rodbuilders...

i need your advice.

this spring i hope to build my first fly rod - haven't used a fly rod since my teens circa 1966. naturally i've got a lot of catching up to do.

i would like to build a 2 piece blank of 7 foot certainly no longer than 7 1/2' utilizing line wt of 5 to 7.

i've been doing a lot of reading and and think i may be able to craft a decent short rod for stream and pond. regretfully i'm out-of-the-loop when it comes to understanding modern graphite fly rod blanks. i hope some on this superb list may be able to recommend a decent blank. i'm prepared to pay around a hundred dollars.

i'd like a strong rod with plenty of backbone, fast action and fairly high modulus.

no doubt i've ommitted a great deal of criteria necessary to make a rational decision on a specific blank. suffice to say i'd be casting nymphs, sometimes fairly large for steel head in swift water, but also i'd like to present lighter patterns of both dry and wet fly for smaller species, small mouth, crappie etc. a strong yet sensitive rod blank is what i seek.

with such an enormous array of specialized blanks in a mydrid of powers and sizes i hope that someone might be able to recommend some blanks for consideration.

recommendations on a reel would also be welcomed. do any manufactures offer a left hand retrieve? i hope so.

i thank you for your excellent forum and for your generous attention to those of use who are not yet knowledgable in the complexities of modern rod crafting.

in the few months i've lurked on this list i've learned a great deal.

vty,

marc forrest

[www.mind.net]

With your limiting the criteria I would suggest looking at a Rainshadow RX7 7'6" 5 wt. Not expensive but a heck of a series of fly blanks. Can be found at any of the vendors to the left that sell Rainshadow blanks. It will be very difficult to find a higher weight rod than a 5 wt at that short length although you could easily create one if you so desire.

Mark, The RX7 suggested isn't a bad choice, though it's moderate fast action.
For a fast action, you might consider the St. Croix SCIV graphite. Has high modulus and stiffness to weight ratio. Model 4F764.4 is a 4 wt. and 7'6". . for 5 wt. there is the 8' model
These may be a bit above your price consideration, though they are among the best value fast action blanks with great technology made in U.S. domestic blanks with precision and backed by St. Croix
You might also check out the England made St. Croix fly reels, especially the LA series.

Rich Garbowski
Richard's Rod & Reel

All the modern reels now days can be made to work off any side you want. To get a fast 7 wt rod I would check out some of the medium light spinning blanks, I can think of a few blanks that may work, I could CC them to see where they stand if you like. The list would expand some if you can transport a single piece rod.

thank you Spencer, Rich and Rob...

lookin' at the rainshadow... the medium light spinning blanks sound intriguing Spencer... i'm interested in what might work tho i stand firm on a two piece configuration.

boy those St. Croix reels are nice... but spendy...

i wonder what the fly rod equivilent of the magnum taper might be?

is there a magnum taper fly rod?

studying...

looking forward to crafting up this flyrod and posting the images on my blog...

marc

Marc,

If your going to use a flyrod for steelhead, I would suggest a longer rod around 9 or 10 ft. in a 7wt. Thats a little over kill for crappie, but I don't think you would want to under rod yourself for the zipping, jumping and hard fighting steelies. Rainshadow, St. Croix and Dan Craft would all be good choices in a nice rod.

Jim

Thanks Jim for the recommendation...

but i must let you know that i've caught many steelhead - rogue river - 10 and 12 pounders on a little loomis 6'6" fly rod blank configured for bait casting. a battle indeed and in swift water... but all the more fun. that little rod blank never gave up.

i guess my point is i'm beganning to understand that with the right blank action and power, it's amazing what large/battling fish can be taken...

i understand the smallmouth bass is one tough customer... would love to take one on a short fly rod.

marc

Marc,
I would echo Jim's recommendation. My first fly rod was a 9 foot #7wt which I used on rivers like the Klamath for steelhead and salmon. In a pinch I used it for trout and bass. The problem is that you may run into a salmon or a large steelhead on the Rogue and you would be glad to have a larger rod. I also think you need to consider the size of the flies you may need to cast. I also think a medium fast or fast action would be your best bet. Most of the sponsors on the left would have a variety of blanks that would meet your needs.

While I learned on an old Pflueger Medalist 1495 1/2, I would recommend a Tioga reel. These reels are well made with a very good disc drag system and as reels go today are an excellent value. best of luck with your project.

Mike Blomme

A short flyrod is fine for the smaller species you mention,or for fishing from a boat,but the short rod simply has far too many disadvantages to it compared to a longer rod when fishing rivers for salmon and steelhead.

Short rods are great for applying leverage to fish(better than long rods here),but that's about it.Longer rods cast further,offer better tippet protection,and most importantly when flyfishing rivers for steelhead/salmon,allow you to control/mend your flyline at much longer distances and with far less effort.

With a 7ft rod you would only be able to "effectively" fish a very small section of moving water(unless in a boat),but with a long rod you can effectively fish out to considerable distances and control your line well.This is one of the main reasons why 2 handed(spey) rods have been building up such a loyal following with steelheaders(at least out west),almost to the point of making single handed rods seem obsolite.

Most good salmon and steelhead fly rods are at least 9ft long,and rods of 9ft6-10ft are better to be honest.They are certainly tougher to cast all day,but they have line control advantages in moving water.The long 2 handers take this one step further and cover MUCH more water effectively than even a long(9ft6-10ft) single hander.

It's all about using the most effective tool for the job and unfortunately a 7ft flyrod simply isn't a very effective rod for fishing rivers for salmon and steelhead unless you have a bunch of fish stacked up right in front of you and don't have to work for them.The short rod may have no problem handling the fish themselves,but the rod would not be a very effective tool to get your fly to them and work it properly once there.

Personally,I would go with at least a 9ft single hand rod for steelhead and if possible,a 9ft6-10ft rod.Any of these should be medium fast to fast action,have a stout butt section,and a nice crisp and sensative tip(for detective bites during the drift).The rod line weight would depend on where you plan on fishing most,but as a general rule for the pacific northwest,I would get a 7-9wt rod depending on the waters you plan on fishing,the size of the fish,and most importantly,the type of fishing presentation you will need to use(including the size of the flies,types of flylines and weights of sinking heads you need to fish,and distances you need to be able to effectively fish at(how large is the river?average length casts are?do you need to be able to throw a long line every now and then to get to them?).

I mostly fish in BC and can tell you that I don't think I have EVER seen anyone flyfishing for salmon or steelhead with anything under 8ft6 in length.Spin fishing-yes because the deleivery and line and lure control is different,but not fly fishing because there are just too many disadvantages with the short rod and you can only effectively fish a very small area on the water at a time.

My 2 handers will be replacing many of the rods being used for these situations below this year because they simply are more effect tools for the job),but for now,my single hand weapons of choice are a 10ft 9wt GLX(long rod but VERY light) for winter run fish,chum salmon,and the odd chinook(where heavy lines are needed to get down near bottom) and big summer run fish(Skeena area,Thompson,etc),a 10ft 8wt GLX(long rod but VERY light) for times when I can get away with using a floating line or light multi tip line and avoid the heavy stuff,and a 10ft 7wt Dan Craft SIG V(yet another long rod but VERY light) for light,slightly smaller summer run fish,small to medium size salmon,etc.

As you can see,I(and most serious steelheaders and salmon fishers that fly fish from shore in rivers) tend to favor 9ft6-10ft single hand rods for this kind of fishing and in rod weights from 6(in areas with smaller summer run fish)up to 9wt(areas with the real big boys and areas that need alot of weight to get down in to reach the fish -a la winter run fish in cold weather).7wt rods seem popular for summer run fish and 8wts are probably the best all around choice(although some "7wts" these days actually have more power int hem than many 8wts out there).

The short rod would be alot of fun for smaller fish and pond fishing though.I would almost be tempted to try to make 2 rods if possible since the gear needed to fish both effectively and get the most enjoyment out of it,isn't quite the same for both.The short 5wt would be perfect for the pond work and small streams,while a much larger rod like a 9ft-9ft6(10ft if you can handle it) 7-8wt would really serve you well for steelheading.

As for building 2 rods for $100,I don't know for sure,but you would be surprised at how little you could build both for.Check out some of the Forecast blanks and some of the other low cost,but excellent quality components now available and you may be able to be close to your budget(Of course you would have to build 2 rods instead of one,which is fine if you enjoy building,but if you don't then obviously it's a disadvantage).For the type of fishing you are wanting to do,finding just one rod(especially a 7ft long 5 to 7wt,fast action,high modulous blank)to do both well is asking for alot.They are VERY different fisheries and thus one should gear up differently for them to be effective and have as much fun as possible..

I'd take the suggestions of a longer rod seriously. As you've stated, you haven't fly fished since the mid 60's. (Many of) the people answering your questions practically do it for a living, and have a wealth of experience. When I started fly fishing (late 80's), I had a lot of misconceptions about what a good fly rod would be based on my bait and lure slinging days, and quickly learned for the better.
From my experience, the short rods are best suited to fishing small water (streams) with light lines (2-4wt) with short casts. A longer rod will be MUCH more useful for still water and rivers where casting distance, mending ability, handling of heavier flies, heavier fish, etc. come into play.
I'd suggest something like a 9 footer in a 6wt as a good all around rod for the situations you've indicated.
Also, be aware the multi-piece rods (3-4 piece) are really no different these days from their 2 piece brothers, except that they are much more portable. I used to be stubborn about using/building only 2 piece rods, and now my collection consists almost entirely of 3, 4 and 5 section rods due to their much better portability when travelling, and completely equivalent performance to 2 sections rods.

Troy, Michael, Tony...

excellent points all... you've convinced me of the value of a longer reach. of course bigger water and bigger fish require a longer rod...

and as you suggest Tony perchance my best choice is to build two rods. indeed i shall. but first i think the smaller blank 7' or 71/2' to get the hang of casting line once more.

michael, i'll check out the tioga reels....

thank you all for your sage advice.

marc

Marc , I'll second the Tiogas , I have 4 of then from one for my 2&3 wts , all the way up to one for a 10 wt. Exelent reel for the money , and spare spools wont break the bank either. Good drags and realy not that heavy . John