Have you ever built a rod for yourself that you don't need and may never use? I did. I obtained an Alvey reel at a sale of fishing gear owned by a fishing club member that died. Alvey reels always fascinated me and I could not resist. Now that I had the crazy Australian reel, I had to make a rod for it. I researched the subject and came up with an expensive St. Croix surf blank. It came out well (10' 6" with a short butt and long foregrip). I also put on an, "Alvey open runner", which is an open guide you flip the line in after you cast. I made this thing several years ago and except for a test casting session, I have never used it. It was dumb to make it but I did. Have any others made rods you probably will never fish with? Can any of you Aussies, throw any light on these outfits? John Butterfield

I built a 5 1/2 foot 5 wt fly rod from a Pac Bay Tradition ultra light spin blank I had laying around. The grip was made out of spare cork and is only 4 1/2 inches long. I did a pretty nice job on the rod too. Have yet to cast it anywhere near water. Wish I would have had a bigger grip to use.

Kevin

G'day John,
I'm orginally from Sydney, New South Wales and only a the die hard beach fisho's used them. Back in 1997 I was transfered to Brisbane Queensland (basically I saw the light) everyone uses them, Queensland is where they were designed, I think. You see the smaller ones used in Esturaries,Rivers, beachs even the Southeast Queensland Australian Bass lakes the bigger ones used as deepsea winchs, I pesonally own a couple but very rarely use them as I don't enjoy beach fishing that much. I do a lot of esturary, lake fishing for Barramundi and Mangrove Jack (mangrover snapper I think you call them in the States. I have seen people catching 20kg barra on the alvey reels in the northern impoundments. They are a very simple reel with little maintenance. I made a downrigger out of one of mine, and it works great. You should sell the rod to a dedicated beach fisho, they take a bit of getting used to, but beach fisho's here love them. They range in size from about 4" upwards.
6" 6.5" 7" ones are the most popular for beach fishing by the looks of things.

Myles
Brisbane, Australia

Since I've "wasted" many hours making custom wrapped pringle cans, xmas ornaments, weaves on tackles boxes etc etc etc, I don't believe its possible to have dumb rod project. Rod projects are worthwhile, pringle cans are not!

Hey Jim,
The only good thing about a pringle can, is that you can usally enjoyed a few beers while emptying the can.

Myles

Dumb rod project?? Not me!! Never!! Well, maybe there was that one... and then I did that stupid reel project...
Naw, I'd never do any of that stuff

Putter

...and then there was that lamp bracket marble job...

Ever custom grid an ice rod?? How's that for "questionable" behavior?!
Ray

How about the golf club fishing rod I made? Fellow asked me if I could make a fishing rod that looked like a golf club because there is a lake on a course that they don't open to fishing... he plays golf but also fishes. It had to look like a golf club when sticking out of his bag. Oh - and if you have no use for that Alvey --- I have one that I use all the time and I love it for casting - but it's a long way back to the beach at 1:1 ratio! I've been meaning to make another rod for an antique Alvey reel made from silky oak and brass fittings/brass lead guide. IF you don't use yours -- we can make a deal if you contact me off-board.

Talk about dumb, I got a St Croix butt section fly with a e-glass tip section? Should have been at least the other way around for weight. Nice gold color, was a 5 WT and will work as a 3WT like I wanted, but it feels like a rock is on the end of it. Live and learn - what was I thinking???

I built a 15 ft. 10/11 wt. 3 pc. spey blank into a bait spinning/Alvey rod to fish live minnows at long distances (150 ft. plus) for Stripers & cats. I either use a baitrunner reel or an Alvey 45C1 with 8 lb. Ralph

I'll try and post a pic this weekend of a walking stick I just made for a buddy who walks his dog everyday. I made it out of an old wooden golf club, a driver, and ground the wooden head down and fitted a rubber tip on it , even wove his initials on it over the approx 30" 8axis chevron!!

John; I did exactly the same thing..really got carried away. 4 guides,first one 4" in diam; Fancy butt wrap forward of the open runner; extended the butt of a glass flea-market surf rod for length;fooled with building the thing for a coupla weeks. Don't know if I'll use it or not.. it's so different from everything else, but it is fun to fool with,and it'll toss a 4 oz. sinker an awful long way. Barry