Weymouth rod tapers selected for my signature series have been developed from my time tested tapers, stress analyzed heavily fished to achieve the rod actions I sought.
All rods are hand-crafted in my workshop in Wisconsin by me personally. In making my signature series rods I hand split and hand plane blanks from aged Tonkin Bamboo cane imported from the area where it has been harvested for rod making from since the turn of the last century; the Guangdong Province in China. The resulting strips are straightened and the nodes pressed. My strips are heat treated to temper the cane.
Depending on the buyer's preference to the overall look, the cane is left naturally straw blonde, roasted to a rich coffee hue or finished to a rich chocolate browntone.
Strips are hand planed to their final dimensions with exacting precision to the 1000's of an inch required for the taper chosen. An extra step is taken on larger Steelhead, Salmon and Spey style rods to hollow the sections, thus reducing the weight of a larger rod. Great care is taken to preserve all of the power fibers.
In order to better control my quality, I machine my own ferrules. An additional step not taken by many rod makers is to hone and polish the internal barrel of the female and external slide of the male. This makes the ferrule fit very precise and prevents galling.
Reel seats on trout rods are high quality 18% nickel silver Cap and ring style with a beautiful burled reel filler seat. On the larger rod series a high precision up or down screw-locking reel seat is used.
Hand selected Flor grade cork rings imported form Portugal are lathe turned to form the customer's choice of grip.
Hand wrapped in fine silk thread; single color tipping secures the hard chrome snakes, the Mildred style or Agate stripper guide and ferrules for an overall aesthetically pleasing look.
The final finish is 3 coats of hand dipped spar varnish to completely seal the rod and then hand rubbed to a soft pleasing finish.
All rods are signed with the maker's signature, model and serial number. In addition, the customer receives a certificate of authenticity detailing the rod's unique specifications. All rods come with WRW embroidered reinforced bag and a brass capped anodized aluminum tube as well.
At my shop, I do all I can to make a fly rod with uncompromising distinction and quality. However; it is up to you, the buyer, to catch the first fish with it thus bringing the rod to life! Please send pictures! Tight lines.