Codename Bronco | 4wt Fiberglass Travel Rod Build

An impulse buy and a retro obsession lead to building my first fiberglass travel rod. Welcome to Codename Bronco.

Let’s be clear about one thing right up front: I don’t need another fly rod.

But these things tend to take on a life of their own. One day you’re planning a trip and wishing you had a rod you could toss in a carry-on. The next, you’re thumbing through Instagram, see a 7-foot 5-piece fiberglass blank at a reasonable price, and click ‘buy.’ Pretty soon, you’ve got yourself a project.

To think that all that stands between me and a new rod is tens of hours of planning, designing, gluing, turning, measuring, wrapping, burnishing, finishing, and trying not to screw it up along the way.

Full disclosure: I barely know what I'm doing. That means, like most of my projects, I'll be learning on the fly, figuring things out as I go. And because I'm apparently a masochist, I thought it'd be fun to document the entire messy process and share it with you. I’ll be learning there too, unpacking Substack’s tools and features to bring you multi-media updates as the build progresses.

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Why this Rod?

I’ve been wanting to fish fiberglass for a long time. There's something undeniably comfortable about it — like shearling slippers, jeans and flannel, a cigar on the porch, flipping the record, the temptation of another beer when you know you shouldn’t. Easy, indulgent, nostalgic.

A 7-foot, 4-weight rod won’t win any power contests, especially in fiberglass. But it’ll pack down into a tube less that’s about 20 inches long and, if my hunch is right, should beautifully deliver dry flies to little wild trout. I’m already picturing noodly casts, splashy takes, and flickering fingerlings putting gentle bends in the fiberglass before shaking off the hook. This is not a rod for trophies; it’s one for the memories.

To understand where my head is at you have to know that a whole other piece of my brain has been completely consumed with the idea of purchasing an original American SUV. I’m talking about a boxy, springy, velour-filled mid-era Bronco or Blazer. Something with a bench seat and a column shifter and big analog gauges, stainless steel bumpers and chrome mirrors.

It’s a silly obsession at the moment. One made laughable by the fact that these trucks have skyrocketed in value. The likelihood of owning one is low. But you can’t stop a man from dreaming.

In the meantime, this brown fiberglass blank is scratching the retro itch. And I’ve decided to lean into it. I’m going retro on this build, stealing design cues from the heyday of Motor City, building the fly rod version of my dream rig. Hence: Codename Bronco.

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Where I plan to Fish It

In June, my wife and I will travel to Kosovo and Albania to visit family and friends. Her family lives in Gjakova, near Albania’s mountainous border. From her parents’ kitchen window, you can see jagged Alps rising above forested valleys threaded with tiny streams.

I still think about our last visit, when my in-laws generously spent a day helping me scout the banks of the Valbona River for trout. We barely scratched the surface. This rod feels perfect for exploring those small streams beneath snowy peaks — casting dry flies into unknown pools, never knowing exactly what's swimming below. And that's precisely the appeal.

We also plan to travel south into Albania, to Vlorë. Vlorë is a fascinating city with an incredible history of its own. But it’s also well-positioned to access to all manner of incredible-looking rivers, the most famous of which is Vjosë, which is currently one of the last un-dammed wild rivers in Europe. Vjosë is big water and probably won’t be on the menu this go ‘round. But from what I can tell from Google Maps scouting, there are lots of little spring-fed streams that drain into it.

Word on the digital street is that there are trout here. The internet is suggesting they’d be West Balkan Trout (Salmo farioides), but it’s impossible to know what’s there unless I wet a line. I can’t wait to start sleuthing and figure it out.

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What to Expect From this Series

This series is an experiment for me and Hookswain. I’m not really a "content creator," and usually lack the patience to document projects step-by-step. But I've discovered there aren’t enough straightforward resources out there for building a rod like this. The few existing resources leave too many gaps and unanswered questions. I want to change that.

You’ll get supply lists, honest costs, wins, losses, experiments, and plenty of candid mistakes. Videos aren’t my natural habitat, but I'll invite you into my workshop anyway—showing exactly how this rod gets made. Expect lots of photos, quick videos, and step-by-step details.

Most of this stuff will live on the ‘Benchcraft’ channel. When you subscribe you’ll be automatically enrolled to receive updates. But you can always navigate to the homepage and navigate to the section to catch up on everything related to the project.

To keep things easy to follow, each update related to this build will be tagged [4wt Fiberglass Travel Rod Build]. Drop in, dip out, catch up anytime.

I'll also be asking for your help along the way. Experienced rod builders, I’m counting on you to point out when I’m about to screw something up. Everyone else, expect some polls and opportunities to weigh in on design choices as the rod takes shape.

Last but not least, I’ll take you with me to Kosovo and Albania so you can see the rivers first-hand and watch how the rod performs.

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Next Steps: How to Follow Along

No part of this project is sponsored or underwritten by a brand. I’ve laid out the money to buy everything and have picked the materials and parts based on what was available online, what I liked, and what I think would make a cool build.

I'll be sharing plenty publicly, but deeper dives, detailed step-by-steps, and behind-the-scenes extras will be exclusive to paid subscribers. If you're into rod-building, retro projects, or just enjoy seeing someone else’s DIY adventures—missteps included—consider becoming a paid subscriber. It’ll help me do more of this kind of thing in the future. Subscriptions start at $5 a month.

If you’re not ready to bypass the paywall, consider subscribing as a free reader. There will be plenty of free stuff to enjoy too.

I’ll also be using Substack’s Chat feature to post quick hits, updates, short form stuff, surveys etc. Joining the Hookswain Chat will be a great way to follow along.

Looking forward to building this thing together.

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