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Introducing The
HUNT PATTERN FLY ROD
HISTORICALLY INSPIRED, PRECISION CRAFTED
Named after famed salmon angler Richard Hunt, the Hunt Pattern legacy reaches back to the 1920’s, when its namesake approached the Leonard Rod Company asking for a model darker than the traditional blonde cane. Leonard responded by staining Mr. Hunt’s fly rod to a dark, rich mahogany and oxidizing the ferrules – a look that would go on to become one of the company’s most popular in the prewar years. Decades later, under the leadership of Tom Maxwell, Leonard would reprise the Hunt Pattern model, this time by flaming the bamboo in the culm to produce the trademark color. My own Hunt Pattern is a more contemporary variation of the Leonard classic. Though cut on the same Leonard beveler, I have improved and modernized the tapers over the years to bring them more in line with the needs of modern anglers. The Hunt Pattern comes with a dark cherry root burl spacer and red wraps, and boasts a slightly faster action than my other models on account of the flaming and heat-treating process. From small spring creeks to big Western freestones, this model has long been a favorite of discriminating anglers.
STANDARD FEATURES
Our Hunt Pattern rods come with a set of standard features which give them their distinct look and feel. That said, part of what makes a bamboo fly rod special is the ability to tailor it to the bespoke needs of the individual angler. Since we make everything here in our shop we often work with customers to get their Hunt Pattern "just right". If you have a question about a particular feature please don't hesitate to let us know. Standard features are described below.
Current Prices for Hunt Pattern Rods are as follows:
2-Piece: $4050
3-Piece: $4200
Premium Flamed Bamboo
All Hunt Pattern fly rods are made of heat treated bamboo which gives them their characteristic color. This time-tested process is more than cosmetic however, it also gives the Hunt Patterns a slightly crisper action.
"May Rose" / Olive Wraps
Hunt Patterns are typically wrapped in "may rose" or olive silk wraps. These are carefully applied with premium silk and carefully varnished.
Cigar Cork Grip
Hunt Patterns have a standard cigar grip, fashioned in either slim, medium, or blunt profiles. The cork that goes into these grips is of the utmost quality - only a few corks out of every hundred is high enough quality to make it into our grips.
Bench-Made Swiss Ferrules
All Hunt Patterns come with our bench-made, swiss-style ferrules which are painstakingly crafted in our shop. They provide a precision fit that will give you years of trouble-free use.
Bench-Made Black Oxidized Hardware
All hardware is custom-built in our shop and oxidized to reduce flashing. We make all hardware on a precision Hardinge lathe that allows for fine metal work and precision fittings.
Antique Steel Guides
Guides on Hunt Patterns are made from antique, high speed steel guides. They're not only incredibly well made, but provide for smooth casting and excellent durability.
Dark Cherry Root Burl Reel Seat
Standard on Hunt Pattern rods is a reel seat spacer made from darky cherry root burl. The dark wood is durable, nicely patterned, and compliments the Hunt's darker cane.
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
Over the years, many of our customers have wanted to include that extra special touch with their fly rod, and these are a few that have been frequently requested over the years. Though they cost a little more due to the extra materials and labor involved, many people find that these give their rod that signature bespoke look. Many of these are inspired by features found on historically significant rods and the remarkable craftsmanship that was required to build them. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to be in touch.
Signature Wraps
$300
Signature wraps are a stylistic set of wraps incorporated just above the grip on the bottom of the butt section. They're a decorative, historically-inspired nod to the early rodmaking era.
Reel Seat Inlays
$150
We can also put nickel silver rails inlayed into the wooden reel seat spacer. This provides an elegant touch and helps the sliding band easily move up and down the shaft.
Antique Metal Seat
$150
We can also fashion rods with an all-metal nickel silver real seat in the style of early bamboo rods. These are bench-made pieces of hardware carefully crafted in our shop.
Pot-Belly Step Ferrules
$125
We first started offering these on our Spinoza models, but quickly fell in love with the style, inspired by Payne ferrules. We now offer them as "extras" on any model for customers who want them.
Pre-Embargo Bamboo
$250
We have a small supply of extremely high-quality cane that pre-dates the embargo on Chinese goods that was established from 1950-1971. It is very dense, with excellent power fibers.
Agate Stripping Guide
$50
For an extra touch we can add an agate stripping guide. It's a small detail but looks great on almost any rod.
Fighting Butt Extension
Contact us for pricing
For our salmon rods we offer these custom built fighting butt extensions. The extra leverage they provide can be incredibly helpful when you have a real fight on your hands. They fit neatly and quickly into the butt section with a ferrule and are just as easy to remove.
"Special" Designation
Hunt Pattern "Specials" are rods that have full intermediate wraps, a nod to the style frequently found in the early years of bamboo rodmaking. We offer this in Hunt Pattern rods for those who prefer it. Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.
Current Prices for Hunt Pattern Special rods are as follows:
Hunt Pattern Special 2-Piece: $4550
Hunt Pattern Special 3-Piece: $4700
TWO-PIECE MODELS
| Length | Weight | Action | Notes |
| 5' | #3 | Medium-Slow | Our "go-to" rod for smaller streams and private club waters; this little guy has proven itself over time, landing a 6lb Brown and several 8lb rainbows. |
| 6'6" | #3 | Medium | The most delicate light-action rod in our lineup. |
| 6'6" | #4 | Medium | The ideal rod for small stream enthusiasts who demand traditional moderate action without giving up the ability to deliver a dry-fly with precision |
| 7' | #4 | Medium | All two-piece rods from 6'6" #3 to 7'6" #4 feature steeper tips married to flatter butts to deliver a lighter, more delicate action while preserving accuracy and fly delivery |
| 7'6" | #4 | Medium | A superb all-around rod which can do virtually anything you ask of it |
| 7'6" | #5 | Medium-Fast | This rod was designed by Tom Maxwell and I -- we admired the casting qualities of a 7'6" Halstead and designed this model with it in mind |
THREE-PIECE MODELS
| Length | Weight | Action | Notes |
| 6' | #4 | Very Fast | Very fine tips; best suited for small drys, streamers, and nymphs; expert casters |
| 6'6" | #3 | Medium | Great small stream rod; flatter taper for more forgiving action; good for small drys, streamers, etc... |
| 6'6" | #4 | Medium-Fast | Slightly faster rod for bigger water and heavier flies |
| 7' | #3 | Medium | A longer rod which excels at small stream presentations |
| 7' | #4 | Medium -Very Fast | Our workhorse rod; now available in two cuts - (1) our standard fast DF and (2) a newer medium cut with a sweet feel (we're expecting this to be a very popular action) |
| 7' | #5 | Medium | Like the workhorse #4 but with a bit more power; great when you need to reach out a little further or throw larger flies |
| 7'6" | #3 | Medium | Delicate longer rod great for late-season, more challenging water |
| 7'6" | #4 | Medium-Fast | One of our 3 best sellers; great all-around rod |
| 7'6" | #5 | Medium-Fast | Arguably our most popular model; fantastic all-around rod; fine tips allow tight loops with a great reservoir of power for distance casting. |
| 7'6" | #6 | Fast | We love to fish this rod on the Delaware with big flies like March Browns and Green Drakes |
| 8' | #4 | Medium-Fast | Very popular on the Delaware and Beaverkill; we fish spinners and other small flies all the way down to tricos; good at turning over very long leaders |
| 8' | #5 | Medium-Fast | Our standard "western" rod; great for bigger water |
| 8' | #6 | Medium | Similar to the 8' #5 but with a little extra power for big flies or windy days |
SALMON & STEELHEAD MODELS
| Length | Weight | Action | Notes |
| 6'9" | #7/8 | Fast | Our favorite rod for smaller waters in the Maritime Provinces; after three years of testing, this rod has landed Atlantic Salmon up to 18 lbs |
| 7'3" | #8/9 | Very Fast | Designed with late fall Maritime conditions in mind; will cast very large flies with as short a stroke as possible, making it perfect for very windy weather |
| 7'6" | #7/8 | Medium | Great all-around rod for medium to small pools; we've used this model for ages and it has landed hundreds of salmon including a 38-40 lb fish from Fraser pool on the Grand Cascapedia |
| 7'9" | #9/10 | Fast | Designed as a compliment to the 7'3" #8/9; for bigger pools where you may need to make longer casts or shift to a #10 line when the wind is howling |
| 8' | #8 | Medium-Medium Slow | A model that's more on the traditional side; for use on medium and smaller pools |
| 8'6" | #8/9 | Medium-Slow | A great caster; when delivered to a new customer, he peeled the line off the reel, made two false casts, and threw the entire line |
| 9' | #8/9 | Medium-Slow | A favorite of west-coast steelheaders |
Interested in a Hunt Pattern?
Rod availability is dependent on our production schedule, but please drop us a note and we'd be happy to discuss how to get you a Hunt Pattern rod. We can often give you an estimate on when a model might be ready, and occasionally(!) may know of a rod that is available or coming in on consignment.
-Marc & Junior