Cortland Fly Rods

Cortland Line Company, founded in 1915 in Cortland, New York, is one of America’s oldest and most iconic fly-fishing brands. Originally famous for silk and then revolutionary PVC fly lines (the 444 and Precision series remain industry benchmarks), Cortland expanded into rods in the 2000s with the acquisition of the respected Nymph and Competition lines.

Today’s Cortland fly rods occupy the sweet spot of high performance at mid-tier pricing ($250–$550). The flagship Nymph series (10–10'6" Euro rods) is widely regarded as the best value in competitive nymphing, regularly winning medals at national and world championships. The Competition MKII lake and river rods dominate stillwater and indicator fishing, while the ultralight LSi and all-around Pike/Musky models round out the range.

Built in partnership with top Korean and Japanese blanks and finished in Cortland, New York, they blend crisp actions, excellent feel, and bulletproof construction. Cortland rods sit squarely between budget brands (Redington, TFO) and premium marques (Scott, Hardy), offering guide-grade durability and tournament-level precision without the four-figure price tag. For serious anglers who fish hard and often, Cortland is the pro’s “secret weapon” that punches well above its price.