WFS 404 – Rod Building Supplies with Matt Draft at Proof Fly Fishing – Kits, Equipment and Tools
Show Notes: wetflyswing.com/404
Presented By: Stonefly Nets, Mavrk, Drifthook, Range Meal Bars
Sponsors: wetflyswing.com/sponsors
Matt Draft is back on the podcast with an update on what he has been up to and some more rod-building supplies and tips.
We find out how Matt built his business that doesn’t require any marketing. I also dig into some random questions that give us a feel for the how and why behind building a rod-building supplies business.
Rod Building Supplies Show Notes with Matt Draft
2:50 – We look back to our episode back in 2018 which was episode 85.
3:37 – Matt gives an update on Proof Fly Fishing. He says they added a new video series with the title How to Restore a Bamboo Fly Rod.
4:24 – He shares tips on restoring a bamboo rod and building one from scratch. More information on these can be found in the tutorials section on their Proof Fly Fishing website.
6:20 – I ask him how he figured out that restoring bamboo rods is the next step he wanted to take.
8:09 – He walks us through the steps of building your own rod. He recommends ordering or customizing a kit from their website and watching their video tutorials.
10:15 – He breaks down the parts of building your own rod.
12:47 – He talks about the blanks which have the largest cost among their rod-building supplies. One of his favorites is the Czech Nymph Blank.
13:09 – He gives the two defining characteristics of a true Czech blank.
13:33 – He talks about cork grips. He also shares some of their new stuff, the carbon fiber handles and EVA grip.
16:28 – We talk about other products from their website. One of these is the Gorilla Glue which is an unbelievable adhesive. They have a tutorial on using Gorilla Glue as a rod finish.
21:00 – We dig into the usual blocks that people encounter when they are just starting out in building their own rods.
22:27 – I mention the Gink and Gasoline series where I found Matt.
23:06 – He gives some tips for those who are looking to get an affordable bamboo rod.
25:43 – He shares about their specialized tutorials.
27:13 – He talks about the process of building rods.
29:27 – He takes us back to building his company.
32:06 – He tells his species of choice.
32:40 – He recommends The Classic Fly Rod Forum that people can dig into to learn more about rod building.
33:08 – I ask about his plans for the company.
35:09 – I mention our episode with Joe Jackson on deer hair bugs.
35:37 – He shares his gratitude to the rod-building community for being generous with information and materials when he was just starting out in the business.
41:01 – He talks about his goal for this year.
42:20 – He shares how he runs and promotes his business.
45:06 – We talk about what music he listens to while building rods. He mentions the Counting Crows.
Show Notes: wetflyswing.com/404
