Saltwater Retrospective: Saltwater Fly Rods by Vladan Milenkovic

This is a small snippet of rods I built for saltwater flyfishing. Certainly very far from the complete list of my builds, but these are few of the creations I use and enjoy on daily basis. They are all a part of my current fly rod collection. Each rod has so many stories to tell...  

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Trout Glass Rods or "The Magnificent Seven"

My personal collection of currently used trout glass or hybrid glass/bamboo rods, L to R:

6'6" orange S-glass 3/4wt 3pc, quick dry fly
7'3" Paradox Hybrid phenolic glass/bamboo 4wt 2/2, parabolic
7'4" Unstructured Prototype E-glass 3/4wt 3pc, med-fast progressive
7'6" orange S-glass 4/5wt 3pc, quick dry fly and streamer
7'6" Unstructured "Old Empire" E-glass 3wt 4pc, semi-parabolic
8'1" Hybrid phenolic/S-glass 3wt 5pc, dry fly fast parabolic, regressive butt taper 
8'2" (250cm) Unstructured Prototype E-glass 4.5wt 4pc, dry fly progressive

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Off to Driftless...

For some testing of Paradox 734. Will pack a couple of more 4wt rods for comparison and change of pace. L to R: Paradox 734, Retrograph 904-4 and DF 250-4.5-4

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Gone Fishing!

I've just finished a rod for personal use. The blank is a Dry Fly taper prototype (250cm #4.5) based on my 8'3" #5. This one-off build features uplocking sliding band with tobacco fiberglass insert, ventilated Ritz grip and all titanium hardware. Guides are thin wire Recoils. I'll be fishing it on Driftless spring creeks later this week.

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Unstructured Fiberglass 2015 Rods

After a long wait, the 2015 blanks are here! I will offer a limited number of following models for this year:

8' 4wt 4pc (watercress green glass) -  This is the same taper which started the Unstructured Glass series...a "do everything" spring creek rod. This year it is offered in translucent light green glass.

8'3" 5wt 4pc (white currant yellow glass) - When you need little more reach and little more power. An all around spring creek travelling fiberglass fly rod with a progressive taper in E-glass.

8'6" 8/9wt 4pc (seaweed green glass) - An allaround saltwater rod for travelling fiberglass flyrodder. Built on the edge of Atlantic Ocean, this rod has some serious saltwater karma embedded in its fibers. "Conquistador" taper will work well in both sight casting and blind casting situations, depending on the line choice. Dedicated warmwater anglers will also like this taper!

The prices for this year's models are $525 for trout rods and $599 for saltwater rods. Insured US shipping is included in the price.

I still have few 7'6" 3wt 4pc "Old Empire" blanks available. Semiparabolic taper in red glass, very similar in feel to a light Perfectionist taper. Limited builds are still available for $499, US shipping included.

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"Old Empire" Fiberglass 7'6" 3wt 4 Piece Fly Rod

Unstructured Fiberglass series continues with these new "Old Empire" red blanks... This is the first build, with more to follow.

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Work in Progress





It is hard to maintain the rod building momentum during the summer, while the fishing season is at its peak. This rod is drying in between coats. I will be fishing the Driftless area in a few days and I am looking forward to it!

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Unstructured Glass Fly Rod #0714 and Other Odds and Ends

Another whitecurrant yellow 8' 4wt is completed and ready to be shipped to its new owner.

On a side note, I've been also fiddling with the new 8' 5wt version, which might also work as a strong tipped 4wt. The prototype is in melon orange glass and needs to be tested soon. Also, I just finished a graphite two-hander for overhead casting for striped bass :-)

 Prototype 8' 5wt glass and graphite two hander surf rod.

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Unstructured Glass in Croatia and New Blanks

I just wrote about my trip to Croatia and Serbia in my other blog, so check out the photos if you have a chance. The 8' 4wt glass proved itself in some demanding conditions, even though the powerful Gacka River usually demands a heavier rod. The other news is that my new 7'6" #3 blanks are here! Each new batch of blanks will be in different color, and you can see the picture of blanks taken under the bright sunlight below. Under average light they appear more burgundy/dark red. In comparison to 8' 4wt model, the 3wt taper is slightly more semi-parabolic than progressive. I must say that I am very pleased with this particular taper...it is very easy to cast. Also, the 9' 9wt and 9' 10wt prototypes are here. They are powerful and impressive, so stay tuned for further information. If you are interested in 7'6" #3 4pc rod, feel free to contact me.

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Unstructured Fiberglass Fly Rod Series-Customer Feedback

I will be back from Europe in the second half of June and will continue with new offerings. I am also expecting my new 3wt blanks to arrive in late June, along with some heavyweight prototypes I'll be tweaking for saltwater fishing. In the meantime, here's some customer feedback about my Unstructured Glass 8' 4wt rods:

• Received the rod and fished it 3 of the last 4 evenings.  It casts beautifully, requires the least work of any rod I own. It's also probably the best roll casting rod I have. Everything about the rod matches my casting and fishing style. Sunday I used it on a very technical spring creek in central PA. The rod did everything I could have asked it to do and I managed a few nice browns during a sulphur hatch. The look and craftsmanship of the rod is even better than pictured.  Couldn't be happier with the rod, it's going to get plenty of use.  I will definitely be watching for the 3wt offering.  Thanks. 

• The rod arrived safely. I cast for a few minutes and must say that it definitely falls into the "very special" category.
  It's a refreshing change from the other contemporary glass I have purchased over the last 6 months. The rod immediately reminded me of why I fish with fiberglass.

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Wild Trout and 3wt

In anticipation of new 3wt blanks arriving soon, Dave Skok and I went yesterday to play around with some wild trout and the prototype 3wt. The prototype rod was a great perfomer in tight quarters, and new 7'6" 3wt blanks should come even more handy for backpacking into remote places. The place we fished wasn't too far from Boston, and has a population of native brook trout and wild browns. The fish were small but beautiful. We mostly fished buggers and nymphs, but caught quite a few on skittering caddis dries. There were sporadic Hendrickson, Small Brown Stone and Grannom hatches throughout the warmest part of the day.

 

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Ready to Wrap

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Blanks Are Here

The first small batch of translucent yellow blanks arrived today. I will offer only one rod model for now, an 8' #4 4pc. Some rod pictures will follow in a week.

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