About Joe Balestrieri

‘Bamboo is the perfect material to modify and tailor to a particular taste or design. As the founder of Redwing Fly Rods, I believe in carrying out restorations with the utmost care and respect. They are a part of someone’s fascinating past, a reminder of their love, and beautiful memories.

Over the years, I have developed a long, sound reputation as well as a loyal clientele. I build and design rods that personally inspire me. And no two series of rods are similar. All designs are customized and built as per the customer’s specific requirements.’

What Makes Me Different?

When a machinist builds a cane rod, the seduction of the cutting tools takes over and supports a rather static conception of the piece or rod. The hand planer will work the taper to its unique single expression.

Here the machine is not the determiner; the eye and hand are. The machinist is always working to beat time, i.e., efficiency over experience. He attacks the material always one step removed from real contact.

The machinist prays to the hard calculation given by a strict set of often old parameters. Cut, slice, gouge, grind away a section of the interior of the cane. Production, always being the key. I, as an artisan builder, work the cane by hand and eye; touch is the key.

Speed and ease of work are never considered here. Precision and the flushing out what the material is telling you is the link to exceptional rods. Often this hand-building develops into a vision that completes the decisions of style, grip, seat, and even silk color.