I recently purchased a cheap(ly priced) 9 ft. 8 weight fly rod and want to use it as a beginning rod for my first fly rod build. Will use it in saltwater and need direction on a reasonably priced reel seat and guides that will stand up to salt water. Will probably want to use single-foot guides all the way to the tip instead of snake guides, correct?

Any help is appreciated. Thanks

I would use Fuji Alconites (black frame) and probably start with a size 16 double foot stripping guide, maybe a dbl-ft size 12 after that, and then go to single foot fly guides. would probably use a size 7 as the smallest one. You can go crazy with guides (stainless, titanium coating, or titanium alloy) but as long as you wash stuff down with fresh water after use, most guides will hold up for a long time. You might consider purchasing nice skeleton components for the reel seat (nickel, aluminum, etc...) and then doing a cork reel seet. This can save a little more money and looks pretty sweet when complete.

Good luck....Bret

How durable is the cork reel seat? I'm interested in low maintenance. Any suggestions for a standard saltwater reel seat? Thanks

This past winter I built a 10ft 8wt for the Jersey surf. I used fuji alconite guides, 16, 12 (double foot) and single foots in 10, 8- to the tip. The most low maintenance high performance seat I know of is the Fuji DPS16 graphite spinning seat and that is what I used. That seat will not corrode, is lightweight, will hold any reel made very securely, and costs about $7.00. You could jazz it up by getting a PacBay graphite spinning seat with a woven graphite insert. Throw in a cork fighting butt and you have a solid 8wt for moderate $$$$.

HTH,

Lou

i recommend a pac bay A8 reel seat. reasonable price and takes a range of pac bay fighting butts that plug and screw in. it is a very strong seat and looks nice.