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FH Paddock Fly Rods
Post 19 Jan 2010, 06:04 • #1 
Master Guide
Joined: 02/08/09
Posts: 850
Location: US-VA
As some of you know, I have been working on offering a new line of fiberglass fly rods. The prototypes have been evaluated and the production order of blanks will be shipping to me this week. The lineup will be; 7'0"-3/4-3pc., 7'6"-4/5-3pc., and a 8'0"-5/6-3pc. There is a 8'3"-6/7-3pc. that I will be evaluating ... if there is an interest in that model, it will be a part of the lineup. The blanks are sanded and painted "tobacco", they have tip over butt ferrules. They have a medium-slow action, I describe the action in relation to where the rod loads. They have a progressive feel that tracts well, is crisp in recovery, and has reserve power to play fish and cast further when called upon.
The rods will be appointeds builds; components, colors, and materials will be standard. The reel seats are made by Lemke Concepts to my design. The cork is the best I can reasonably attain, they are "cigar" shaped proportional to the rod model. The thread is "light cinnamon" silk with "goldenrod" silk tipping, they will be finished with rod epoxy. The winding checks are alumunim and the guides are chrome. Each rod is hand inscribed and will have serial numbers. I am the only person building these rods, they will be in limited numbers ... limited to the number I can personally build per year. The rods will come with a handmade rod bag and an alumunim rod tube. They will start a $475.00, shipping and insurance will be quoted.
The website will be up and running soon, I have to build the models and photograph them for the website. I hope to have this done very soon. I will post the information as soon as I can. The plan is to launch the website in the next couple weeks. There are several pre-orders already, but I hope to be able to build the rods in a very reasonable time.
I want to thank everyone who has helped me with their insight and opinions. It has been a great help for me. I look forward to building rods of distinction for all those who are interested. I hope to offer more models in the future, as well as a very limited number of presentation grade builds. Thank you for all your interest and the help that has been given to me along the way.
The best,
Fred Paddock

Here's a quick look of what is to come ... Image


Image



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FH Paddock Fly Rods
Post 19 Jan 2010, 08:06 • #2 
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Joined: 09/03/07
Posts: 2055
Location: Marble Falls, Texas
Very nice Fred, good to see it so close.


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FH Paddock Fly Rods
Post 19 Jan 2010, 08:19 • #3 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/16/05
Posts: 2537
Location: Georgia
Congratulations Fred. I wish you all the best with it. It should be very successful; those rods you brought with you in November were very, very nice.

Bob


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FH Paddock Fly Rods
Post 19 Jan 2010, 10:24 • #4 
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Joined: 05/18/06
Posts: 708
Location: Syracuse, NY
... Congrats and very best wishes! ... I look forward to seeing and "woggling" them ... Hey, what are my chances of test driving one before Cameron gets his mitts on one? ... Rumor has it he can't even cast! ... ;-)


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FH Paddock Fly Rods
Post 19 Jan 2010, 10:39 • #5 
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Joined: 12/06/05
Posts: 394
Location: US-TN
I've not been privileged to cast as many rods as some of y'all--I'm a fisherman, not a collector--but I will say that the 7' and 7'6" strike me as just great all-around, no-nonsense fishing tools. (As for cosmetics, I've not seen better cork on any rod.)

As for Cameron's casting skills, Upstream, while it is true perhaps that he took Gierach's "Standing in a Stream Waving a Stick" a little too literally, he can post a picture of a cutthroat that reaches to the stripper guide of a Japanese Fenwick and I can't. (Hate the game, not the playa I supose ... )


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FH Paddock Fly Rods
Post 19 Jan 2010, 10:47 • #6 
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Joined: 07/17/06
Posts: 5599
Location: South Carolina
bob4st wrote:
Hey, what are my chances of test driving one before Cameron gets his mitts on one? ... Rumor has it he can't even cast! ... ;-)
Bob and Jon ... the two of you made me chuckle while I sit here at my desk this afternoon. I am the self admitted fly casting hack ... but still seem to pick up a fish here and there.

Fred ... looking forward to seeing the website go live and the new blanks getting all wrapped up. I have enjoyed seeing your process step by step and really think you are on the right path with it all.


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FH Paddock Fly Rods
Post 19 Jan 2010, 10:50 • #7 
Master Guide
Joined: 02/08/09
Posts: 850
Location: US-VA
Thanks for the kind words guys ... I look forward to getting the rods out there.

bob4st- Cameron has already got "his mitts" on them, it was for a brief time at the Southeast glass gathering in November ... but I plan to get around a little and get the rods in the hands of others. They were the "protoypes", same blanks, different components.

CreationBear- the cork is on those rods is cork that is rarely seen nowadays, but the cork quality is one of my "pet peaves", the rods will have great cork. Being a natural product, I can't promise the same quality as the prototypes, but the cork will be of very nice quality or it won't go on my rods. Here's the first few grips for the models and pre-orders ... Image


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FH Paddock Fly Rods
Post 19 Jan 2010, 11:32 • #8 
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Joined: 02/06/07
Posts: 1437
Location: US-VT
I would like to add that Fred offered several of these grips to the forum at bargain basement prices. I was surprised that they weren't scooped up in a nano-second. I bought one and it is as beautiful as the photos indicate. I should have bought two, but then I would have to buy another blank and so on. Best wishes to you Fred, you certainly have put your heart and soul into this endeavor. Rich


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FH Paddock Fly Rods
Post 19 Jan 2010, 11:43 • #9 
Master Guide
Joined: 02/08/09
Posts: 850
Location: US-VA

Rich- those grips came out nicely without fill, but they were my "rejects" for my own line of rods. I tried another cork source, but wasn't as happy with them in comparision to the sources that I've been working with. Still nice, adn yes, a great deal. -Fred



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FH Paddock Fly Rods
Post 19 Jan 2010, 14:25 • #10 
Master Guide
Joined: 08/29/09
Posts: 512
Location: 2 hrs from all good things Northern Californian
Best wishes on your undertaking Fred! I love that reel seat and the rest of your color scheme.
I don't suppose you are going to be out on the left coast for the show coming up next month. I sure would like to give a couple of those a wiggle. I also hope you don't get too busy to keep up with the goings-on of this forum, always enjoy what you have to offer. Cheers, Derrol


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FH Paddock Fly Rods
Post 19 Jan 2010, 15:16 • #11 
Master Guide
Joined: 02/08/09
Posts: 850
Location: US-VA
Thank you, Derrrol. I don't think I'll be out on the west coast, at least no plans right now. In time, I'll have a few demo (personal) rods that could get some traveling and sight seeing in. Will keep you posted. -Fred


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FH Paddock Fly Rods
Post 19 Jan 2010, 16:22 • #12 
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Joined: 08/03/09
Posts: 128
Location: Japan
Fred,
Congratulations! I wish you all the best!
From Japan


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FH Paddock Fly Rods
Post 19 Jan 2010, 16:40 • #13 
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Joined: 02/02/09
Posts: 1585
Location: People's Republic of Austin
I, for one, am very interested in an 8'3" 6/7. To me it fills a real hole in the market for tossing bigger flies in warm water. The vintage rods of this size and wt tend to need a weighty reel for balance and not every caster is comfortable with that all day. If it balances well with, say, a Martin MG-7 or a Hardy Princess than you are on to something. Good luck with your new venture.
Cheers, Pete


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FH Paddock Fly Rods
Post 19 Jan 2010, 16:57 • #14 
Master Guide
Joined: 02/08/09
Posts: 850
Location: US-VA
Kab-Thank you for the kind words and the insight along the way.

Pete- The 8'3"-6/7 will work nicely for streamers and warm water ... I have plans to put the rod to the test with some river carp, smallmouth, and streamers for trout before light. I'll post you posted on the progress of that design.


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FH Paddock Fly Rods
Post 22 Jan 2010, 07:34 • #15 
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Joined: 08/24/08
Posts: 312
Location: Malaysia
Hi Fred.. Congrats!
Your website not up yet ... ?
can't wait to have a peep what's in there ... Image


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FH Paddock Fly Rods
Post 22 Jan 2010, 08:58 • #16 
Master Guide
Joined: 02/08/09
Posts: 850
Location: US-VA
Fango - the website will be up soon ... with a lot of information to follow. - Fred


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FH Paddock Fly Rods
Post 28 Jan 2010, 10:39 • #17 
Master Guide
Joined: 02/08/09
Posts: 850
Location: US-VA
There will be another model in the lineup as well ... 8'0"-5wt. The blank will be chestnut brown with white spigot ferrules. This is the start of another series, they will be available as 2pc. and 3pc. rods. This taper will be a full flex action. The second series with start to become available within the next two months. I am working on a 3wt and 4wt, but they will be a different color all together ... materials for the 3wt and 4wt is being sourced. More to come ... -Fred


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FH Paddock Fly Rods
Post 28 Jan 2010, 12:05 • #18 
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Joined: 02/19/08
Posts: 1778
Location: Western Colorado
Hey, Fred, just curious, but are you a one man shop or do you have some people helping you with production?

And best wishes in your endeavor!


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FH Paddock Fly Rods
Post 28 Jan 2010, 12:31 • #19 
Global Moderator
Joined: 03/21/08
Posts: 1417
Location: SW Oklahoma

Come on Fred, quit teasing us and show some more pictures!Image

Doug



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FH Paddock Fly Rods
Post 28 Jan 2010, 13:33 • #20 
Master Guide
Joined: 02/08/09
Posts: 850
Location: US-VA
doc - I'm a one man show! Since I'm not very good at sewing, my wife will help me with the rod bags. Other than that, I'm the only one building my rods.

Doug - Pictures and the website are coming soon ...


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FH Paddock Fly Rods
Post 15 Feb 2010, 04:13 • #21 
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Joined: 09/22/09
Posts: 1494
Location: Sweden
Fred - will the 8'3"-6/7 be ready to order in the first batch?


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FH Paddock Fly Rods
Post 15 Feb 2010, 04:22 • #22 
Master Guide
Joined: 02/08/09
Posts: 850
Location: US-VA
Chris - I'll have the design blank in the mix, if it "makes the cut", I'll have 8'3"-6/7 (first series of rods) around the same time as the second series of rods. The second series will be a full flexing, slow action lineup for 3wt to 5wt.

I'll keep you posted on the progress of that model.


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FH Paddock Fly Rods
Post 16 Mar 2010, 01:31 • #23 
Master Guide
Joined: 02/08/09
Posts: 850
Location: US-VA
It's been a little slow of a start, but the first builds have been started and the rod tube labels are being finished at the print shop. The website should be up and running some time next week, after I insert some photographs of the buillds. I'll post some pictures here also ... soon.


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FH Paddock Fly Rods
Post 16 Mar 2010, 04:48 • #24 
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Joined: 09/29/06
Posts: 4413
Location: Willamette Valley, Oregon
best wishes for success and prosperity. You have passion and skill and those are wonderful together.

Paul


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FH Paddock Fly Rods
Post 16 Mar 2010, 16:55 • #25 
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Joined: 08/03/09
Posts: 128
Location: Japan
Fred,
I'm looking forward to start your website!


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