I'd like to build a short < 3' fly rod for indoor casting practice. Wulff (Fly-O) and Mel Kreiger (Mel-O)made cheap outfits. J. Austin Forbes makes a very expensive outfit ( [www.jaustinforbes.com] )

I'm thinking a VERY light tip section might do it.

Has anyone tried something like this?

Any ideas, suggestions for components, experiences?

Thanks,

Tony

Tony,
A fly tip section should serve your purpose for this. We sell these St. Croix fly tip secions in graphite for high quality ice fishing rods. A 3 ft. section from a light wt. fly tip and UL3 size reel seat to a small reverse half wells grip would leave you room for a stripper and maybe 4 running guides. Though, the reach to the stripper is obviously compromised from normal fly casting.
Just an idea.

Rich Garbowski
Richard's Rod & Reel

I just finished my first micro. Dan Craft can set you up with an 0 blank. Mine is 5 feet long in 4 sections. The butt is .18. I turned down a kork-a-lon grip to create a grip/reel seat and then used a Forbes micro for the reel. REC single foots with #6 stripper. But alas, it only casts 30 feet and weighs in at a hefty 1.5 ounces (with reel). My advice is to make the rod as long as you can with a very light tip, or it won't want to load. I don't know if indoor practice is really practical except in a gym.

I wouldn't advise practicing in the house with a 5 foot rod. Makes Mama very unhappy. A 3 footer is borderline.8-)

I built a 3 foot fly rod one time for fishing in the swamp. I had lots of fun with it and a few anxious moments when a big critter decided to eat my tiny fly.

Let us know how it turns out. C2

Hi Tony,
I believe the casting tools you mention have just a tip with the yarn attatched to it. The idea is to have a tool that visibly allows you to get the mechanics of casting down firm. By this,I mean you have something that shows you how your casting loop is. Nice and tight or loose and sloppy. By knowing what your doing,you are better able to correct it. The yarn is the key as it is very visible and obvious to anyone standing by to coach you on your casting technique. No need to get very costly with this project. Blank,tip,handle,and yarn. As for the handle,an ice rod grip in EVA or inexpensive cork grip will do for that. BTW,Mudhole is currently selling cork fly grips for around $6.I believe they are marked down from 15 or 16 bucks.
If it is something you wish to build to serve double duty as both a rod and a tool,follow the suggestions mentioned above. Just search the sponsors sites to find something that will fit your needs for length and line size.
Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

Excellent comment Chuck. My problem with the concept of a 3 foot practice rod that casts yarn is that it teaches you how to cast a 3 foot rod with yarn. In vocational lingo, not a transferable skill. In the hands of a trainer it makes a good demo for students equipped with real equipment. But beyond that, I don't see the point. Yarn will more or less "cast" on the end of a wooden dowel. A flyrod much under 5 foot is not very practical. My micro rod can't be used in any more than a slight breeze, but it is a real rod in every other aspect. What was the critter there in the swamp?

Don,I couldn't agree more with the "transferable skills." Especially in light of the fact that the yarn never truly "loads" the blank. I think I might be concerned if it did. "Negative" weight flylines???? And some of us think 1/2 weight lines are confusing or whatever........LOL