Jackie, I read your posting from December about wanting to build a spinning rod on a fly rod blank. Did you ever do it? If so, how did it turn out?

Here's the link for the original posting for anyone interested.
[www.rodbuilding.org]

Joe, I have built four of them, 3-7'6" 2wt and one 6' 3wt, all St Croix AVID's, all Concept guide system, three with AMTAK holos and one with Fuji Alconites, am into a fifth right now, all repeat customers. Used Cabelas composite butt and fore grips with their woven graphite reel seats.

Warning, they are extremely fragile for spinning rods, one cutsomer has already broken same rod twice, not rod's fault, customer's, they must learn to handle them like fly rods.

Jackie,

I have built a number of my FT fly blanks into spin rods. They are very durable and we are standing behind the warranty. My first was a 6wt 10'0" model that I built into a long cast spin rod for small stream float fishing for steelhead. The guide at the lodge where I stayed liked it so much I left it with him. I am currently using an 8wt model in the same length for steelhead and like the feel very much!
We have 9'0" models in 4pc down to 2wt and a person could drop the butt and have a nice 3pc spin rod of just under 7'

Dan Craft
Dan Craft Enterprises

I'm building one now, a Cabela's PT 9ft. 3wt. 2pc. as a spinning rod for trout & panfish. With a reelseat (17mm. graphite) from 'Inserts by Les' with a trout on the reelseat insert. I'm using Fuji Alconite guides. Ralph

If at first you don't succeed, go fishing, then try, try again.

Not yet! I've been making tons of rods, but they're all for other people, so I haven't had much time to consider making one for myself. When I do I'll be sure to post and let everyone know how it came out!

Jackie

Reading the posts on this reminds me of how far we have come on the custom rod business as far as supplies are concerned. I built my first rod about the time time Elvis left us. We had fiberglass for blanks and stainless steel for eyes. Fenwick was one of the few suppliers I had acess to. About the 3 rd rod I built I decided to get radical and try a new material called graphite. I decided to build an 8 ft , 7WT fly rod into a spinning rod. I also decided to use aluminum oxide eye as they were the latest rage.
I was living in north Florida and used it for salt water trout and small reds. I moved to Iowa where it caught lots of small mouth and trout(also in nearby Minn. and Wisconsin. I have been in Mississippi for 21 years and it acounted for quite a few large mouth, crappie and spotted bass before my ex wife slammed it in a tail gate.
We have the best equipment and supplies now that I have ever seen in the time I have been making rods.
Sam in Mississippi