are easier to feel but that doesn’t mean it is casting any better
than it would if it was using the right size fly line. Some rods need a heavier line than that
stated on the blank. In this case, it’s usually a very low quality rods whereas the
manufacturer either doesn’t really know or care. Manufacturers that make quality rods
usually have the right size lines listed for the rods.

There’s also a big difference in the way a one weight fly rod and a twelve weight fly rod
cast. Of course, the rod, reel and fly line is much heavier on the large fly rod sizes and
take a little more power to cast than rods intended to cast light fly lines.

Copyright James Marsh 2013

In the early days before the 1940’s, most fly rods were made of bamboo. There are those
who still use and prefer, I might add, bamboo rods this day in time. Fiberglass rods
gradually replaced the bamboo rods and to some extent, are still in use today, but more
modern day space age materials like graphite is the choice material of the new
millennium.

Graphite is lighter and stronger than fiberglass and in larger, longer rods, this fact makes
the big difference that leads anglers to prefer graphite over fiberglass some years ago.
Graphite fly rods really excel when they are used to cast heavy lines long distances. The
elasticity, or the measure of the ability of the rod to return to a normal straight position
from a bent or curved position, is greater than that of bamboo or fiberglass.

You will hear the term “modulus” used in connection with graphite rods. Modulus refers to
the stiffness to weight ratio of the graphite fibers that run the length of the rod. Some
believe that the higher the modulus the better the rod. This is not necessarily true. The
performance of a rod is affected by fiber strength, resin toughness, the amount of fiber
used, amount of resin used and scrim as well as the modulus of the graphite. There are
other things to be considered in addition to the modulus number. There’s much more to
the quality of a rod than the modulus. Exactly how the graphite fiber materials are wound
around the mandrel when the blanks are manufactured is a big factor. Certain
construction methods result in stronger and lighter fly rod blanks.

There are other materials used in the construction of fly rods by some manufacturers,
such as boron and titanium. Both of these materials are sometimes used in conjunction
with graphite. Recently, some rod manufacturers have returned to using fiberglass for
certain types of rods.

No one knows what future innovations will bring as fly rod manufacturers continue to
produce rods made from other types of materials. As of this date in time, however, it’s
arguable as to whether or not, materials such as boron or titanium are of added valve or
superior to the standard graphite rod.

Copyright James Marsh 2013

I’m sure that you have noticed that fly rods are generally longer than other types of
fishing rods. This is because the shorter the fly rod, the less efficiently you can cast. It’s
the length and arch of the rod during a cast that propels the line. However, the longer the
rod the more it weights, and the more difficult it is to cast around trees and other
obstructions.

Most fly rods range from seven to nine feet in length although the two handed “spey” rod
may be fourteen feet or even longer. Short rods are more manageable on small streams
where bushes or tree limbs are involved. Conversely, longer rods have advantages in
open water areas, during winds and whenever long cast are desired or required.

Long rods are useful when fishing areas of heavy vegetation where a longer rod can be
of help in keeping your line free. In a situation like this one you may just think the length
of the rod is of critical importance.

Most anglers prefer to use a shorter rod in smaller streams and tight spots. Some
disagree and still prefer a longer rod claiming it gives them better control over the line in
tight spaces.

Use longer rods where extra distance in the cast is required. Everything else being equal,
longer rods will cast farther than shorter ones.

Line mending is easier with al long rod because you are able to hold more line out of the
water. A longer rod allows you to pick up more line off the water and swing it around in a
larger loop configuration.

One popular nymph fishing technique is called high-stickin. Longer fly rods are much
better than short ones for high-stickin because you can keep more line off the water and
fish further away from your position.

Spey rods are much longer than regular single-handed fly rods. There are both single
handed and two-handed Spey rods. They range in lengths of up to fourteen feet and
longer. The extra length offers both an advantage and is necessary for making the basic
Spey cast.

Copyright James Marsh 2012

The action of a rod is a description of the flex in the rod when it is bending. Actions are
usually described as fast, medium or slow, and other increments, such as medium fast,
medium slow, etc.

Rods that flex near the tip are referred to as “fast” action rods where as rods that bend
or flex uniformly throughout most of the rod’s length are referred to as “slow” action rods.
Unfortunately, there are no standard rules to follow when it comes to a manufacturer’s
description of action.

There are some variations in the terms used to describe action from one manufacturer to
another. For example, one manufacturer uses “tip flex” action for fast tip actions, “mid
flex” action for actions between fast and slow actions, and “full flex” for slow actions.  

In other words, the action of a fly rod refers to where the rod flexes. Action will determine
the tempo of one’s casting stroke. Fast action rods generate more line speed..In general,
it takes a little less effort to cast farther with a fast action rod.

Fast to moderately fast rod actions allow you to throw tighter loops with less wind
resistance and greater distances. They are used for many saltwater applications as well
as big river applications. These rods are preferred by many for nymph fishing and
casting streamers. They generally require quicker, shorter fly casting strokes than other
actions.

Moderate to slow action rods provide a smoother, softer action and make it easier to
make the roll and mend cast. They are a little easier to cast than a fast action. Many
anglers prefer this action for fishing dry flies. It is used for a wide range of fishing
applications.

Slow action rods are also more forgiving and cover up casting errors better than fast
action rods. It’s also easier to feel the rod loading. Some angler think a slow action is
better for close-in accuracy. Slow actions help protect light tippets. It is typical of older
rod actions, whereas fast actions are relatively new.

the fly rod action you want in a fly rod depends on the species of fish you will be fly
fishing for and where you will be fly fishing. If you intend to fish for big trout on a big river
then a fast action may be the thing. If you plan on fly fishing a spring creek then you may
prefer a medium or slow action fly rod.

Copyright James Marsh 2013

The tippet is the final deceptive component in the overall fly-fishing system and of
course, is what the fly is tied to. You probably can’t even see it in this shot. It is also the
weakest link in the overall system.

Smaller size leaders are designated by their length and the tippet size number, which
is designated by a “X” that identify the size and breaking strength of the tippet. The larger
the number immediately preceded by  “X” the smaller the diameter and lower the
breaking strength of the tippet. Larger size leaders do not use the “X” system to
designate size. They are identified as being extra light, light, medium, heavy or extra
heavy and may also be designated by the diameter of the tippet. If the tippet size is larger
than the zero ”X” size designation, they are referred to by length and tippet size
designated as the tested breaking strength. For instance, a designation of a tippet may
be, a nine, foot leader with a .015-inch diameter tippet, or nine-foot leader with a
breaking strength of ten pounds.

The larger the tippet, the more difficult it is to make the fly look and act natural. So
from the standpoint of the presentation the tippet should be as small in diameter as
possible. However, since the tippet is also the weakest link between the angler and the
fish a balance of choices must be made between the quality of presentation of the fly and
the risk of a fish breaking the tippet.  

Tippets are usually made of nylon monofilament. Fluorocarbon tippets are popular
because they are less visible to the fish than monofilament tippets and have higher wet
knot strength. There is also what is called “bite” tippets, which are made heavy for a short
length in order to protect the leader from the sharp teeth of some species such as the
northern pike. These are usually made from single-strand wire, heavy monofilament,
nylon coated wire, fluorocarbon and other heavier material. Bite tippets, sometimes just
referred to as bite leaders, are not the weakest link between the angler and the fish.

The larger the fly, the larger the size tippet you can use without it adversely affecting
the presentation of the fly. For example, this larger size streamer fly can be effectively
presented on a much larger size tippet than this very small dry fly. Ideally, you would use
a very small, light tippet for the dry fly – as small as possible without it compromising your
ability to successfully fight and land the fish. Most anglers would much rather take their
chances fighting a fish on light tackle than to fish heavier tackle knowing that their
chances of getting a strike are little or none.

The length of the tippet is, of course, reduced each time you tie on a fly. At some
point, the reduction in tippet length will began to adversely affect the presentation of your
fly. For this reason, it is smart to tie on a new tippet of the proper length or change to a
new leader altogether any time the tippet becomes too short.

Long tippets are more so affected by wind than shorter ones. In fact, wind can easily
form an overhand knot in the tippet during a cast. This effectively reduces the breaking
strength of the tippet as well as the presentation of the fly. As a rule of thumb, you should
always use the smallest size leader and tippet that you can get away with.

Copyright James Marsh 2013

The leader serves two important purposes. One, it conceals the fly line and two, it
serves in the delicacy of the presentation. The fly must look and move about freely
as if it were unattached.

Just as your rod and fly line is tapered, so is your leader. Most anglers use factory
made knotless tapered leaders that are gradually and uniformly tapered
throughout their length. Knotted, leaders are made by anglers. They have a large
diameter butt section that quickly tapers down to a level tippet to best suit specific
fishing applications. Knotless and knotted leaders each have their advantages and
disadvantages.

Knotted leaders tend to cast better and present the fly in a more delicate manner
that the factory made knotless leaders because they are not uniformly tapered
from the butt section to the tippet. Made properly, the longer, larger butt section of
a knotted leader and quicker taper are easier to cast in such a manner as to
completely straighten the leader. This is especially true if there is much wind.
Longer, lighter knotless lines are more difficult to cast in such a manner as to
completely straighten the entire length of the leader. The down side of a knotted
leader is the time required to make the leader and the fact that the knots tend to
catch debris and vegetation in the water more so than the knotless leaders.

Certainly you can get by in almost any fly fishing situation using factory made
knotless leaders; however, the more you refine the leader size, length and taper to
accomplish its purpose in certain types of water, current and wind conditions, as
well as the type of fly presentation needed for a particular specie of fish, the more
you increase your odds of success.

Some manufacturers has specialty leader that are designated by fish species such
as this “bass” leader that is designed to roll over larger flies and take the abuse of
snags that it normally is fished around when one is fishing for bass.

Similar to fly lines, factory made leaders come in a variety of densities, such as
floating, intermediate, slow sink, fast sink and extra super fast sink.    

Some manufactured leaders as well as those rigged by anglers have a section of
the leader that easily stretches called a shock leader. This helps protect the leader
from the sudden surges or strikes of fish.

The choice depends upon the type of fly that you are using, the specie of fish that
you are after and other specific conditions that you may encounter.

Copyright James Marsh 2013