I was cleaning out my junk email box today and came upon a mailing from a new (to me) fly rod manufacturing company called Seele Fly rods made in Bellwood, PA. I checked out their web page and they seem like a good company but no dealers on the West coast yet. Wondering if any of you have heard of, fished with or own one of these rods. Jim
I haven’t seen or cast the rods myself, but given that both Michael Mauri and Mike McFarland are associated with them, I suspect they’re quality rods.
I have cast one of the fiberglass rods (called Zeitlos) and it was real nice caster and beautifully finished. I can’t remember the price. I believe it is a relatively new company that is a collaboration between Mike McFarland (Pennsylvania rod maker) and Michael Mauri (does casting demos at the flyfishing shows in the midwest and east).
I read through that email as well and just from the information that is on their website, I really think that they may have hard time competing in the $800 dollar and up fly rod market. New company competing against the Winstons, Sages, Scotts etc… Wish them the best, but that is going to be a tough business to establish…unless of course they start giving some of the rods away to the celebreties that could sell ice cream to an eskimo…LOL