Hi all,
I thought I would build up a fly rod for my friend. He is getting his PhD and I figured 6 years of hard work deserves a tool for serious play. As a short of cash collage student myself, I mentioned this to his wife hoping that she might be able to take some donations from his other friends and relatives. I told her that for about 175 bucks, I could buid a nice 4wt rod. She just called and said that she rounded up nearly $500!! So now I have a problem.

For myself, I never buy high priced blanks from Loomis or Sage etc., telling myself that Dan Craft, Rainshadow and Allstar are every bit as good. I always figured that you were mostly paying for the ad campaign. Now I have basically an unlimited budget and I'm thinking that I might try them out. I don't want to buy one just becuase it's expensive or has the brand. I just want the best I can get for the money.

As this will be a backpacking rod, I'm also worried about durability. The last thing you want 5 days into a 14 day backpacking trip is to break a rod. I need to find a good balance between performance and durability.

I am planing on using high-end componants (Vernerri seat, Sic guides, etc.) But I'm at a loss for choosing a blank.

Any suggestions?

brian
with that kind of cash you can one of the blanks you mentioned plus get him a decent reel maybe some backing line etc.and he would be ready
to go.
joe.

I'd stick with your original thoughts; then go with Joe's ideas!! It'll be a great gift!

Brian - Dittos to the advice from Joe & Putter. Outfit this buddy as completely as you can for a back-packing trip. Classy-quality rod, reel, fly line, flies & tying materials. And, as the balance of the budget allows, maybe a new fly vest or shirt; some fly boxes, forceps, clippers, etc. Does his wife ever fish with him (even on local day trips)? Maybe SHE needs an outfit, too !

Hopefully, she's not a complete "fishing widow", and has trained herself to enjoy what her husband enjoys so much, at least within the limits of HIS comfort zone. And she has studied & respects him enough to know when he needs his "men-only" space. (Sounds like she does.) But you, Brian, can re-affirm her place in his life by at least delicately asking your buddy about this idea: "Does she need a rod, too?" I have seen many couples work very hard to achieve and advance their positions in life. And the price of that success is, of course, at the expense of TIME. Which they are likely to have less of together once he starts the awesome task of establishing himself at this new level of career competition. The good news is, he's got his PhD. Now he's at the lowest rung of the highest ladder. Maybe a rod for her would be more like flowers. Guys don't understand, but gals seem to love it. Maybe it'll just turn out to be a corner decoration. Or, ... maybe, it can help make the good thing they got going even better.

As you think of whether or not to do a rod for her (maybe even a spinner for ease of use), don't forget to include a bottle of celebration for the presentation party or the shore lunch.

And what has all this got to do with RodBuilding.Org?
Let's call it "MARRIAGE-BUILDING THRU ROD-BUILDING".
That's one sacred "assembly" that we all hoped would never come unglued.
Sincerely, Cliff Hall, Gainesville, Florida .

Brian, nothing will be indestrubable, but for a very fine blank I would consider a 4 SCIV blank made by St. Croix. In a nice rod case you will have an exceptionally nice rod built. Either use the high end Fuji titanium/SiC or some nice style ATC zirconia ring guide for customization. With a fine matched reel seat and the new wood/cork match up ATC handle set or the exotic burl rings if turning your own.
That would all come up to a top notch special occasion gift custom rod to appreciate. With a bit of feather inlay, or holographic fish decal and weave personaliztion for the name/date is an idea to go along with that.

Rich Garbowski
Richard's Rod & Reel

email: info@rodreel.com

Brian,

Make that 4 wt the 3 pc 8'4 Sig V from Dan Craft...If you're going for 3 pcs rather than 4 or 5.

Deck it out as nice as you want....and yu'll still have ton's of cash for reel, line, sock and tube.

Keith

Hi as you mentioned above, Rainshadow is your choice of rather "affordable" blanks, well maybe try RX8, 4 pcs with TiGold or blue zirconia ring single foot titanium carbide plated frame (Tich ) St. Croix SCIV could be Ok, but i'd rather choose RX8 if for the same amount of $