Decorative Wraps?

Ok, this is the part that's largely artistry, and also one of the big things that really get attention. Decorative wraps are just that, they serve no purpose. Generally, these wraps are pointless on ultra-conservative rods - they'd just blend right in. If you're going with a high-contrast color scheme, decorative wraps look amazing.

The decorative wrap most commonly seen on my rods are Diamond (aka Cross) wraps. A slight variation on the Diamond Wrap are Cheveron wraps. However, there are many other decorative wraps out there, including weaves. These weaves are generally time consuming and not worth the price on most fly rods (the blank is too thin for it to show up well).

Generally decorative wraps are based on the colors of the guide wraps, although sometimes additional colors are added. There is definitely no standard formula - the best way to do plan these is to start by looking at other ones and see what you like. Most diamond wraps take between a half hour to two hours depending on the complexity and LENGTH of the wrap. I've included some diamond wraps below.

Other Decoration?

Yes, there are other ways you can decorate and personalize your rods. Feather Inlays are a common technique. Another easy decoration to add are decals. These can be placed directly on the rod blank OR over a finished base of thread (it looks great when done on a base of black thread). Again, anything is possible. Some brown and rainbow trout decals are show below.

Show me!

Visit Jann's Netcraft for all the good decals available.

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