Anyone have an opinion on the all cork slide-band flyrod handle/seat from Jann's Netcraft? I'm thinking about building a Forecast 6'6" 2 wt and the $10 for that seat looks very attractive.

Thanks in advance,
Scott Patterson

I like the looks of it. I want to build the exact same rod you are going to build, someday. Appreciate your post. I didn't know you could go all cork for light weight on a small rod. Good info for me. Now, I shoulda thought of it because I have a 30+ year old 4 piece Garcia Conolon combo rod, spin and or fly cast. It uses the sliding rings for holding the reel.....I haven't fished with it a whole lot of times. But, when I did, I never had any trouble with the reel coming loose. It looks great to me. But, then again, I am still working on my first rod build.

Scott,

I'm using that particular reel seat presently and like it a lot!. I'll bet it would be perfect for a 2 wt rod. I have not yet boneded it to my rod as i hope to sand and shape two pieces of bamboo burl cork handles to create a slightly longer all cork slide band grip for my Dan Craft FT 3wt...

you can have a look here


[www.mind.net]


bare in mind the slide bands you see on the jan's netcraft handle are NOT the ones that came with it... those were of a silver color and pretty much sucked.

the black bands you see are some spares from strubles and are not much better... i had hoped to use some very nice titanium slide bands made for me by Mark Shamburg however I'm a bit apprehensive about sanding the rather crumbly bamboo burl cork down to 1/8" thickness in order to mount the small diameter slide bands. even allowing a flat spot for the reel seat there remains very little cork to cover the blank.

sure wish someone would offer more slide bands in a variety of metals, colors and sizes...

maybe i can began work on shaping the handle this weekend.

ideas are always welcomed.

marc - just a new fly fisher who enjoys crafting my own rods.

I just replaced a cork slide band seat on Sig III 7.5 ft 4wt. I will never use one again. It worked great for the first season, but as the cork aged, it compressed to the point that it would not hold the reel reliably. Picture 18" of trout on the end of the leader, and your Ross Evolution spinning around on the non skid surface in the bottom of the drift boat. It is not a good situation. A wooden slide band works a little better, but is still not the thing to have. If cost is a concern, Batson makes some great seats that actually hold the reel for just a few more bucks. The cork does look good, and it seems like it should work better, but alas, it is just not so.
Aaron

I built two 3wt's with netcraft seats, rods weigh just under 1.5 ounces. They are very light and slim I like the way I can feel the rod load right down the handle. Aaron is right your reel will need constant attention or it will come loose at the wrong moment. You will always want to retighten as your fishing. Other than that its a great handle seat combination for a light rod... BTW if you have big hands you might be better getting a larger handle. Also use cork sealant to reduce shrinkage... Bob.

Scott,

I put that same reel seat on that same blank. I haven't had any slipage problems but haven't fished with it all that much yet. I do check it for tightness frequently while fishing.

Dave