Just like it says, preferably 4 piece but I won't be picky. Also price is sort of a factor. If someone could steer me in the right direction, I would be grateful.

Shanon

Shannon,
Give Andy Dear a call at Lamar Reel Seats. I bought three fly blanks for a price you won't believe. I got two 9 wr. Austins and a 7 wt. in two piece blanks. These were sold to me with no guarantee if I broke them. That understood, these are perfect blanks as far as I can see. I am finishing the 7 wt. this week.
Cheers, Ellis

Forecast might be another option. Check them out

Finding an 8 weight blank at less than 9' is going to be very difficult. Scott's Heliply blanks are 8'8", and around $300, but I don't know that anyone else makes one shorter than 9'. It would be nice if someone did.

You could use a spinning rod blank, I think something with a moderate or mod/fast action and probably rated around 8 to 15 lb line should put you in the ballpark. A spinning blank would be a fast fly blank. Andy Dear had some 3 piece BAST845CT-3 Austin travel spin blanks that may work. Rainshadow / Forecast also makes some 3 piece travel blanks, some e-mails may get you some brainstorming going on.

I haven't seen the blanks in over a year, but the Loomis Mega series rods were 8'6", and I believe there was an 8/9 offered.

If you are willing to go with a 2pc. blank, you should be able to find many, many options but using spinning rod blanks. Check out the CCS database and search for spinning blanks in the length you want that have an ERN in the range of 8 or so. A lot of light power spinning rods come in about there. Also consider one of the Five Rivers FT fly blanks. They are 9' 4pc. blanks but the actions are so fast, you can shorten them substantially from the butt and still end up with a rod that has great action. The CCS database has all the data you need to help you pick the right one.

It's true what Gerry says, that you will have a hard time finding a blank that is sold as an 8wt. fly blank and is only 6 to 8' long. However, you have a lot of options if you don't let other people tell you what to use the blank for. I have a 6'6" Forecast spinning blank for example, with an ERN of about 7.8 and it throws an 8wt. fly line beautifully. I actually built it with a straight Tennessee cork so I can tape any reel I want on to it - fly or spin. Open your mind and you will find lots of blanks to meet your needs.

Steve,

Just trying to put my own logic on your recommendation of which FT blank to use to come up with a short 8 wt.

I seem to recall a thread in which the general consensus was that the FT series cast best with the rated line (i will verify on the weekend with a 906-4 that I am now finishing).

Your CCS data (thank you, by the way) indicate that dropping the butt section drops the ERN, creating a LESS powerful rod. Given that decrease, I would figure one would start with the 9010-4, and drop the butt to come up with a relative 8-wt.

Have you tried this shorties out, and which configuration do you prefer?

Looking for a kayak rod that won't be so prone to high-sticking.

Mark

Mark, the only FT I have built and cast and fished is the FT863-4. I built a second short handle for it that allowed me to fish it alternately as a 7'3" 4pc. rod. I don't prefer the 863 with the rated line even though it will definitely cast a 3 effectively if you give it enough input. I prefer it with a 4, 5 or 6 but that is just my opinion and is based on how I want the rod to feel when I'm casting. When I shortened it up to 7'3", I liked it with a 4 or 5 best. I'm sure many will use the rods as rated based on what they like. That's the beauty of rodbuilding - NO RULES except build what you like. In my opinion, the FT863-4 has plenty of power to be a 6/7wt. rod for most situations and when I cast it with those lines, it is a great performer for me.

I have the FT902-4 and FT907-4 in my shop but have not built them yet. I think the 3/4 configuration of the FT907-4 comes in around ERN 8.5 and AA low 70s. To my way of thinking, that should have ample power to throw an 8wt. line and even more if you use a portion of the original butt section to make it 7' or 7'6" or 8'.

Let us know what you think after your testing with the FT906-4.

Steve