Has anyone built many (any) of the Batson speys? I was looking at the 13' 8/9 for our Central Valley steelies and shad, and some of the smaller coastal rivers - medium density lines and medium flies for the most part. I don't expect something comarable to my more well-heeled buddy's Burkheimers, but the price is tough to ignore.

I notice that they are listed as IM6/IM7, and 33 million modulus, which seems lower than what I'm used to seeing. I know most of you who eshperts refer to what the rods cc at - what does that mean? I assume it's a more accurate comparison than modulus numbers.

Thanks!

They are great blanks that make great fishingrods, I built a 11'6" to a customer and he is morre than satisfied, The 11'6" is a littelbit underclassed He uses a 9,3 meters shooting head with a weight of 27 grams #8 and not #6/7 as specified, and it cast wounderful. they are med/fast withe deep flex.
I am about to build all of them but there is as always time missing.
I miss the old rx8 spey rods but i am sure the new seris gone be just as good.

Marko

Wayne-

The IM6/IM7 rating doesn't describe the true nature in which these blanks are constructed. I own the 6/7 4PC in the 11'6" length. The sections differ greatly in the amount of flex and rigidity. It is difficult to classify this rod as a set modulus because they vary the sections based on what they are after for an end result. My forecast is very rigid (I was unable to fine the spine in the butt section) at the butt end and the middle sections flex little, finally the last lenth contains most of the flex. In my very limited opinion in regards to spey, this is exactly the way the rod should be put together.

I agree it is difficult to ignore the cost associated with the entire build. My rod kit from Hook and Hackle cost under 75 USD! The components that came with it are top notch for a first time spey rod kit.

I've posed this question to Karry Batson and got his answer, I wouldn't mind an opinion or two on my thought process here. I was thinking of putting single foot ceramics as the guides for this rod. That way it could be used for centerpinning (float), one handed fly casting, and then traditional spey. Has anyone done this with the forecasts? Sorry if this question sidesteps the true nature of the original posted question, I'm not meaning to take over. Feel free to email your answers if that would be more polite.

Domenic Federico
Infinity Rod Creations
Wickliffe, Ohio

Defjam@core.com
Infinityrodcreations@yahoo.com

I have built 2 of the 14 ft 9/10 wt. purchased from Hook and Hackle. One is very traditional with snake rings and full cork handle, the other a bit more radical with split handles and super lightweight fittings. They are used for salmon on Scottish rivers. The blank is fantastic and makes up into a first class fishing rod. My friend whio is a professional ghillie and expert spey caster (which I am not) rates this as one of the best casting rods he has tried.
The blue blank also looks awsome and is unbeleivable value for money.
Dave Olley
Scotland