As summer begins to wind down, many anglers turn their attention toward cooler mornings and smaller water. While larger rivers often demand long casts and heavy presentations, there's something incredibly rewarding about slipping into a quiet cold-water stream with nothing more than a 2-weight fly rod and a small box of terrestrial flies. Late summerContinue reading "Late Summer, Terrestrials, and the Magic of a 2-Weight"

There are moments in business that remind you there is something far more important than the bottom line. Today is one of those moments. Thanks to the incredible support of our customers, with your help, J.A.Henry Rod & Reel Co. has now raised more than $15,000 for Trout Unlimited's Coaster Initiative. To every customer who hasContinue reading "Together, We’ve Raised Over $15,000 for Michigan’s Coaster Brook Trout"

There are moments that remind us why we do what we do. Today, we are honored to recognize John C. of Grand Rapids, Mi, whose generous direct donation to Trout Unlimited's Coaster Initiative has earned him the Coaster Bamboo Rod No. 001, the very first rod in our new 8' 6wt Tonkin bamboo series. This isn't simply the firstContinue reading "The First Cast Toward a Lasting Legacy"

Some fly rods are built to catch fish. Others are built to tell a story. We're honored to announce that J.A.Henry Rod & Reel Co. is once again partnering with renowned bamboo rod builder Ron Barch on what may become the most historically significant rod we've ever created. Together, we'll be building a one-of-a-kind splitContinue reading "Recreating History: Building Dr. Cook’s Legendary Nipigon Fly Rod for the Coaster Initiative"

Every so often, you're reminded why conservation matters. The video below offers a rare glimpse beneath the surface of Northern Lake Superior, where wild Coaster Brook Trout gather on their spawning grounds. Captured as part of the upcoming documentary, Hidden Below the Great Lakes, the footage showcases one of North America's most remarkable native fish atContinue reading "Incredible Footage of Spawning Coaster Brook Trout in Northern Superior"

**UPDATE July 15,2026: The Two-Hearted Bamboo 8' 6wt, Rod no. 001 has sold. Thank you for your support to Trout Unlimited! Stay tuned - we will have other fund-raisers for TU later in the season. Since 2018, we’ve been building bamboo fly rods with a simple focus: do one thing exceptionally well. That approach beganContinue reading "We Are Gifting the New Two-Hearted 8’ 6wt – Rod No. 001 for a Direct Donation to Trout Unlimited"

I'm pleased to announce that Two-Hearted Bamboo Rods No. 021 and No. 022 are complete and available. The first twenty rods have all found homes with passionate fly anglers and collectors from 16 different states from the Sierra Nevada to the Appalachians. Every rod represents another chapter in a growing community of anglers who appreciate traditional split-caneContinue reading "Two-Hearted Bamboo Rods No. 021 & No. 022 Now Available"

We're honored to support this year's Cast & Blast event hosted by Grand Rapids, Michigan Chapter - Ruffed Grouse Society and Schrems West Michigan Trout Unlimited This year's donation from J.A. Henry includes one of our handcrafted Walnut Fly Boxes, a Michigan reclaimed barn wood cigar rest, and a package of Aroma de Cuba cigars—perfectContinue reading "2026 Cast & Blast"

Since 2018, we’ve been building bamboo fly rods with a simple focus: do one thing exceptionally well. For years, that has meant offering a single model—the Two-Hearted 7’6” 5wt—which we consider a premier bamboo trout rod built for versatility, smooth casting, and classic feel on the water. It’s a taper that has become the foundationContinue reading "Our new 8′ 6wt bamboo rod will be joining the Two-Hearted family of handcrafted bamboo rods this July—and we’re gifting Rod No. 001 for a $2,000 donation to TU’s Coaster Initiative."

Jawbone could lead to non-lethal way to study iconic Great Lakes fish For decades, the legendary coaster brook trout of Lake Superior has captured the imagination of anglers across the Great Lakes region. Revered for their size, beauty, and rarity, these fish remain one of Michigan’s most iconic native species — yet scientists still know surprisingly littleContinue reading "Grad student looks for a safer way to solve fishy mysteries"

In the heart of Northern Michigan, members of Trout Unlimited gathered in Roscommon this weekend for the Midwest Regional Rendezvous — a collaborative event focused on conservation, restoration, and the future of trout fishing. “This is a workshop. It’s a way of exchanging ideas,” said Kirk Deeter. “It happens here, right in the shadows of the same treesContinue reading "Midwest Regional TU Rendezvous addresses trout habitat restoration"

In 2002, Michigan artist Mark Steele painted a brook trout rising to a dry fly—a watercolor that captured something truly special. We lost Mark in 2023, but through a mutual friend Chuck Olenciak, we were entrusted with the remaining prints of this remarkable work. We felt there was only one fitting way to put these prints into motion:Continue reading "Watercolor for Michigan’s Coasters — Join Us in Preserving a Native Legacy"

For more than a century, hydroelectric dams owned by Consumers Energy have shaped the character of some of Michigan’s most storied rivers, quietly producing renewable power while also creating reservoirs, recreation areas, and highly managed cold-water fisheries. Today, those same dams sit at the center of a heated debate after the utility announced plans to sell allContinue reading "Michigan’s Hydroelectric Future at a Crossroads: The Controversy Over Consumers Energy’s Dam Sale"

Somewhere around the country right now, seventeen Two-Hearted Bamboo Fly Rods are being fished. Seventeen pieces of cane, each built by hand, each with its own story, now in the hands of anglers I’m incredibly grateful for. If you’re one of them, this is for you. These rods were never meant to sit in theirContinue reading "From Our Bench to Your River – Help Us Shape the Next Bamboo"

In 2025, fisheries biologists with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) made what many are calling a landmark discovery for coldwater fish conservation in the Great Lakes: they documented a shore-spawning population of Coaster Brook Trout in the shallow waters of Lake Superior, based on a credible tip that led the team to investigate last fall. ActingContinue reading "Rare Coaster Brook Trout Spawning Discovery in Lake Superior — A Sign of Conservation Success?"