# Mauser Rods



## Flyboy (Aug 26, 2019)

@johnmauser should have plenty of experience


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## ShaggyPalm (Sep 30, 2021)

Flyboy said:


> @johnmauser should have plenty of experience


Any dealers in Tampa area?


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## jay.bush1434 (Dec 27, 2014)

ShaggyPalm said:


> Any dealers in Tampa area?


I'm pretty sure they are factory direct from Mauser Fly Fishing. I talked with him on the phone a couple weeks ago about his fly rods. They have the Waterman and the Osmosis. After talking with him, I want to order a Waterman.


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## SpotDoc (Dec 10, 2020)

Don't know much about the rods. However he fishes the same area I fish, and I can speak to him as a person. He is a great guy, very responsible and trustworthy. I'm sure his rods are top notch, I have heard nothing but good things.


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## Sublime (Oct 9, 2015)

Looks like a majority of their rods are sold out unless you want a 9wt and up. Good _and_ problem to have for them.


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## Todd (May 23, 2018)

I’ve been using an 8 wt Waterman for about 2 years now, it’s a great rod and it’s the rod that goes to the boat every time and I have a rack full of rods. I primarily chase slot redfish in the marsh and in the fall I go after false albacore. The rod has the finesse to chase the reds up close but the backbone to pull the early season false albacore in. It’s also pulled in about a hundred bones with no problems. When I first got the rod I took it out in the sun and actually used a magnifying glass to check it out. The wraps and epoxy work were flawless as was the cork which I believe he turns himself. I’m probably going to order a 10 wt, he makes a good rod.


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## exit (Aug 22, 2017)

I have a 5wt Osmosis and the build quality is on par with Scott and T&T. Coolest 5wt rod for salt and fresh. This rod is really good and I have cast SA Bonefish and Infinity 5wt lines and it handles both well. These are not "let me brag" show rods but built for we the people. I will be ordering a 7 wt Waterman when they are back in stock. John Waterman will answer the phone to discuss. Top that.


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## exit (Aug 22, 2017)

Sorry John Mauser will answer the phone....


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## birddog (Feb 21, 2019)

I have fished both a Waterman and an Osmosis on guides' boats multiple times in 6wt, 8wt, and 9wt, and they are great rods. The Waterman has a little more tip flex and is probably better for short redfish shots, but still has plenty of guts to go long. The Osmosis is a little stiffer but certainly no broomstick. I think some of the stiffness from the Osmosis comes from the walls being a little thicker thanks to the unsanded blank, but that could just be my imagination.

Both rods look cool with matte finishes that are somewhere between dark blue and dark gray depending on the light. The Waterman has a typical smooth blank and the Osmosis has the rough blank like a Scott or a Zone. You can see the components used on the Mauser website and they seem to be high quality. I don't know the difference between Nano-Lite inserts and ceramic stripping guides (I'm sure plenty of folks on here do), but line shoots through them well.

In terms of fit and finish, these rods are as good as anything else I've fished and certainly in the top tier. I made a point of really examining both a Waterman (6wt) and an Osmosis (8wt) last time I fished with a guide. The wraps and epoxy were flawless on both and it is clear that the builder took pride in their work. 

On that particular trip, the guide already had an Osmosis rigged and I didn't have my rod ready when it was time to hop on the bow, so I just used his rod. My first thought was that my wife would love it, and I was right. The grip was a little thinner than my personal rods, but it was quite comfortable. The rod felt light in hand. In fact, our guide had a 5wt reel on the 8wt rod and it balanced nicely. After I blew up a red on an easy shot, I stepped down and suggested my wife try the rod. Long story short, she's buying an 8wt Osmosis to replace her T&T when they come back in stock, and I'll be buying a 5wt or 6wt Waterman before the shad run next year.


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## johnmauser (Sep 9, 2009)

Hey everyone, sorry I missed this post. I used to visit this site daily but life is extremely busy lately and I haven't been on for a while. I definitely don't want to get up here and try to sell you on anything. I'd rather let the people who have purchased/fish the rods speak for us (and thank you to those that did). I'll just say that you can contact us anytime if you have any questions about rod specifics or when something will be in stock. I've been grinding on this company for almost 5 years and I think we are finally at the point where we are starting to get recognized for the effort. We've had a lot more exposure and interest as of late, and that combined with very long wait times for components to be manufactured/shipped, has made it a battle to keep things in stock. We are doing our best to get caught up and ahead of the curve. Y'all please don't hesitate to contact me if I can answer any questions for you. Thanks!
[email protected]
910-340-4811


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## birddog (Feb 21, 2019)

I ended up buying a 6wt Waterman in November and thought it might be worth a quick update now that I've had it and fished it for a couple of months.

In short, my impressions from fishing with guides' Waterman rods hold true. It's a great rod - really well built, high attention to detail. Wraps and epoxy are perfect, etc. The cork might be the best on any rod I own, no fillers or gaps or whatever. The logo on the reel seat is a cool touch as it helps figure out alignment without having to look for the little hole where the reel foot goes while you're rigging up. Another small thing I really like is the rod tube - it is slimmer than any of my other rod tubes, and the way I carry my rods (usually stacked under the handles of a duffle bag), it allows me to slip in an extra rod.

I've used the rod quite a bit on trout - both freshwater and speckled - since I got it. I find the rod to be very versatile, allowing me to easily throw roll casts it tight spaces with overhanging vegetation, has enough flex in the tip to let me throw short shots with ease, and still fast enough to let me throw 70 foot blind casts to speckled trout holes. I like a little bit heavier line on it, but haven't been overlining it. I've been using GPX in freshwater and Grand Slam in the salt. I'm really happy with it as a kind of "do everything" rod.

If you're thinking about picking up a Mauser rod, shoot them an email or give them a call. I wanted to get an 8wt Osmosis for my wife, but they were sold out. I reached out to find out when they'd be in stock, and got a prompt response from John Mauser who let me order one. John is also a guide in my area, so I booked a trip before Christmas and picked up the rod in person. He's also a fantastic guide and put my buddy on a Carolina inshore slam on his first time on a skiff, but that's a different story.

While we were fishing, I used the 8wt Waterman John had on his boat (because of course he did). It was my second time casting one, and I really liked it as well. I think it's a little faster than the Zepherus I typically use, but still very easy and comfortable to cast. It's not one of those super fast rods you have to work to load, but I was able to cast as far as my buddy who was throwing spoons on a spinning rod without much effort. Is it good enough that you'll see my Zepherus in the classifieds? Well, no, they're too similar and I already really like my Zepherus. On the other hand, for only $700 for a high quality made in the USA rod, I just might pick one up during one of those rare moments when I've got some extra cash burning a hole in my pocket, and I'm not sure which rod I would reach for.

I've been really impressed by the Mauser rods I've used, and after meeting the man behind the brand, I'm happy to help support the company next time I need a rod.

Haven't used my wife's Osmosis yet as it was a Christmas present and meant for a trip to the Bahamas in 2 weeks that has how been pushed back to April. If I remember, I'll update this post with impressions/experience with that rod.


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## exit (Aug 22, 2017)

I agree with the build quality of the Mauser rods. My Osmosis 5 wt is my favorite rod for calm days in both salt and freshwater. I like it as well or better than a Scott Radian that was my previous go to rod in 5wt. With the cooler weather I just switched to SA Infinity line which the Osmosis casts like a champ. I will be ordering more rods from Mauser.


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## Featherbrain (Nov 5, 2021)

@birddog when you talked to John to order a rod that was out of stock, how long did it take?


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## johnmauser (Sep 9, 2009)

I just jumped up here for the first time in several weeks and saw this thread back at the top. Can I just say it means so much to me to read through this thread. When you've put your heart and soul into something...well, it just really means a lot. Thanks.

We have a small supply of available rods built but we are holding off on posting them until after the Virginia Fly Fishing Festival this weekend. 

For the first time ever, our demand is bigger than our supply...but we are doing our best to get through these growing pains. Thank you all for the support!


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## birddog (Feb 21, 2019)

Featherbrain said:


> @birddog when you talked to John to order a rod that was out of stock, how long did it take?


I'm not a great person to answer that question. I was buying it as a Christmas present, so I didn't really care as long as I got it before Christmas. Scheduled a charter to fish with him the weekend before Christmas and said I'd just pick it up in person. That was maybe a month or 5 weeks after I first emailed him, but I know that he offered to have it done well before then if I needed it. I'd just give him a shout either by phone or email


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## Tankerfly (Jan 22, 2021)

I had a chance to meet John and cast his rods yesterday. First off, John seems like a great guy and we had a good conversation about fishing and rods. His rods look great. I was really impressed with what I saw from a craftsmanship and attention to detail standpoint. Cork, guides, etc all look great. I cast both the Waterman and Osmosis in 8wt. I liked both a lot, but had a slight preference for the Waterman. Both were capable of accurate short casts and a really nice feel and accuracy on longer casts. Short story, a Mauser is on the short list for my next rod.


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## flyfishnaked (Oct 10, 2021)

I ordered an 8wt Waterman in December and had it in about 10 days. John was great to talk to and very helpful; he is clearly very passionate about his company and the rods they build.

Scheduling has prevented me from getting it out on the flats so far, but I mated it to a Hatch Iconic 7+, lined it with an Orvis Pro textured WF8F, and have cast it quite a bit in the pond by my mailboxes. The rod is super accurate and responsive, and the short-range accuracy is off the charts for a less-than-stellar caster like myself. It'll also bomb the whole line if you need it to. As others have stated, the fit and finish is perfect.

I am very happy with my purchase and excited to get on some fish with it. I'll play with some other lines and see what it really likes.


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