I carried a 5 piece combo spin/fly rod in my briefcase for years. I was looking around the other day and decided to make another as I had used parts of the blank for rod repairs and I couldn't even find one section.

I could build the missing/defective sections, but I'd still wind up with a metal ferruled rod.

This new one is going to be a spinning/fly/spiral rod combo. Wish me luck.

I can make a handle from graphite or fiberglass to replace the metal one, but will buy one if it's available.

My question is where can I buy one and is it too ambitious a project to make one from graphite or fiberglass? I know how to make ferrules but is there anything sneaky that I should be aware of?

Thanks in advance.C2

Charlie,

I believe the ferrules should be made out of fiberglass not graphite. I have not seen anyone having fiberglass ferrules for sale, I might be wrong on that and if so someone else may speak up. You might try Neil's fishing (sponser on the left) as he seems to have the figerglass pieces I'm looking for. They well be pieces of glass that you will have to make into ferrules.

Can you explain a spinning/fly/spiral rod combo? If seen Spinning/Fly conbos but never one with a spiral in it.

Hope this helps

Hank
On The Rocks Fishing
Wells, ME.

If you can make it easy on yourself and pick up a say 5-7 piece travel blank. Graphite, for lightness. Spin - fly I can see, wonder about the spiral added in?? Looking for that all in one rod??
Let us know how this works. I for one am interested.

OK; are you ready for this?

I finished the rod handle this evening and the epoxy is curing. I think it's a winner. I will wrap the guides permanently tomorrow. with something pretty.

First, I got a 5 section 6wt travel blank. I won't bore you with the grisly details, but the first section has one vertical guide and one at 90 degrees a la Kirkman's stealth bumper guide. The rest of the guides go on per static displacement.

To use: When used as a spinning reel, the long EVA portion is at the rear leaving a handle for the spinning reel. The reel seat is in the forward position. Guides on all sections are on the bottom.

To use as a casting reel, invert the first section so that the butt guide is at the top and the 'new' guide is at 90 degrees. The long part of the handle is in the rear position. I test casted it with a little Ryobi V Mag 3 and it casts up to 1/2 ounce easily. The line went alongside the rod and worked smoothly.

To use as a fly rod, turn the handle around so the long portion is now at the front and the seat is at the end of the rod. All guides are on the bottom on all sections.

At first, I was a little aprehensive about the guides on the first section when I remembered when I first wrapped the old rod. I wrapped it spinning type and I was never satisfied with it. The next time that I wrapped it, I wrapped it fly rod guide style and it really helped. It cast well in both spinning/fly positions. This lead me believe that big guides don't necessarily cast better.

The new guide doesn't interfere in any way. I was aware of it because I knew that it was there, but soon forgot about it.

Any questions? I had fun with it and that's what rodbuilding is supposed to be about. C2

Hey Charlie,

Sounds pretty neet. Please post pictures of your project.

Hank
On The Rocks Fishing
Wells, ME.