5 August 2025
At 87 years old, Herb Ladenheim is living proof that passion, persistence, and purpose can beat even the most daunting odds. A long-time CTS collaborator and one of our most dedicated US-based resellers, Herb’s journey – from Wall Street pressure to quiet beaches with a fly rod in hand – is one worth telling.
From the Trading Floor to the Tidal Shore
Herb’s early career couldn’t have been further from a rod shop. Born and raised in Queens, New York, he studied geology before realizing there wasn’t much money in rocks. So, he pivoted – first to clerical work, and eventually rising through the ranks to lead 90 brokers at a major stockbroking firm.
It was lucrative, but stressful. And in his 50s, the pressure caught up with him. A cardiac arrest at the ER doors nearly ended his life – doctors gave him five years. That was 33 years ago.
Herb walked away from finance and remade his life. He became a vegetarian, lived for a time on a sailboat, exercised daily, and embraced fishing with a renewed sense of joy and purpose.
The Call of the Cast
Fishing was in Herb’s DNA. His father and uncles were all fishermen. As a teenager, he’d huddle by beach fires between casting sessions for striped bass. At 16, he began building rods from Fenwick fiberglass blanks, shaping them by hand without a lathe. After his heart attack, he returned to rod building with fresh enthusiasm. In 1994, he picked up his first fly rod – an Orvis 9wt. That was the beginning of what became a deep love affair with fly fishing gear. By 1996, he was building fly rods – first on blanks from Dan Craft, Sage, and T&T. Then, he was introduced to CTS by Andy Dear. He was hooked.
CTS Obsession – and Innovation
Herb quickly became one of CTS’s most vocal fans and creative collaborators. He especially cherished the early years working closely with CTS founder Stephen Pratt, dreaming up and refining new designs. By his own admission, he “went a bit nuts” exploring custom creations – thrilled by the freedom to build rods that matched his evolving needs. At one point, when swinging a 9-footer became difficult, he and Stephen developed a series of shorter rods that gave him back the joy of casting without compromise. For Herb, this kind of collaborative craftsmanship was as exciting as the fishing itself.
Herb’s Rod Building Wisdom
Over decades of rod building, Herb has developed a quiet mastery – and a few clever tricks that set his process apart. One of his signature techniques is turning cork grips directly on the blank rather than on a mandrel. He glues up the cork, attaches the reel seat and fighting butt, then shapes the grip on the lathe with everything already in place. The result? A rock-solid grip that feels more connected to the blank – and one that, in Herb’s opinion, performs better under pressure. It’s also his favorite part of the build.
When it comes to finishing, Herb is all about patience and control – especially with epoxy. Many new builders struggle with rushing the finish on thread wraps, but Herb has a fix for that: he freezes his epoxy in small, coin-sized portions on an aluminum tray. When he’s ready to use one, he pulls it out, gives it about 20 seconds to warm up, and has a perfect, slow-curing mix to work with. It’s a simple but brilliant way to take the pressure off and avoid the dreaded “football” finish on wraps.
“I like my wraps flat,” he says. And that’s exactly what he gets – precise, clean, and beautifully understated results every time.
A Mentor and a Giver
Herb hasn’t kept this knowledge to himself. He mentors aspiring builders, helping them choose CTS blanks and the right components. Through forums like Stripersonline, he’s donated dozens of rods to fundraisers and causes like Casting for Recovery. He’s even built for fly fishing legend Chico Fernandez.
These days, Herb builds exclusively from his condo in Florida, where he and his wife Rita have made their home. His rod wrapping setup is delightfully unconventional – just a small table balanced across his lap in front of the TV. Finishing is done on Rita’s granite kitchen counter, with alcohol and razor blades close at hand.
Always Testing, Always Casting
Until recently, Herb and Rita spent every May to October in Rhode Island, chasing striped bass and catching up with a close-knit group of friends who make the annual pilgrimage.
Even now, Herb fishes two or three times a week, often from quiet bayside beaches. He casts, he tests rods, and he walks. His favorite pastime is just being on the sand, fly rod in hand, scanning for stripers.
A Voice for Quality
Despite exploring other brands, Herb always returns to CTS. He’s tried building on rods from other makers, but says that nothing compares.
“The finish on CTS is impeccable,” he says. “Once you cast a CTS, there’s no going back.”
Herb is a significant supplier of CTS blanks across the US, South Africa, the UK, and Canada. It’s a quiet legacy built not on promotion, but on connection, craftsmanship, and community.
Still Dreaming
Herb doesn’t plan to stop building rods anytime soon. As long as his hands stay steady and his passion keeps burning, he’ll keep shaping, wrapping, and casting. On July 18, he and Rita celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary. They’ve weathered life’s toughest storms – and kept casting through them all.
From all of us at CTS: thank you, Herb. For the rods, the wisdom, the mentorship, and the unwavering belief in what we build.
Photos: Herb Ladenheim
