Chris Clemes Fly Rods

Chris Clemes Fly Rods is a small English maker of handmade split cane (bamboo) fly rods. The company was founded in 2009 by Chris Clemes, who grew up in Cape Town fishing the mountain streams of the Western Cape and later worked for Orvis on Dover Street in Mayfair, London, before setting up his own rod-making business. The brand has been hand-building rods in England since 2012, with a small team of specialist rod makers carrying more than fifty years of combined rod-building experience. The company is built on the principle that a fly rod should be made to be fished, not admired behind glass. Every rod is hand-built in the English workshop from aged Tonkin bamboo, following the traditional hexagonal split cane construction. Chris Clemes works directly with each customer to understand their fishing, their rivers and their requirements, and helps design a rod that is genuinely their own. Where possible, personal casting demonstrations are offered through stockists before a commission is placed. Chris Clemes Fly Rods offers two ways to own a rod: customers can commission a custom rod to specification, with a lead time of approximately one to three months, or buy a stock rod from a retail partner. The price is the same either way. Every custom rod order, whether placed directly or through Farlows, includes a free handmade leather rod tube and a personalised inscription. Unlike most contemporary English split cane makers, customers can walk out of a stockist with a Chris Clemes rod the same day. The brand is stocked at Farlows, 9 Pall Mall, London, and is the proud maker of the Farlows 175th Anniversary Split Cane Fly Rod. In South Africa, rods are available through Stream & Sea in Paarl and Hand Made Life in Franschhoek. Chris Clemes divides his time between the UK workshop and South Africa, and fishes the English chalkstreams — the Wiltshire Avon, the Kennet and the Lambourne — as well as the Zambezi and the mountain streams of the Western Cape. As a small, specialist maker, Chris Clemes Fly Rods occupies a niche within the traditional angling market, appealing to anglers who value craftsmanship, heritage and the distinctive casting feel of split cane. The brand positions itself within the English split cane tradition while remaining accessible through same-day stock purchases.

Chris Clemes Fly Rods was founded in 2009 by Chris Clemes, an angler who grew up in Cape Town, South Africa, fishing the mountain streams of the Western Cape throughout school and university. After moving to the United Kingdom, Clemes worked for Orvis on Dover Street in Mayfair, London, for two years, gaining retail and product experience in the fly fishing trade before establishing his own rod-making company. The business was built on a simple principle: that a fly rod should be made to be fished, not admired behind glass. Chris Clemes spent years testing blanks and tapers, working with some of the most experienced rod builders in the United Kingdom — including one with over 40 years of split cane experience — to develop each model to the standard he was looking for. The brand has been hand-building rods in England since 2012, by a small team of specialist rod makers carrying more than fifty years of combined rod-building experience between them. Every commission begins with a conversation. Chris speaks directly with each customer to understand their fishing, their rivers and their requirements, and helps them design a rod that is genuinely their own. Where possible he offers personal casting demonstrations through the brand's stockists before a commission is placed. As he puts it, it makes a huge difference to be able to talk clients through the various rod uses, actions, styles and finishes. Chris Clemes Fly Rods offers two routes to ownership: a custom commission to specification, with a lead time of approximately one to three months, or a stock rod purchased from a retail partner. The price is the same either way. Every custom rod order, whether placed directly or through Farlows, includes a free handmade leather rod tube and a personalised inscription. Unlike most contemporary English split cane makers, customers can walk out of one of the brand's stockists with a Chris Clemes Fly Rods rod the same day. The brand is stocked at Farlows, 9 Pall Mall, London, and is the proud maker of the Farlows 175th Anniversary Split Cane Fly Rod. In South Africa, rods are available through Stream & Sea in Paarl and Hand Made Life in Franschhoek. Chris Clemes divides his time between the UK workshop and South Africa, where he also fishes. He fishes the English chalkstreams — the Wiltshire Avon, the Kennet and the Lambourne — as well as the Zambezi and the mountain streams of the Western Cape.

• 2012

  The brand began hand-building rods in England.

• 2009

  Chris Clemes founded Chris Clemes Fly Rods after working for Orvis on Dover Street in Mayfair, London.

Traditional English handmade split cane fly rods, built to be fished rather than displayed, with direct customer collaboration and same-day stock availability.

• Custom split cane fly rods

  Hand-built to specification from aged Tonkin bamboo, with a lead time of approximately 1-3 months. Includes a free handmade leather rod tube and personalised inscription.

• Stock split cane fly rods

  Available for same-day purchase from retail partners at the same price as a custom commission.

• Farlows 175th Anniversary Split Cane Fly Rod

  A commemorative split cane fly rod made by Chris Clemes Fly Rods for Farlows.

1. 1Bamboo & Split Cane Fly Rods by Chris Clemes | Handmade in Englandchrisclemes.com
2. 2About Chris Clemes | Bamboo Fly Rod Maker | 30+ Years Handmaking Split Canechrisclemes.com
3. 3Chris Clemes Fly Rods - Wikidatawikidata.org