Guys-
I am seriously considering the Dan Craft Sig 6Pc 0/1 Wt blanks for a demo rod for a friend/client/guide that has a significant customer base with much expendable income. These clients tend to gravitate toward the lightest rods in his arsenal. He currently has sage and a private label rods that he uses when taking them on the smaller trout expeditions. This is my chance to show my skills and by doing so the possibility is high that I will have work for a while from these "professionals".

I need to get feedback on those who have used these rods. How do they handle? I would assume they are extrememly light. How is the action? How difficult is it to shoot line at greater distances? Etc.

The friend/client/guide will be paying for all the components and 50% labor charge on the build. I would like to outfit the rod in an attempt to make it stay as light as possible. Without a doubt, single foot guides with tiny guide wraps. Another thought is to construct it with single foot REC recoil guides to save weight, but I haven't got information on how those compare to titanium coated single foot wire guides. I would assume the difference is marginal, but the weight savings may be worth going with the REC's? Also, what are your thoughts on using a sliding band cork handle reelseat assemble versus a decorative skeleton with wood insert? I know the cork doesn't quite have the visual effect of the other, but I would assume that it may be quite a bit lighter overall. Keeping in mind, I am trying to generate business, I have a dilema in this decision. Do I go for overall feel or settle for a respectable feel with more "bling". What do you think? Any info would be great.

If you wish to email me privately.... Defjam@core.com

Thank you for all your help!

Domenic Federico
Infinity Rod Creations
WIckliffe, Ohio

Domenic:

I'm guessing you're referring to Dan's Sig IV (4) line? He has offered a number of 0/1 and 1 wts, all multi piece. They are all very nice rods, though personally I prefer the Sig III 6'10" 3pc 1wt--it is lighter in hand (or at least feels that way) and has a wonderful, smooth action while not being at all "noodlish". The 7' 1wt Sig III is a little "crisper" and ends up CC'ing closer to a 2wt.

Unless you specifically need the extra sections (i.e. you need a VERY compact travel tube), I'd recommend going with the III's instead, unless of course you've spoken with Dan directly and he steered you in the direction of the IV's based on your criteria! :) He certainly knows his sticks!

I would definitely go with the cork/ring reel seat. We usually sell the REC PLRN seat with the Sig III 1's and 2's, and our customers have been delighted with it. I don't think it would be considered as having too low a "bling" factor--it has a nice traditional feel/look that's very attractive to "purists". If you do want to stick with a locking seat, Struble's U25 (or D25) is a very lightweight, finely-milled NS seat specifically made for lightweight rods. There's no escaping it will be heavier than the PLRN, but unless you're trying to set a weight record there won't be any negative effects and it actually balances the rod nicely.

For guides, the Recoils are significantly lighter than Ti-Carb plated SS wire guides, but they do make noise while casting and especially fighting fish. The "recoil" aspect (shape memory) is always a cool sales feature, though! My favorite guides for light rods are Hopkins & Holloway standoff single foots. They are very light, super-slick (especially in their DLC plating), and have a very elegant/custom look.

Anyway, just submitting my 2 ro 3 cents' worth! :)

All the best,

Dear Dom:

I'll leave the rod building answers to the pros, as my fledgling building efforts hardly qualify me to respond...though I'm almost encouraged enough by the last two that I don't feel the need to hide them.

Replying strictly as a fisherman, though, and assuming (as John has) that you're referring to Dan's Sig IV blanks, I can endorse his 0/1 weight without qualification! It's a GREAT blank!

I have and use a growing stable of Dan Craft rods assembled around Sig IV, Sig V and FT blanks...including a 7'0" 5-piece Signature IV in 1-weight that Dan built to my specifications for me as I've packed my rod building gear for my pending move to Baja...By the way, those custom PVC tubes you made for me have proven to be excellent!

The rod has a Struble U-25 seat with a spectacular piece of buckeye burl and a slimmed down Full Wells grip. Dan also gave me a gently flared end piece of the same California buckeye and capped that with a titanium end cap from REC with a mayfly engraved on it. For guides, I specified three Fuji Gold Cermets to Hopkins & Holloway solid titanium single foots and a matching H&H oversized tip-top. It's a SPECTACULAR rod! And it WORKS!

I've been out three times with it and have found the rod as functional as it is beautiful...the first two times were on my home river, the Smith, and I was skunked. We've had an extremely late runoff here in the south central Montana Rockies and the river was running high, fast and muddy. But the rod cast beautifully: all the length I needed, went exactly where I pointed it, laid the fly down gently and protected the tippet beautifully. My third sojurn was to one of my favorite spring creeks and I released a fat brookie of about 15". I have to admit that I played the fish extra carefully because I thought I was using an 8X tippet (which turned out to be a 6X when I miked it) and I had a cooperative fish in fortunate water; but the rod has plenty of backbone and I sensed more available on a fish that was probably a bit large for the tackle. The fly was a #20 emerger of some sort that I found in the bottom of my tackle bag, already rigged with the tippet. I'm not sure of the pattern, it was pretty bedraggled, but I've renamed it "The Crafty" in Dan's honor.

I hope this helps.

Pete

Pete-

It is great to hear from you! I recognized your name immediately, but didn't realize how. It has been a while and we've done business on a different forumn than this. I am so happy that you are finding the rod tubes to be everything you needed! To date, your order is the largest I've had to one person!

I appreciate you candid response and what a great description of how, what, when, where and why on that Signature IV. I think that you have helped make up my mind on what I will purchase.

Thanks and God Bless,

Domenic Federico
Infinity Rod Creations
Wickliffe, Ohio

Infinityrodcreations@yahoo.com