16 January 2019 | Jono Winnel
You can find Christian Hörgren’s fly rod building studio on one of the many islands that form the city of Stockholm, Sweden. It’s not far from the Town Hall where the Nobel Prize Ceremony is held and it’s only a few steps outside to the nearest cafe serving fresh kanelbullar and saffransbullar. Christian’s studio is not only a place where he designs and crafts some of the most distinct contemporary fly rods around, it is also an ode to fibreglass fly rods old and new. Rod blanks from makers the world over rest on racks still in their original packaging. Each rod yearning to come alive under the weight of a fly line, or the pull of a fish and bend in accordance with the taper designed and painstakingly obsessed over by its original maker. There is even a first generation CTS S-Glass Quartz S 8.0 #4 in Tangerine.
Growing up on a small island on the biggest lake in Sweden, Christian was surrounded by water and fishing from the beginning. His grandfather and uncle were devoted anglers, and soon passed the craft onto him. Like many, he moved to the city and forgot about the fishing that nurtured his love for the outdoors. Not until after a decade or so it found its way back into his life and it wasn’t much longer until he became curious about the design of fly rods. He began collecting fly rods and soon after started to experiment with building his own.
Christian has a penchant for fibreglass fly rods, “mainly because of the performance.” Says Christian. “It’s smoother and softer than graphite, which protects the tippet and makes the fishing more enjoyable. It’s also more durable and less brittle compared to graphite. A bonus is the possibility to make it translucent and give it a more spiritual look.” Christian was an early adopter and pioneer of the CTS Quartz series and has built a number of rods in this series.
Design is a constant throughout Christian’s life, from his work as an architect to his time spent in the studio designing and crafting fly rods. His builds are minimalist yet sophisticated in a way few contemporary rod builders can match. They often contain original design elements, such as the raw-cork-bark grip end and the flex-void cork grip, whilst still paying dues to the long tradition and history of fly rod building.
We can’t avoid place and its impact on us, and the Scandinavian design principles of simplicity and functionality are ever present in Christian’s work. His fly rods are ergonomic and each build highlights the unique taper of the rod. He doesn’t shy away from different materials, and always lets each material speak for itself.
Christian’s work has not gone unnoticed and his builds have been featured in various publications around the globe including The Fiberglass Manifesto, Mitt Fiske, The Wading List, The Fly Fisher by Gestalten and they have been shared and commented on all across social media and in every rod building forum there is. In 2013 Christian was inducted into the prestigious Rodsmith’s Guild as a Journeyman Rod Builder alongside the industry’s most renowned fly rod builders, designers and makers including CTS’s own Stephen Pratt.
What’s next? Christian has a few projects on the go, including his own reel, The Can, made from aluminium and Delrin, in a classic minimalist Fine Tackle style. He is also currently building a CTS Quartz 7.6 #4 in Ruby as part of an upcoming feature article on contemporary fibreglass fly rods. There are no further details yet, but be sure to follow the Fine Tackle blog for updates. Christian also plans to venture into the world of bamboo rod building, time permitting.
You can view more of Christian’s work on his Facebook or Instagram pages, as well as on his blog: Fine Tackle.
Photos: Jono Winnel, photos of rods: Christian Hörgren
