Thanks to everyone who posts such cooperative, data oriented suggestions on this forum. This place is truly the Oracle of Rod Building. I am looking to gear up to fish for tarpon next spring. I've built a couple 9 wt rods on St Croix SCIV and SCV blanks. Sweet! Has anyone built on or fished the UFT9012 blank? Suggestions for something comparable from other manufacturers?
Thanks.

The All Star BAF 9010/11-2 blank has been getting rage reviews on Tarpon. Andy Snedden at Lamar Reelseats can tell you all about them.

James,
Can you see a lot of difference between the SCIV and the SCV? After I finish these four rods that I am building, I want to build a fly rod on one of those blanks. I am leaning towards the SCIV due to the price of the blank. I have read that the V is a faster blank.

Cheers, Ellis

Ellis,
The SCV is 'FAST PLUS'. It's a beauty of a premium blank, though I know you won't be disappointed with the SCIV. It's fast action and crisp casting.

Rich Garbowski
Richard's Rod & Reel

Very little difference. I like the SCIV, again, the performance difference does not reflect the price difference. The UFT9012 is a great blank. You wouldn't be disapppointed.

The Dan Craft models might be worth looking at if you want a very light rod for the power. I'm not sure he goes up that high, but it's worth a look.

The All Star Austin heavy fly blanks are very respected as well.

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The 10wtSig V would be an 11-12 weight rod by the CC system, for what that is worth. I built one last year that tipped the scales at 3.8oz...ended up selling it to a guy in MN for 3x what I paid for the components.

All this informaiton in just three hours. wow.......

I would say Mr. Kirkman is right. The my SCV rod is great, but I probably would not kick in the extra bucks next time. Are the rod manufacturers making these super fast rods simply because they can? Is this like cell phones and 4 wheel drive, we can't live without it simply because it is there? Not that I complain too much, I hate pouring money into vehicles, but a reason to get another rod is always welcome.

Spencer,

You have Andy Snedden of Custom Rodbuilders Inc. and Andy Dear of Lamar Reel Seats mixed up. Both great guys and both would tell you the blank in question is a good one.

Andy Snedden
Custom Rodbuilders Inc.

You can make an extra fast rod out of hickory - action doesn't depend on the material. What you are supposedly paying for in the SCV, is a blank that is lighter for the same stiffness, therefore better efficiency (quicker reaction and recovery). And it has that, but not enough of it to justify the extra cost for me.

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

Mr. Snedden, you said;

"You have Andy Snedden of Custom Rodbuilders Inc. and Andy Dear of Lamar Reel Seats mixed up. Both great guys and both would tell you the blank in question is a good one."

Yes...both are great guys....but doesn't it boild down to who is thr better lookin' of the two?


Andy Dear
Lamar Reel Seats

I vote for Andy, whatever the criteria is.