Someone is offering me a trip to Little Cayman and I have been told an 8wt will pretty much cover any fishing I might do. I plan on using ceramic guides the whole length. Would you go 20-16-12-10-10-10 and 8s the rest of the way? Which aluminum seat? There seem to be countless sizes to choose from. The blank will likely be an RXF908-4.

My personal choice would be high frame 16 and 12, then either all 8's or all 7's the rest of the way out.

I fail to see any advantage to a size 20 stripping guide.


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I agree with Tom, on the several 8 wt.'s that I've built, I tend to use a 16, 12, and then 7's to the end. Most will want a reel seat that will accomadate a fighting butt of some kind.

I put a Struble all aluminum titanium anodized reelseat on my 9 wt, it has a rotating fighting butt with an o-ring seal that keeps water and crud out of the hidden threads.
Worked very well.

I built that blank for myself and used a PacBay channel Lock 8 Ti seat, with the fighting butt plug, and got the removable 2" and 5" fighting butts. The 5" butt is a nice feature to have if there is any wind and want to you use your free hand for a little casting leverage.
A #20 is big, especially for an 8wt. #16 down to 7's would be my choice and will also decrease weight a little. Easier on the arm after a long day.
Have fun on Little Cayman. I was on Grand and Brac in '99 and its beautiful down there!
RB