After reading Tom K.'s article bout the spiral wrap demo device and all the numerous posts on this board about spiral wrapped rods I started thinking of some kind of fishing I do where i can build some of these rods. Then it hit me. Salmon Fishing. Every year i take my dad up to the niagra river for the kings and steelhead. I also make a few more trips up with some buddies of mine. We go with the same guide every time and he as well as the rest of the guides up there use casting rods for these monsters. The way we fish the rods is with a BIG pencil weight dropped over the side with a big chunk of roe on a hook. I apologize to any of you who have done this im just explaining to the other builders how everyone fishes up there so i can get pointed in the right direction. So my question to you folks is have any of you ever made a salmon rod utilizing te spiral wrap method if so could i get some blank recommendations. Also some guide size recommendations as im always in the dark about anything rod building other than fly rods and bamboo ( ithink ive only built 2 spinning rods ever lol)

Thanks everyone
Kyle

Have you already made some of these rods in the conventional guides-on-top fashion? If so, just do the same thing exactly, but flip all but the butt guide over to the bottom. Install a small casting frame #8 or #10 guide halfway between the first and second guides and at 90 degrees.

You can tweak and resize the other guides if you want (go smaller and lower framed) but you can also just do what I outlined above and you'll find it works very well.

................

No i havent built any spiral wrapped rods before. What i am looking for is some casting style rod blank suggestions that can hold up to 20+ pound salmon. I have all the rodmaker magazines that dealt with making a spiral wrapped rod so im pretty sure i can figure it out. I just need to get pointed in the right direction as far as the blanks go.
Thanks
Kyle

Hey Kyle,
You most likely have a better idea of the type of blank you will
need. 1pc, 2pc, ect. 7ft ?, 8ft ?, 9ft ?, lure wt? Just thumb or click through some catalogs.

If you really don't have a clue to start, I suggest a 7ft one or two pc.
mooching blank, fast action, 15-30 lb line rating. This would be similar
to a heavy jig stick with a lighter tip.

Try a graghite/fiberglass composite if durrability is a big concern. I have an older "Contender" blank
made in the 80's and it is sweet!! even compaired to todays blanks. Only drawback is it a little heavier
than plain graphite.

As for manufacturers I would look at Rainshadow's, CalStar's, Loomis, Lamiglass, and Shikari
And "Sabre"196-7 made by the ( California Tackle Co )No longer in business however.
These are my top picks!

Raymond Adams
Eventually, all things merge, and a river runs through it..

Rainshadow IST 1025 or 1026 in an 8 1/2' 2 piece, or the 1085, 1086 at 9' will be perfect. Lamiglas has a bunch of great salmon and steelhead blanks as well. You can spiral wrap any blank you chose, but guide size is going to depend on the blank and reel you use. I've never had any reason to use bigger than a 16 and most often stick with a 12 as a butt guide, then on out with 10, maybe an 8, 7's & 6's. Try and stay as small as you can after whatever transition you make. Might be good to use double foot guides for the first two and then go to single foot. Tom's suggestion is for the Simple Spiral and thats hands down the easiest method to set up.