Best Place to Buy a Custom-Made Bamboo Fly Rod

The fly rods made by owner Mike Clark at South Creek Ltd. are works of art with a purpose: catching fish. These handmade beauties are created to the individual's specifications, and South Creek is the only place in the state (and one of only a handful in the nation) where you can buy such a rod. They're pricey, ranging from $1,400 to as much as $4,000 (depending on which special features -- engraving, gold-plating, insetting precious stones -- are requested). But they're worth the cost in fly-fishing enjoyment, and worth the wait (currently three years from start to finish). No rod leaves the store without Clark's seal of approval -- he'd rather break 'em and start over.