Looking for suggestions for a 4wt, 4 or 5 piece, 8 1/2' or 9' blank for fishing out west, mostly dry flies. I'm currently in a love/hate relationship with my Sage 904-2 RPL - love the rod, hate to check it with the airlines (TSA policy regarding carry-on seems to vary based on phases of the moon or readings of goat entrails). Budget is an issue here; I'd like to keep the cost for blank and components under $100.00. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Scott Patterson

Hook and Hackle has the St. Croix SCIII 8'6" 4pc 4wt blank on sale for $84.00.

These are the same blanks St. Croix builds their Avid series rods on so you can actually "test drive" this one at your local fly shop. With descent components it should be right around $100-120 to finish it out.

Mark

I would suggest a Hook & Hackle IM7 8' or 9' 4pc 4wt. Has a nice mod-fast action.
These are great blanks at great prices (~$50).... if you can order one before the weekend!

I just finished a 9' 4pc 6wt, and have a 7'6" 4wt on the way.

RB

i have a rod built on a dan craft sig iii. i went with the 5pc three wt but fish it as a four since it suits my casting style. very nice rod and the finish on the flank is superb. the blank is about $80.00. don't know if you could bring it in under 100.00 but you could get close if you are careful in your purchase of components. the five piece configuration makes a nice compact package you could put in a suitcase. you can buy them from dan or rocky mountain.

Scott,

the 8'4 4 wt Dan Craft Sig V is as pure as it gets. Too terrific to really describe well! t I can't imagine it is better. To each his own, however.

Blank should set you back about $85-90....So it is a little more than your target amount...But really worth it!

Keith

Ditto on both the Dan Craft recommendations--we have the Sig III lineup and most of the Sig V's in stock and they both build into terrific fishing blanks--and they'll impress the heck out of you on the casting end too! :) We could probably come pretty close on your budget with a components package--let us know if you're interested and we'll put a quote together for you.

Another option would be the Forecast line of 3pc or 4pc blanks--they're very nice performers at a terrific price--it would be NO problem coming in under your budget going that route.

All the best,

You have quite a few options, below are listings from the Rod Blank Search Engine at Mud Hole
[shop.mudhole.com]

The following are 9ft, 4wt, 4pc blanks:

AMF904-4 ATC MATRIX 4PC 9' Fly Blanks - 4WT 4T .345B 9' 4 pc. 4 wt. MOD-FAST 4 .345 1.9
F4904DHX GUSA DHX Fly Blanks - 9'0 4pc. 4wt. B0.36 T4.5 9'0 4 4 4.5 .36 1.7
F4910DHX GUSA DHX Fly Blanks - 9'0 4pc. 4wt. B0.43 T5 9'0 4 4 5 .43 2.4
F904-4DHT GUSA Multi Modulus Fly Blanks - 9' 4pc. 4wt. B0.37 T4.5 9' 4 4 4.5 .37 1.76
ET108-4 Lamiglas XMG50 Fly - 9' 4pc. 4WT .400B 4.5T 9' 4 4 4.5 .4
IMT108-4 Lamiglas IM700 Travel Fly - 9' 4pc. 4WT .425B 5T 9' 4 4 5 .425 1-1/2
TiMF108-4-4 Lamiglas Ti2000 Fly - 9' 4pc. 4WT .500B 5T 9' 4 4 5 .5
490-4 SLT Sage SLT 9'0 4pc 4wt 0.335B 3.5T 9'0 4 4 3.5 .335 1 1/4 $
490-4 VPS Sage VPS 9'0 4pc 4wt 0.42B 4T 9'0 4 4 4 .42 1 1/2
490-4 XP Sage XP 9'0 4pc 4wt 0.35B 3.5T 9'0 4 4 3.5 .35 1 7/16
4F904.4 STC Trout - 9'0 4WT. 4pc. B0.335 T4 9'0 4 4WT. FAST 4 .335 1.8
5F904.4 STC TROUT - 9'0 4WT. 4pc. B.335 T4 9'0 4 4WT. FAST PLUS 4 .335 1.65

8.5ft, 4wt, 4pc as follows:

486-4 SLT Sage SLT 8'6 4pc 4wt 0.325B 3.5T 8'6 4 4 3.5 .325 13/16
486-4 VPS Sage VPS 8'6 4pc 4wt 0.355B 4T 8'6 4 4 4 .355 1 7/16
486-4 XP Sage XP 8'6 4pc 4wt 0.356B 3.5T 8'6 4 4 3.5 .356 15/16
3FT864 STC Trout - 8'6 4WT. 4pc. B0.350 T4 8'6 4 4WT. MOD-FAST 4 .35 1.4
4F864.4 STC Trout - 8'6 4WT. 4pc. B0.325 T4 8'6 4 4WT. FAST 4 .325 1.4
5F864.4 STC TROUT - 8'6 4WT. 4pc. B.325 T4 8'6 4 4WT. FAST PLUS 4 .325 1.4


Regards.
Team Mud Hole Custom Tackle
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This past winter I built a Dan Craft 8'6" 3wt FT. Because the FT models were said to be capable of uplining, I built the three weight with casting a DT four weight in mind. It casts the four weight nicely at all distances.

Yesterday I took the rod fishing on a large creek on a very windy day. It wasn't until I was far from my car and fishing for a while that I noticed that I had mounted a reel that held a DT three weight line. The rod had been casting very well (not my fault) and I was amazed at the performance in the wind, even with the three weight line.

I have decided that I will be building an FT for fishing a DT five weight line. I'm just not sure whether I will build the nine foot four weight blank and fish a five weight, or build the five weight model. Since I will be using the rod on larger water here in the east, and on larger rivers out west, I'll probably choose the five weight blank.

Good luck,
Jeff Shafer

jeff i couldnt decide on the 4 or 5 wt. so i talked to dan he said if i be fishing dry flies any go with the 4 wt. ft .it a great rod i use a weight forword 5 on my 904ft and seems to me to cast smoother than with a 4wt.

The 9', 5# FT casts a 6# line well when using bead head nymphs and a strike indicator. I used an "improved" (rebuilt with ceramic guides) 10', 6# Loomis GL4 for this for many years but now prefer the FT in place of it.

Stan Grace
Helena, MT
"Our best is none too good"

Thanks everyone for all of your suggestions; I love this forum. I decided on the Forecast this time around, but once I convince my wife how much money I'll be saving us, I think I'll give the Dan Craft a try.

Scott Patterson