Having tried a friends ‘Emerger’ custom rod by Mike Mcfarland last year and being mightily impressed and not wanting to give it back I had to build my own, from that, I’m now excited to stock a few Mcfarland blanks both carbon and glass for those wanting to build on some of the finest blanks rolled in the USA.

Blanks stocked for now are the carbon Emerger and Tailwind models and the glass Spruce Creek in rod lengths and weights suitable for most British streams and rivers. More about the rods below.

EMERGER.

THE rod for the serious technical trout fisherman.

I roll the Emerger blanks with a blend of low and medium modulus graphite to produce an ultra-smooth casting rod with incredible line feel. These rods are reminiscent of some of the early graphite rods produced before the modulus race and casting pond hero phase took off, but with an advanced resin system and a unique material layup that reduces weight and enhances sensitivity. By continually tweaking designs over the past 15 years I’ve come up with series of rods that are the ultimate trout fishing tool in the hands of an experienced angler. The Emerger is light in the hand and quick loading, but with enough power to make pin point presentations at longer distances.

The Emerger uses the internal or spigot version of the McFarland Transition Ferrule and a classic unsnaded natural finish blank for a timeless old school look.

TAILWIND

The Tailwind features a highly refined fast recovering, yet deep flexing action that is unlike any other rod available. The Tailwind is remarkably light in the hand (71 grams for the 5wt), quick loading and powerful (loads at 10 feet but will throw 80 feet plus with ease) and has unmatched line feel. The Tailwind is such a revolutionary rod that when people first cast it they often say something like, “That’s a really nice medium action rod, but I need a faster action to build line speed and cast distance”. Then, as they stretch out more line, their faces light up as they feel the rod respond perfectly, continue to push line and build line speed, and easily make longer casts than they ever have before….AND WITH LESS EFFORT!

The key to the Tailwind’s revolutionary performance is a highly evolved graphite pre-preg coupled with a radical approach to taper design. Additionally, the McFarland Transition Ferrule System eliminates dead spots through the ferrules. The result is a combination of line feel, lightness, and line speed never before experienced. Since its debut a few years ago, the Tailwind has been an instant favorite of experienced guides and flyfishers worldwide.

SPRUCE CREEK

The Spruce Creek was the first McFarland glass rod produced. The Spruce Creek feels like a glass rod should feel. They are soft, smooth, and deep flexing with the perfect balance of power from tip to butt. The Spruce Creek is ideal for everything from swinging soft hackles to throwing streamers. I have so many Spruce Creek tapers that I’ve worked out over the years that the possibilities are almost endless. I try to keep a few of the popular sizes in stock, but most rods are made to order. Feel free to email me to discuss the ideal build for you. We will work together to design and build the rod of your dreams.