Are there mistakes that can be made with the overall design of a split grip. I have a customer who has requested a medium heavy IMB 844 spiral wrapped bass rod. During our initial meeting he requested a 1.75 inch front cork section butted to the end of a blank exposed reel seat. He is a two handed fisherman who casts righty and swaps hands for the retrieve. I have sized the parts and put them in place on the blank. The heel of my hand slips off the back end of this piece when test casting. What is the best shape for this piece of cork for a functional rod - tapered like foregrip or rounded on rear end.

What uses dictate the shape of the rear piece of the two piece grip serve and are there mistakes that are not so obvious. Any words from the wise would be appreciated. He has visited this board and wanted a marbled mid section and I do not want to overlook any substantial design flaw.

Gon Fishn

George Roth builds many split grips. He has pictures of several that he has built on his web site at [www.georgescustomrods.com]. Check them out, I'm sure it will help.

Don

Bill, on that reel grip shape I'd show him both the tapered and the rounded and let him choose, that way you are off the hook, it's a personal preferance any way you look at it. I've started putting together a few fancy jobs like I use to make, what do you think of this. Encapsulated butt grip [woodgrained 3"with buttcap] 8" golf grip with small end to butt, reel seat, encapsulated fore grip[ woodgrained matching butt grip with enlayed fish hat pin]. They are heavy but the fishermen love them.Most complain that they can't get in the habit of hollaring "FORE" before they cast but at the present there isn't a law requiring you to do so. Jesse

Jesse - I used all the "purdy" encapsulated tningamajigs I bought from you on rods last year. I wish you had a few of them with bass pitures on the outside and blown up with Nitrogen to lighten them up! This guy saw one of your pieces and wanted it until he picked it up. The Rainshadow weighs enough already!!

Gon Fishn

Bill,
I think what you are asking is how long the handle sections should be for a split grip, correct? If so, it seems like the standard that Everything Bass , Revolver, and George Roth use is 2.5" grips, one at the butt of the rod, the other behind the reelseat. Personally, my hand falls off of the grip and on to the blank with that length. I have been using between 3-3.5" rear grips for behind the reelseat, and then either a 2.5" or 3" butt section, since I only hold that if I am two hand casting. So basically I would have the customer hold one at a few length's and see what is comfortable for him. Obe friend of mine LOVEs the 2.5" and says it is just the right length, for others, eh. not enough.



Scott Sheets

my first split grip was because i needed a rod to fish for a river drift trip.i only had enough cork to do a split grip.so i did it. i had enough to do a 2 inch rear,a 2 inch butt and a 1.5 inch fore.i fished that rod for 10 + hours a day for a week straight.i caught lots of steelhead on it during the week.i love how it fishes.the only problem was after half the day fishing. the rear was about 1 inch too short.it would make my hand cramp up,where it fell short of the back part of my hand.so i made a second and a third rod to fish just like it with a 3 inch rear grip.the 3 inch fits my hand perfect and i can fish it all day without that part of my hand cramping.