Thomas & Thomas 2018 Catalog by thomasandthomas3

THE T&T DIFFERENCE Craftsmen History Points of Distinction Technology

02 04 05 06

THE RODS

Freshwater Rods 08 Avantt Aeros Contact

Saltwater Rods

Exocett SS Predator Bluewater Surf

Two-Handed Rods

DNA Spey DNA Switch DNA TroutSpey

Glass Rods

Lotic

Bamboo Rods

Classic Individualist 1

Our History

Handcrafted in the USA since 1969. Thomas & Thomas is a company of deep history driven by a resolute mission: the relentless pursuit of innovation, superior quality and uncompromising performance in the creation of the world’s finest handcrafted fly rods. In making each graphite, fiberglass or bamboo piece, we look to our distinguished past while confidently refining rod technology. Established in 1969 by legendary rod builders Tom Dorsey and Tom Maxwell, the fundamental beliefs, values and singularity of purpose behind Thomas & Thomas were challenged through the decades but never abandoned. And, it is this fixed purpose which first attracted fly fishing enthusiast and entrepreneur Neville Orsmond to acquire the company in 2014. With master rod maker Tom Dorsey on board, a successful collaboration was forged and its shared purpose is evident today in the most recent portfolio of newly-designed Thomas & Thomas fly rods. These are fly rods of uncompromising beauty and performance – in your hand and on the water. 4

Thomas & Thomas Points of Distinction

A simple triangle, it’s said, is the strongest, most stable form in the natural world. Any force applied to one point is evenly spread throughout all three points. A cross-section of bamboo, as it turns out, reveals six perfectly nested triangles coming together in a hexagon. Just like our elegant and sturdy rods, our strength lies in 6 Points of Distinction. History: From our roots building bamboo fly rods to designing modern rods with the highest performance composites, T&T has spent more than 45 years handcrafting premium fly rods for passionate anglers. Made in USA: Every Thomas & Thomas fly rod is 100% American Made. Our rods are crafted where American fly angling holds its deepest roots. We believe in America, in American craftsmanship, innovation and quality. Technology and Innovation: Premium fibers and resins require precise equipment and controls to maximize performance. Working in our state-of-the-art production facility, T&T is excited to introduce rods featuring proprietary new StratoTherm Resin and Quattro Matrix Technology. Passion: Rod making isn’t a job. It’s a culture and way of life for our team. Our people are dedicated anglers as much as they are craftsmen, driven by a passion to develop the finest fly rods and to test and improve these products on the water. Customer Satisfaction: T&T doesn’t just build fly rods. We build relationships. T&T rods are built to last a lifetime, so we maintain a registry of original rod owners and serial number each rod section. If a rod suffers a mishap, T&T’s repair team will quickly build an identical new section. Conservation: Our passion for fly fishing springs from a love of the beauty, power and freedom embodied in wild fish, along with a deep respect for the environments in which they live. Preserving and protecting these fisheries is our responsibility and privilege as a leader in the industry, which is why we partner with many conservation organizations.

Quattro Matrix Technology Fibers: Advanced aerospace graphite fiber allows for the most efficient strength-to-weight ratio. The result is strong-but-light rod blanks with high energy recovery, accurate tracking and great dampening characteristics. Resin: Our new StratoTherm Resin system significantly improves the performance of our fly rods. Exceptional flow-out characteristics eliminate voids, achieving superior molecular bonding throughout the blank. Bi-Angular Fiber Technology2 (BAFT2): Our revolutionary Bi-angular Fiber Technology2 uses opposing, left and right rotational fibers to inhibit blank distortion and twisting under load. This balanced fiber alignment creates an incredibly strong, light rod with unmatched tracking and accuracy. The result is a dramatically heightened feel of the line beyond the rod tip, and the ability to make spot-on presentations cast after cast. M_Logic: To fully utilize constantly evolving materials and technology, production equipment and process must also progress. Our design team has determined the ideal compression rates and heat application profile of our unique staged curing process to maximize the industry-leading strength and performance characteristics of our new StratoTherm Resin.

FIGURE I

Technology

Bending tradition. In our relentless pursuit of perfection, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve developed Quattro Matrix Technology to equip anglers with graphite rods that provide reduced weight with increased strength, power and exceptional tracking accuracy. Our uncompromising quality rests in this exclusive technology, a landmark rod manufacturing process representing a combination of four essential ingredients.

T&Tâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bi-Angular Fiber Technology2 uses left and right opposing rotational fibers to inhibit blank compression, and twisting. BAFT2 combined with superior taper designs and the strategic use of Aramid fiber produces a rod blank with unimaginable strength, power and lightness and a dramatically heightened feel of the line beyond the rod tip.

Bi-Angular Fiber Technology 2

FIGURE II

Conventional (non-helical) rods subjected to heavy flex loads tend to become oval, losing rod action and strength.

FIGURE III

Single helical rod designs utilize one continuous fiber which spirals at an angle for the length of the blank, similar to a coil spring. While casting, torque loads twist the rod in the same direction the fibers wrap the blank and cause a loss in rod action and strength.

III

Freshwater

PRO STAFF PROFILE Camille Egdorf

“I have smaller hands and T&T made me a custom grip. They delivered it to me within two weeks of my departure to Guyana. It’s not just the custom build and quick delivery that impressed me. These rods are built for the angler who expects incredible performance. They build to really specific types of fishing and are hitting areas of the rod market that haven’t been hit previously.” –Camille Egdorf

Additionally, she was a featured angler in Confluence Films’ 2016 Providence, set in the far-flung Seychelles. Today, she’s the Program Director for Alaska and Christmas Island at Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventures in Bozeman. When she’s not at the Yellow Dog headquarters, Camille’s traveling to salt- and freshwater environs around the globe to host clients or explore new fisheries. Camille delivers to T&T her expertise as a badass angler and also as a female angler. She provides much-needed perspective and progressive ideas that allow us to approach rod design with a new perspective.

Raised by a Vietnam vet in the wilds of Montana and Alaska, Camille’s a product of the Wildest West. Recently featured in Confluence Films’ Providence, she evokes all the archetypical qualities of The Huntress whether on the flats of the Indian Ocean or the Alaskan backwoods. Her childhood split between school in Hardin, Montana and summers on Alaska’s Nushagak River at her family’s guest camp in the bush, Egdorf’s Western Alaska Sportfishing. At 18, she began guiding, so it’s no surprise that at 27 years old, Camille radiates a stateliness typical of the infinitely patient, and normally, of those significantly older. Add to that the fact she’s armed with the wilderness survival and people skills of a premier guide and it’s easy to see why T&T brought Egdorf on board. Camille’s graced billboards and advertisements and she’s produced and starred in several fly fishing films. She recently unveiled Odd Man Out, co-produced with Seacat Creative and featured in the 2017 Fly Fishing Film Tour. 8

Model Sections Action AVANTT 863-4 4 Fast AVANTT 864-4 4 Fast AVANTT 904-4 4 Fast AVANTT 905-4 4 Fast AVANTT 906-4 4 Fast AVANTT 907-4 4 Fast AVANTT 1004-4 4 Fast AVANNT 1005-4 4 Fast AVANNT 1006-4 4 Fast

Length Line 8’ 6” #3 8’ 6” #4 9’ 0” #5 9’ 0” #5 9’ 0” #6 9’ 0” #7 10’ 0” #4 10’ 0” #5 10’ 0” #5

Avantt Series

Remarkably light and responsive for effortless casts. T&T’s proprietary StratoTherm Resin has such incredible strength and vibration dampening characteristics that it forced us to approach freshwater fly rod design in a new way. The result is the remarkably light and responsive Avantt Series. With ultra-low swing weight and lightning-fast recovery, these rods come alive in the hand. At close range, the Avantt rods provide precise command of the fly with a delicate touch. Longer casts reveal surprising power and line speed with tight loops and excellent line control. THE DETAILS · 4-piece multi-modulus blank with stealth matte “T&T Blue” low friction surface. · Snake Brand ECOating snake guides. · Titanium frame stripping guide with SiC insert. · Gunmetal-anodized, milled aluminum up-locking reel seat. · Ultra-premium quality cork grip. 10

Contact Series

In tune from fly to hand. To feel what’s happening below the surface is a breathtaking sensation. T&T’s new Contact series nymph rods transfer every vibration from fly to fingertips! Contact rods utilize T&T’s proprietary StratoTherm resin, resulting in extremely lightweight and responsive rods that maintain superb durability and strength. Flexible but quick-dampening rod tips nearly eliminate shock waves in the leader after each cast, allowing flies to track smoothly into the water — improving strike detection on immediate reaction bites. All Contact rods feature a strategic taper that generates positive hook-setting tension with minimal rod sweep, permitting anglers to effectively fish an increased range of rod positions and angles and cover more water with less wading.

Aeros Series

Medium + Action for exquisite dry fly presentations. Fly casting can be a form of artistic expression, and the right fly rod, an artist’s tool by which each cast is quietly etched. The Aeros Series is that kind of rod, accentuated by Thomas & Thomas’ classic aesthetics and a velvety medium + action that emphasizes the sensation of each casting stroke. Classic yet capable, the Aeros is designed with subtle dry fly presentations in mind, easily turning over long, fine leaders with accuracy and finesse. Ideally suited to technical trout water, the Aeros possesses the versatility to make the transition to small nymphs or streamers, as well as the sensitivity to protect the finest tippets. THE DETAILS • 4-piece multi-modulus graphite blank with iridescent moss-green Low-Friction Finish. • Bronze wraps with silver trim. • Fuji stripping guides, Universal Snake Brand guides with ECOating. • Western Grip. • Bright milled aluminum, up-locking reel seat. • Spalted maple spacer.

Model Sections AEROS 803-4 4 AEROS 804-4 4 AEROS 805-4 4 AEROS 863-4 4 AEROS 864-4 4 AEROS 865-4 4 AEROS 903-4 4 AEROS 904-4 4 AEROS 905-4 4

Action Length Line Medium + 8’ 0” #3 Medium + 8’ 0” #4 Medium + 8’ 0” #5 Medium + 8’ 6” #3 Medium + 8’ 6” #4 Medium + 8’ 6” #5 Medium + 9’ 0” #3 Medium + 9’ 0” #4 Medium + 9’ 0” #5

THE DETAILS • 4-piece multi-modulus blank with stealth natural graphite finish. • Subtle olive wraps. • Lightweight black RECoil single foot guides. • Western Grip. • Roll-stamped, black aluminum hardware with burled black ash insert and small fighting butt. • Stock model rods with up-locking seats. Down-locking seats available upon request. Model Sections CONTACT 1083-4 4 CONTACT 1084-4 4 CONTACT 1133-4 4

Action Nymph Nymph Nymph

Length 10’ 8” 10’ 8” 11’ 3”

Line #3 #4 #3

Saltwater

PRO STAFF PROFILE Keith Rose-Innes Alphonse Island, Seychelles

“In early days, when I cut my teeth as a guide in the Seychelles and Russia, we only used Thomas & Thomas rods. The reason I come back again and again is because T&T listens to guides who are out there, on the water. They’ve quickened up the taper, added more power in the back of the rod, changed some of the fittings, the recoil guides, a complete re-build. One of the most important things is their return to the T&T Blue; it’s their color. They’re a one-of-a-kind company.” –Keith Rose-Innes Keith’s fishing and guiding portfolio is extensive, with 19 years of guiding experience and over 30 years fly fishing. Following in the footsteps of his Scottish grandfather and global angler, Harry Stewart, Keith’s travelled the globe in pursuit of gamefish. His guiding portfolio extends to over 22 countries and includes nearly 20 years of exploring, pioneering, promoting and establishing the remote atolls of the Seychelles firmly in the world’s fly fishing calendar. A pioneer in every sense of the word, he was the first to fly fish and guide trips to many of the now well-known outer atolls of the Seychelles. “It’s been a long journey, but I feel most at home here,” says the South African of his home island of Alphonse. Today, Keith finds himself witnessing the fruits of 20 years of exploration and hard labor as a leader of one of the most logistically complicated angling destinations on the planet, located 932 miles due east from the African mainland, just under 10 degrees south of the Equator, and hopelessly encircled by what some would argue to be the richest and most challenging saltwater fishery on the planet. His experience in the Indian Ocean has seen him become one of the most experienced GT guides, with over 5,200 clients and on-the-fly caught GTs. Keith’s developed techniques on how to catch uncaught species found in the Indian Ocean and is credited as successfully deciphering how to catch the first Bumphead Parrotfish on fly. His hard GT fighting technique is unique and has been adopted by many guides and anglers over the years. In doing so Keith has worked alongside various fly rod, fly line, hook, braid, clothing and reel companies developing a standard of tackle, gear and rigging that can survive the extremities associated with casting big flies and fighting explosive gamefish in the tropics. “There are so many species here. The beauty here is distinct, very untouched and much more wild than comparable locations, like the Maldives,” says Keith. Today, Keith is the Managing Director and one of the founding members of Alphonse Fishing Company, overseeing five different island destinations. 14

Exocett Series

Powerful, fast dampening action. Developed to meet the challenges of the most demanding species and destinations, T&T’s Exocett Series of high-performance saltwater fly rods are infused with the exceptional strength and dampening characteristics of our proprietary StratoTherm Resin. These light-weight rods are defined by a powerful, fast-dampening action that lifts line off the water with ease, as well as a thin-diameter top section that slices through the wind for quick and accurate casts. Once hooked-up, Exocett rods support anglers with immense strength and reserve power to battle and land the baddest fish on the planet, from giant trevally to tarpon. THE DETAILS • 4-piece multi-modulus blank with stealth matte “T&T Blue” Low-Friction Finish. • Black titanium frame stripping guides. • Black nickel RECoil snake guides. • Ultra-premium Full Wells Grip. • Milled aluminum, up-locking saltwater reel seat. 16

Model Sections Action Length EXOCETT 906S-4 4 Fast 9’ 0” EXOCETT 907S-4 4 Fast 9’ 0” EXOCETT 908S-4 4 Fast 9’ 0” EXOCETT 909S-4 4 Fast 9’ 0” EXOCETT 910S-4 4 Fast 9’ 0” EXOCETT 911S-4 4 Fast 9’ 0” EXOCETT 912S-4 4 Fast 9’ 0”

Line #6 #7 #8 #9 #10 #11 #12

Exocett SS

Exocett Predator

Versatile and lightweight for casting heavy lines.

The power to cast and present the largest flies.

The highly versatile Exocett SS rods are designed to counter the inherent challenges of casting sinking lines or ultra-compact floating lines. Powerful rod tips help to easily pull sinking lines to the surface, while the steep multi-modulus blanks dampen excess shock associated with heavy lines or weighted flies, generating distance and accuracy with fewer false casts. The exceptionally low swing weight of Exocett SS rods amplifies the sensation of hooking and fighting fish, while the Strato-Therm resin construction provides the strength necessary to pry a monster from the depths. Grips are Flor-grade cork reinforced with high density rubberized composite.

Muskies and other Predators are often looking for a meal that pushes the limits of what a fly angler can feasibly cast, and targeting these fish with flies often takes Sections Action Length Line hours or days of casting between opportunities. Fatigue can mean not having the Model 4 Fast 9’ 4” 450 grain fly in the water when your fish is ready to eat, or not being physically prepared to Predator 450 execute a hook-set at the critical moment. The Exocett Predator rod is specifically designed to meet these demands. Increased length facilitates longer overhead casts and keeps the fly deeper on the retrieve. A powerful rod tip easily lifts wet flies from the water and supports loop shape while casting the largest flies behind 350-500 grain sinking and ultracompact floating lines. The grip is an elongated full wells with a generous rubberized composite reinforcement on the higher impact upper grip. A large flare full wells and elongated fighting butt facilitate comfortable grip points to execute a boatside figure 8, and T&T’s proprietary Strato-Therm resin ensures Exocett Predator rods can absorb the most vicious boatside attacks. Hardware appointments include matte black roll stamped reel seat, gunsmoke colored RECoil snake guides, and black titanium frame stripping guides.

Hardware appointments include matte black roll stamped reel seat, gunsmoke colored RECoil snake guides, and black titanium frame stripping guides. Model Sections Action Length Line SS 250 4 Fast 8’ 8” 250 grain SS 350 4 Fast 8’ 8” 350 grain

PRO STAFF PROFILE Joel Dickey Big Pine Key, Florida “My choice rod as a tarpon angler is the 11-weight Exocett. It’s a fast-action rod that’s light and durable. A lot of time when you shave weight, you compromise durability. Not the case here. The beginner to intermediate angler can cast it.” –Joel Dickey We go six or seven generations deep in the mountains of North Georgia. A Gink and Gasoline interview with me noted you could “hear the chicken frying when [I] talk.” My grandfather got us out there with fly rods. Most people in Georgia used corn or worms, so we’d get these looks on the river like we were nuts.

all changed. It’s becoming clear to anglers that this is a top-ofthe-line product. More women and beginner to intermediate anglers should give T&T rods a try. The Exocett was also put to the test here in Florida. That rod pushes through the wind like few others. It’s very crisp, no rebound in the tip. Being a fast-action rod, it’s also very accurate. Not a lot of rods can throw accurate on a short cast. But this rod can, which is very unusual. I’m 42 years old now and I’m a ginger, given, a ginger that tans. I had a grandmother who was three-quarters Cherokee. But fifteen hours in the heat every day, 200 days a year, gets to you in Florida. Starting this year, I’ll be in the Keys from mid-February through August. I first got into trout guiding to fill a void. My brother was the first fly fishing guide on the Tuccoa River. He was also a police officer and killed in the line of duty. So, I started guiding to carry on what he loved. I’ll go back up to Georgia the remaining months of the year and guide for trout. With T&T freshwater rods, of course.

I made it through two years at the University of Georgia before school got in the way of fishing. I started guiding fulltime in the Smoky Mountains, at the Tennessee-Carolina line. I wanted to try saltwater, and headed to Big Piney Key. Landed my first tarpon and decided I was guiding for the wrong fish. So I moved to the Keys, worked at a fly shop for a year and began guiding on salt. I met the T&T rep down here at that time and they signed me on as a pro. I’ve been with them since that time and I’ve been through a lot with the company. I helped quite a bit with the design of the Solar series. The company skipped a generation of anglers, but now with Neville at the helm, that’s

Exocett Bluewater

Built for battling offshore beasts. The offshore environment provides the ultimate challenge for a fly rod. Delivery of the fly must be fast and accurate, yet the rod must also apply unrelenting pressure against the world’s largest gamefish. Our Bluewater Series utilizes a unique combination of resin and fibers along with a special curing process to produce a two-piece rod of unparalleled strength and lifting capability. Tuna, billfish, and sharks are all fair game for these powerful specialty rods. THE DETAILS • 2-piece multi-modulus graphite blank with matte “T&T Blue” Low-Friction Finish. • Titanium stripper guides • Super-duty stripper and snake guides. • Extended Fighting Grip and butt. • Pewter-anodized milled aluminum reel seat. Model Sections Action Length Line BW 8613S 2 Fast 8’ 6” #13 BW 8614-16S 2 Fast 8’ 6” #14-16

Exocett Surf

Launch shooting heads from shore with twohand overhead casts.

Fishing in the surf presents some unique opportunities and challenges for the fly angler. Wind and waves make it difficult to handle line and Model Sections Action Length Line achieve maximum casting distance. That’s why T&T has built a pair of SURF 11210-4 4 Fast 11’ 2” #10 rods to make it more effective and enjoyable to fly fish in the surf. Exocett SURF 11212-4 4 Fast 11’ 2” #12 Surf rods are a pair of specialized 11’2” rods intended to cast overhead with two hands. The powerful multi-modulus Strato-Therm blank has a crisp action that excels in casting overweight shooting heads and compact integrated fly lines past the breakers. An elongated full wells upper grip and rounded spey style lower grip makes for a comfortable and powerful overhead casting stroke while throwing Outbound or similar style shooting heads. 22

PRO STAFF PROFILE Devan van der Merwe Alphonse Island, Seychelles “T&T’s opened the door with us and said, ‘Listen, tell us what you guys need. What do you recommend. We’ll build these rods together.’ We’ve given input on specialized stuff, but were very involved with what the fundamentals of what the Exocett should be. Even as a traditional rod, T&T offers a product that everyone can appreciate. They’re incredibly user-friendly, designed by fly fishermen for fly fishermen.” –Devan van der Merwe I grew up in a coal mining town, Witbank, South Africa, a place with a few freshwater streams and a lake. I fished competitively, but focused on training as an electrical engineer in university. I graduated with a good job lined up and ditched it for an opportunity in Zambia setting up and guiding out of tigerfish camps. We trained guides and involved locals in building a full operation. I was a birdwatching fiend and we would do supply runs from Zambia into Namibia, the nearest place where you could find a proper shop. I stopped in this bistro and met a safari lodge owner who was also a big birder. We bonded over both wanting to see a rare bird, an Arnot’s chat.

Wayne Heslow had been out here pioneering the art of how to catch all these exotic species. Before that, it was mainly a bonefishing destination. The more we fish here, the more we want to explore the diversity around us. I eventually became fishing manager and head guide. In 2013, the Collins Group bought Alphonse and I stayed on as general manager. Keith Rose-Innes showed up with them. We’ve worked together four years now and expanded Alphonse into a bigger operation with expanded fly fishing and other ecotourism activities. We built up the team and trained guides. We’ve got 31 now, spread out across five operations, on the flats and on blue water. Our training program for guides is intensive. We take guys who are plumbers, electricians and coming from other trades who are extremely useful on the island and boat fleet, but also amazing fishing guides. People like the aggressive takes of the species here and the brute force that you have to use to stop these beasts. You can target huge fish in the States, let’s say 200-pound tarpon, the biggest Jack Crevalle, redfish or whatever. They are all big species, but nowhere else have the rods been tested as well as the Seychelles on the Giant Trevally. It’s the pinnacle of saltwater fly fishing. And T&T rods do the job of stopping them.

In 2009, he phoned and said he was getting into business on Alphonse Island. He brought me in with four other guides. I’d never seen the flats, but after being thrown in, it all snapped into place. I decided this is what I want to do. Back then, Alphonse was a fly fishing camp with space for twelve anglers. Guys like

Two-Handed Rods

PRO STAFF PROFILE Brian Chou Based in Portland, Oregon, Brian Chou began as a guide but now finds himself instructing, photographing, writing, fly tying and working alongside companies such as Thomas & Thomas to develop products that help anglers enjoy their time on the water. Perhaps most importantly, Brian serves as a Board Member, ambassador and mentor for Soul River Runs Deep, a non-profit engaging inner city youth and U.S. veterans of war to find peace and direction through fly fishing. When not guiding the next generation of anglers, you can most likely locate Mr. Chou on a river in Oregon or Washington, often with a spey rod in hand: “Steelhead to me represent so much more than a beautiful fish. The pursuit of them is about reading water and believing in the freewill of a wild animal. They really don’t have to eat my ridiculous offering of feathers. It’s the fish’s decision. So when one actually latches on and takes my fly, I interpret it as a tangible offering of free will, which after 20 years of angling, still to this day blows my mind.

Aenean leo ligula Aenean leo ligula, porttitor eu, consequat vitae, eleifend ac, enim. Aliquam lorem ante, dapibus in, viverra quis, feugiat a, tellus. Phasellus viverra nulla ut metus varius laoreet. Quisque rutrum. Aenean leo ligula, porttitor eu, consequat vitae, eleifend ac, enim. Aliquam lorem ante, dapibus in, viverra quis, feugiat a, tellus. Phasellus viverra nulla ut metus varius laoreet. Quisque rutrum. Aenean imperdiet. Etiam ultricies nisi vel augue. Curabitur ullamcorper ultricies nisi. Nam eget dui. Etiam rhoncus. Maecenas tempus, tellus eget condimentum rhoncus, sem quam semper libero, sit amet adipiscing sem neque sed ipsum. Nam eget dui. Etiam rhoncus. Maecenas tempus, tellus eget condimentum rhoncus, sem quam semper libero, sit amet adipiscing sem neque sed ipsum.

I’m a physics nerd. Witnessing a well-executed cast of any kind makes me smile. The purity of it all when it comes together is a feeling of balance that keeps me coming back and motivates me to share that feeling with others. Everything I do is based on efficiently covering water. The two-handed approach provides another tool that allows more efficient water coverage in tight scenarios, which we often encounter in the Pacific Northwest. I look at tradition with a great deal of respect, as we would not be here if not for our predecessors, but I choose to make my angling decisions based on what I want to do right now, traditional or unconventional. Experimenting keeps it fresh and entertaining. As Frank Zappa said, ‘Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible.’ Thomas & Thomas has a diverse offering of rod lengths and actions—especially with their new additions to the fleet—that allow me to cover really any kind of two-handed scenario. The quality and the way these rods feel have significantly contributed to my angling experience. What makes these rods so special is not just the end result of a top-quality rod with exceptional finish and build, but what I know goes into every single one that leaves the factory in Massachusetts. It’s what originally drew me to them in the first place, and has kept me fishing their rods over the years. It feels good to be part of a company with deep history that’s stayed the course from the very beginning. Cast these rods like you would any other, but now, pay attention to the little things. Isn’t that what life’s about anyways?”

Nam quam nunc Nam quam nunc, blandit vel, luctus pulvinar, hendrerit id, lorem. Maecenas nec odio et ante tincidunt tempus. Donec vitae sapien ut libero venenatis faucibus. Nullam quis ante. Etiam sit amet orci eget eros faucibus tincidunt. Duis leo. Sed fringilla mauris sit amet nibh. Donec sodales sagittis magna. Sed consequat, leo eget bibendum sodales, augue velit cursus nunc, blandit vel, luctus pulvinar, hendrerit id, lorem. Maecenas nec odio et ante tincidunt tempus. Donec vitae sapien ut libero venenatis faucibus. Nullam quis ante. Etiam sit amet orci eget eros faucibus tincidunt. Duis leo. Sed fringilla mauris sit amet nibh. Donec sodales sagittis magna. Sed consequat, leo eget bibendum sodales, augue velit cursus nunc.

DNA Spey Series

Progressive Action for today’s two-handed casting styles. The DNA Spey series continues the evolution of T&T’s highly regarded stable of two-handed rods. These are for the angler seeking rods that can do it all — Skagit, Scandi, Spey, and overhead — with ease. The DNA Classic is the perfect “all-rounder“ and the best choice for experienced casters fishing midbelly length lines and longer lines. Models with an XF designation are designed primarily for fishing with Scandi style lines or shooting heads, and have a crisp, sharp feel, perfect for throwing tight loops with touch-and-go casts. Our XD rods feature a deeper flexing profile designed for anglers who utilize “sustained anchor “ casting techniques with Skagit heads and large, heavy flies. With each model individually designed to serve a distinct purpose, the DNA Spey series has the right rod to meet the demands of any two-handed fishing situation.

THE DETAILS • 4- and 5-piece multi-modulus graphite blank with “T&T Blue” Low-Friction Finish. • Green wraps with red edging. • Fuji stripping guides and Universal Snake Brand guides. • Western Spey Grip. • Pewter gray milled aluminum down-locking reel seat. Model Sections DNA 1167-4 4 DNA 1177-4 4 DNA 1208-4 4 DNA 1266-4 4 DNA 1267-4 4 DNA 1295-4 4 DNA 1298-4 4 DNA 1307-4 4 DNA 1338-4 4 DNA 1356-4 4 DNA 1368-4 4 DNA 1477-4 4 DNA 1498-4 4 DNA 1409-5 5 DNA 1510-5 5

Action Extra Deep Extra Fast Extra Deep Progressive Extra Fast Progressive Extra Fast Progressive Extra Deep Progressive Progressive Progressive Progressive Progressive Progressive

Length Line 11' 6" #7 11' 7" #7 12' 0" #8 12' 6" #6 12' 6" #7 12' 9” #5 12' 9" #8 13' 0" #9 13' 3" #8 13' 5” #6 13' 6" #8 14' 7" #7 14' 9" #8 14' 0" #9 15' 0" #10 29

DNA TroutSpey Series

Legendary T&T two-handed action in a new trout-sized series. Cover trout water like never before with the new DNA TroutSpey, a rod defined by the ability to make long casts with ease and mend line far beyond the capabilities of single-handed rods. Traditional wet flies, large streamers and mouse patterns are all on the menu for the angler preferring to cast with two hands. With a traditional progressive taper that loads easily yet has the power to reach distant lies, the DNA TroutSpey brings a new dimension to swinging or skating flies for big trout on big water. THE DETAILS • 4-piece multi-modulus graphite blank in classic “T&T Blue” Low-Friction Finish. • Green wraps with red edging. • Fuji stripping guides and Universal Snake Brand guides. • Western Spey Grip. • Black milled aluminum down-locking reel seat. • Burled black ash spacer.

Model Sections Action DNA 1163-4 4 Progressive DNA 1164-4 4 Progressive DNA 1195-4 4 Progressive

Length 11’ 6” 11’ 6” 11’ 9”

Line #3 #4 #5

DNA Switch Series

Medium fast action for effortless casting with one or two hands. We’ve worked hard to develop rods that really do enable you to “Switch” between any conceivable type of cast with a single rod. The versatility of these rods cannot be overstated. Every style of casting from single-handed, single-handed spey, two-handed overhead, traditional spey and sustained anchor styles can be accommodated by the unique actions of the DNA Switch. Offered in 5- through 7-weights, these adaptable rods have become a favorite for anglers pursuing everything from big-water trout to small-stream steelhead. THE DETAILS • 4-piece clear-coated graphite blank. • Black wraps with olive edging. • Titanium stripping guides and Universal Snake Brand guides. • Full Wells Switch Grip. • Spalted maple spacer. • Black milled aluminum, down-locking reel seat. 30

Model Sections DNASWITCH 1006-4 4 DNASWITCH 1007-4 4 DNASWITCH 1106-4 4 DNASWITCH 1107-4 4

Action Length Medium / Fast 10’ 0” Medium / Fast 10’ 0” Medium / Fast 11’ 0” Medium / Fast 11’ 0”

Line #6 #7 #6 #7 31

Glass Rods

PRO STAFF PROFILE Mark Lance Tucked in the Colorado High Country, Mark Lance is a photographer and writer with a focus on fly fishing and outdoor lifestyle photography, as well as conservation awareness. Mark’s worked with Trout Unlimited as a boots-on-theground volunteer and as a local chapter Board Member. His stunning photos have featured in countless sporting magazines and have been used to draw attention to fisheries issues tackled by TU and other non-profit groups. With an eye for the beauty in all things, Mark shared the following: “Over the years fly fishing has been my primary connection to the outdoors. Having this connection to the wild in our busy, sometimes frantic world is very important. It’s this connection, coupled with the graceful beauty of fly fishing and the challenge of making compelling photographs of environments and decisive moments that keeps me motivated and coming back for more.

Lotic Series

Crisp, medium action with the subtle feel of fiberglass. Inspired by tumbling mountain brooks and glassy spring creeks, Thomas & Thomas introduces the Lotic Series of fiberglass fly rods. By combining the latest glass fibers with a highly progressive flex profile, the light-weight Lotic provides a crisp, medium action with the deep loading distinct to fiberglass. The result is a high-performance glass rod that generates surprising line speed and power while maintaining a silky-smooth delivery perfect for presenting a dry fly. DETAILS • Progressive action, 3-piece fiberglass blank. • Western Grip. • Milled aluminum, up-locking reel seat. • Tungsten carbide stripping guide with ECOating Snake brand guides.

Model Sections Action LOTIC 6103-3 3 Medium LOTIC 744-3 3 Medium LOTIC 7105-3 3 Medium

Length 6’ 10” 7’ 4” 7’ 10”

Line #3 #4 #5

I approach fishing with a deep appreciation for the places and local culture where fish swim, as well as the environmental issues often facing these places. I have an appreciation for the beauty, the habits, and nature of each individual fish species. I’m lucky to have miles of backcountry streams and high lakes practically in my backyard. A rigorous hike quickly thins out the crowd. Typically, but not always, the trout in high elevation streams and lakes are not necessarily as large a fish as you could catch elsewhere. Thomas & Thomas fiberglass rods are a perfect match for the tempo of fishing dry flies to wild trout in high elevation wilderness. Visually, T&T glass rods are very aesthetic. The finish, the hardware, the old-world cork come together in a rod that is as pleasing to look at as it is to hold. To cast a fiberglass rod is to slow down your world. The tempo of the casting stroke is in complete harmony with how and why I like to fish high country wilderness waters.

Slow down your casting stroke, enjoy a more relaxing pace of fly fishing, and feel every wiggle from every trout right down into the cork.” 32

Bamboo

PRO STAFF PROFILE Troy Jacques Trained by legendary Master Rod Makers Tom Dorsey and Tom Moran, Troy Jacques has hand-crafted T&T bamboo rods for 20 years. Whether a bamboo aficionado or not, anyone who stops by our Greenfield workshop and visits with Troy will immediately appreciate the tremendous vision and rare skill that goes into his art. Crafting from bamboo represents the apex of rod making, marked by subtleties and quirks specific to individual rod makers. Each T&T Bamboo Rod distinctly radiates Troy’s fine touches—smoothly milled and seamlessly paired pieces, exquisitely engraved nickel silver accents and rich varnishes. Troy transforms raw bamboo into stunning fly rods. He’s refined his craft and learned to adapt to the unique characteristics of each piece of bamboo that passes through his hands. No two rods are alike, making each of his pieces a true collector’s item. 1. First, Troy hand selects the best Chinese Tonkin cane, all cut to 12-feet. “I like to use the part that is the densest, that is, the part of the bamboo growing closest to the ground,” says Troy. The further up the plant, the less “power fiber” is found. Troy makes each rod using an average out of two bamboo poles, using different densities to produce the desired flex. 2. Raw bamboo is pushed through a flamer, curing the bamboo. Like heat-tempered steel, this curing process makes the fiber stronger. This flaming process produces an “Early American Provincial” look. 3. The cured bamboo is then split into canes using a splitting maul. These strips are rough, of odd widths, but all of the same length.

6. Each milled strip is inspected and then twined together at the tips and buttends, ready for gluing. Once glued is applied, the sections are baked. 7. Baked sections are sanded and filed. 8. After checking the specs one final time, Troy plots placement of the grip, reel seat and ferrules. 9. Each section is heat straightened over an open flame, a process which takes several hours for each section. Tonkin cane grows on mountainsides, in soil with high silicon compounds. When heat is applied, bamboo bends like plastic. Using feel and sight, Troy beds each section by hand. 10. Ferrules are delicately epoxied to each section and dried overnight. 11. A cork grip, rings and reel seat (made from walnut or tiger maple) are mounted. 12. Custom lettering and serial numbers are hand-applied. Varnish is then painted on in thin coats, so as to not weigh down the rod.

Ordering Bamboo Rods All Thomas & Thomas bamboo rods are handbuilt to order. After learning more about you, we will advise on the best rod to suit your needs and offer an estimate for the time it will require to build your rod. Any T&T bamboo rod can be ordered sans pareil to incorporate your own specified custom options. Some upgrade charges may apply. FEATURES: • Rods for #2, #3 and #4 lines feature a nickel silver butt cap and oxidized black sliding ring, burled walnut reel seat spacer and Cigar Grip. • Rods for #5,#6, #7 and #8 lines are fitted with a hand-buffed, nickel silver, up-locking reel seat, mortised burled walnut spacer and Western Grip.

4. Troy then assigns each strip to a rod and puts each through a process called “pointing,” which is determining the optimal direction in which to push sections through the rough miller.

• Sextant saltwater rods are impregnated for extra durability and fitted with salt-safe, milled aluminum, up-locking reel seat and Full Wells Grip.

5. Each strip goes through the miller at the optimal angle. This process takes place three times, getting closer to the “perfect” angle and width.

• Each rod is accompanied by an aluminum tube finished with precision machined brass fittings. 35

Individualist

The finest rods with the finest finishes. Our Individualist Series bamboo rods are designed with a complex taper that turns from a delicate tip top to the distinctive T&T swelled butt. All rods come with an extra tip, and matched tips cut from the same culm are available for an additional charge. Built from the finest individually-selected Tonkin cane, flamed bamboo is complemented by translucent and cinnamon edging guide wraps, along with medium brown ferrule wraps.

THE DETAILS • 2-piece, straight butt, impregnated design. • Cinnamon wraps. • Nickel silver reel seat. • Grip details vary by model.

Classic Series

Elegantly appointed with medium action. Thomas & Thomas Classic Series Bamboo rods feature a 2-piece, straight butt, impregnated design. Classic Series Bamboo rods are built around finely tuned tapers, resulting in extremely smooth, medium action. Each delicately crafted instrument is appointed with cinnamon wraps and a nickel silver reel seat. The impregnated finish creates a rod that is incredibly durable while still aesthetically pleasing. As beautiful as they may be, these rods are built to be fished and find favor among anglers seeking the joys of bamboo without having to give their fly rods the “white glove” treatment. 36

THE DETAILS • 2-piece, complex taper, swelled butt. • Cinnamon and medium brown wraps. • Nickel silver reel seat. • Grip details vary by model.