About Yellowfin Custom Fly Rods
Yellowfin Custom Fly Rods grew out of a lifelong love of the outdoors and a passion for fly fishing.
After moving to Colorado in 2003, I picked up a fly rod for the first time just two weeks later. I was hooked. What started as a new hobby quickly became a passion that took me backpacking and fishing throughout the Colorado Rockies. Along the way, I also began writing about fly fishing, with articles appearing in The Drake, American Angler, and Southwest Fly Fishing magazines.
In 2015, I discovered another side of fly fishing: building custom rods. What began as a way to create my own personalized fly rods grew into Yellowfin Custom Fly Rods.
Since then, I’ve built more than 500 custom fly rods for anglers who appreciate quality craftsmanship and the ability to make a rod their own.
Every Yellowfin rod is individually assembled, wrapped, and finished by hand in Colorado. From selecting the blank and components to choosing thread colors and finishing details, each build is an opportunity to create something personal.
Whether you’re looking for a lightweight trout rod or a custom saltwater setup, my goal is to build a fly rod you’ll be excited to take on the water.
— Jon Hill
Founder, Yellowfin Custom Fly Rods
Questions about a custom rod?
yellowfinrods@gmail.com
Life in the Rockies
The Story Behind the Yellowfin Name
Yellowfin Cutthroat Trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii macdonaldi)
The name Yellowfin Custom Fly Rods was inspired by the Yellowfin Cutthroat Trout, a unique subspecies of cutthroat trout once found in Colorado’s Twin Lakes.
Until the early 1900s, yellowfin and greenback cutthroat trout inhabited the waters of Twin Lakes. Following the introduction of rainbow trout, the native populations declined, and the yellowfin cutthroat eventually disappeared. Today, the yellowfin is considered extinct.
Although the fish itself is gone, its history remains part of Colorado’s fly-fishing heritage. For me, the Yellowfin Cutthroat represents the wild places, native trout, and fishing traditions that inspired my passion for the sport—and ultimately the name Yellowfin Custom Fly Rods.
