Seele Fly Rods will offer premier quality fly rods handmade in Pennsylvania, USA.

Bellwood, Pennsylvania, USA-December 2, 2013–Mauri Fly Fishing’s Michael Mauri and McFarland Rod Company’s Mike McFarland today announced that they will team up to form a new rod company. Seele Fly Rods (pronounced zay-luh) will be based in Bellwood, Pennsylvania and will feature a complete blank rolling and rod production facility, a factory store, showroom, and an outdoor casting pond. All phases of rod production will be completed in house.

Seele, which is German for “soul,” not only reflects Mauri’s German heritage, but also shows how passionate both he and McFarland are about the rods they design and build.  Seele will offer high-end graphite and fiberglass fly rods, including Spey and switch rods, through a limited number of quality fly tackle dealers worldwide.  All Seele rods will feature hand turned grips (no pre-forms) made of true flor grade cork rings, Snake Brand or Recoil guides, custom designed reel seats made by Joel Lemke, highly figured wood inserts or the company’s signature glass fiber reel seat, and according to Mauri, “the best finish work in the industry.”

Seele will offer fly rods for any fishing situation from tiny Pennsylvania brook trout streams to the Gaula River in Norway to the tarpon flats of the Florida Keys.  The rod line up will include the Tailwind Series priced at $645, the Emerger Series priced at $765, the Zeitlos glass rods priced at $685, and Spey and switch rods priced at $795-$1095.

McFarland, who is internationally known for his fiberglass and soft action trout rods stated, “I’m excited to team up with Mauri. He shares my passion for rod design and will add a lot to the company, especially with the Spey and switch rod designs.”

McFarland and Mauri have been working together for the past 9 months to develop a new composite technology that will be the foundation of the company’s graphite rods. This development, known as TruTech, is reported to significantly increase rod performance and durability. “We are not willing to reveal any details on the process,” says Mauri, “but the results are impressive. This isn’t just marketing hype. It will be a true benefit to fly fishers. For example, these are the first Spey rods I have fished that didn’t develop stress cracks at the ferrules.”

Both Mauri and McFarland are serious fisherman and accomplished tournament casters. Both have won the Hardy Cup casting competition, McFarland in 2012 and Mauri in 2013. McFarland says, “I think that by combining talents, Michael and I will be able to offer something truly unique; fly rods with Seele.”

Quality fly tackle dealers are encouraged to contact the company at info@seeleflyrods.com to discuss dealership opportunities.

Mike (left) and Michael make a great team to design rods and run the company.

A Seele fiberglass rod. These rods have excellent smooth casting action. The reel seat is made from the same S glass as the blank.