I have built up 4 of Dan Craft's blanks and love them. I am looking at the 11 ft. 6 wt.Gatti blank, the FR3PA, and Dan's FT 10 ft. 6 wt. I have read all the great reviews about the FT, but thought a little longer rod might be worth a try. This is for Great lakes Trib steelhead fishing Has anyone got any experience with both company's blanks, and if so how do they compare? The Gatti is about twice the price, is it worth the extra $?
Thanks, this board has to be one of the most informative and civil places on the internet, I only bulid one or two rods a year and yet I visit this site almost every day, just to read what you have to say and see the incredible work in the photo section.

Gatti blanks are nice and very crisp, light, whereas the FT are famed to be TCR fast. There's a world of difference. The CCS data site do not rate those specific blanks, but it suggest a rough 10 CC difference.
(My .02)

FT blanks are obviously light and crisp too (but I never handled one).

The Dan Craft blanks are some of the highest quality blanks I've seen. The one I received recently is extremely straight and well finished. I have to compare it most favorably with some of my favorite fly rod blanks, such as the St. Croix SCIV and SCV.

Gatti has some very enthusiastic fans. I'm not one of them, but we all have our own personal desires in a rod.

I could only say that both blanks are going to do a great job for you. Which one you like best will be determined by your own personal preferences. But they do act and feel a bit different. If you really like your DC blanks, you may not like the feel of the Gatti's. If, however, you're still looking for something a little different than what you have now, it might be worth trying the Gatti.

............

Just to clarify something. I don't know the Gatti blanks. The 10' models of FT are reported to be world class excellent but not TCR fast. It's the shorter FT (8'6" and 9' models) that have the ultra-fast tips that many have compared to the TCR. But, I don't think most folks looking at 10' steelhead blanks want ultra fast tip action blanks anyway. Bob Meiser and several other steelhead and salmon anglers/rodbuilders have raved about the 10' FT blanks for this application. Do a search and see what others have said about them.

I've used the 11' Gatti's over the years....Nice blanks.

.....Although they are an entirely different blank then Dan's 10' 4 pc FTs.

The 10' FTs are progressive tapers and actions.....In fact I have never seen a flater taper on any fast recovery rod.

A very clever design with outstanding duability.



The Gatti 11' rods have more of a classic progressive degree of taper, and wall thickness....Typical of most thin walled, intermediate modulus, fast recovery two handers.

Their tubes are rather large, and because of this will hold a lot of delivery reserve.

Both the FT and Gatti will accomplish the same goals, but will do them in quite different ways.....In my opinion a good thing.

My only issue is that the Gatti's tend to be a bit fragile over the long haul.

You might also ask Dan about the 4 pc 11'6" 5/6/7 wt. as well....An excellent lightweight GLs switcher blank.

Also consider CTS....

Stephen does now have a large series of outstanding two handed blanks that we have designed together over the past 18 months: From 12'6" to 16' ~ 4/5 wt to 11/12 wt......4,5 and 6 pc.

Bob Meiser

For GL steelhead you will probably want to avoid the FT 9'0" models. They wouldn't be particularly adept at chucking & ducking or anything else requiring a lob-type cast. Nor would they be much good for protecting a tippet. I fished my 9' 6wt FT for smallmouth a lot this fall and popped at least three tippets before I got used to the fact that when you put the wood to the fish, you REALLY do it with the FT. Since there's really only flex in the last foot or so, you don't have a lot of leeway. Not what you'd be looking for in a steelie rod designed to protect 4x and 5x tippets in close quarters...

The 10' FT's, on the other hand, might well be an option, as would the SigV's. I have a 9' 5wt that I just built up a week or so ago and I may never cast another smallmouth rod again....

I am sure that both of them are very nice, but I am not sure they are for your intended use. I think both of them will be way too fast for great lakes steel. You want a good med-fast rod for steel. One with a soft tip to protect 2# flourocarbon tippit and a strong butt to fight the fish. The length helps with the ever sought after drag free drift (Indy rig). If you are planning on chucking and ducking forget both of them for sure.

If you are set on one of these blanks drop down a wt or two. A 4wt in these blanks may just do the trick.


Look into the Rainshadow RX7 or RX8 10' models. The RX8 10' 5wt is perfect for the PA, smaller OH streams like the Rocky, 18 mile, the Cat, and the Oak in NY, the Pere Marquette in MI. I would go with a 7wt for the Salmon river NY, or the Grand River OH.

If you are C&D stick with a 9' rod in an 8 or 9wt. Then just use running line.

The thing that is sweet about the 10' FTs is that in the lighter line weights they are very tippet friendly.

Here on the Rogue/Klamath drainages for example, we have a huge run of imature Summer and Winter Steelhead locally known as "half pounders".

These are fish generally in the 3/4 to 2 pound range, and the Rogue alone often has a seasonal run that will exceed 200,000 of these ocean bright fish.

They will often move up-river in rather large pods, several hundred fish to the pod.

The lucky angler can often get into 20 to 30 of these feisty little chrome rockets from one or two riffels.... If things are right.

They will generally be pursued while imitating the various Mays, Caddis, and Stones found throughout the system......This best done with indy/high sticking small bead head nymphs, or swung/lifted soft hackles in the riffels and their tailouts.

The real bonus being that you may just as easily hook into the migrating 6 to 12 pound adult fish as well in the same waters....Using the same flies.

As in Trouting, very fine tippets are required for this.

The lighter lined 10' FTs really work well in this enviornment: Not to tip stiff to over rod the smaller fish, but still plenty of backbone to defeat the larger fish as well.

I know that there are many blanks out there that will do all of this, but among them to be considered would be Dan's 10' FTs.

Bob Meiser

Thanks for the glowing reports Tom and Bob! And just as an extra not, we are prototyping a 10'0" 3wt and a 10'0" 4wt in the FT series! I will see these light liners this week and if all looks good, I will order a batch right away.
Thanks,

Dan Craft

Bob have you used Gatti's FRD2 117-4TA blank? they are a new series and would like some feed back from you if you or any one else has. thank you Dewey Linski

Hi Dewy,

No I have not tried these.

.... But have always been impressed with the smooth actions of all of Sandro's blanks.

Check with Christian Brink, he's pretty dialed into the Gatti's.

Bob Meiser