I'm thinking of getting a CTS double hander blank (where can I get these from btw - I wouldn't want to pay "double custom fees"?) for salmon and sea trout fishing. I'd be tossing shooting heads using single spey etc. on rivers and overhead in the "surf".
I'm thinking Affinity DH; something around 12'6"-13' #9/10-#10/11 perhaps. And of course, at least 4-pc.

Mikko (Stenberg) went to a pro team of another company so I don't think he'll be getting a CTS anytime soon, so I think it is up to me to get at least one double hander from CTS to Finland.

Cheers,
Sakari

R.B. Meiser Rods to the left.

Hi Spencer.

I know Meiz is the man.... I'm kind of waiting this thread to caught his eye. The problem is that if I order from Meiz, he has paid customs while importing from NZ. Then, I need to pay customs since I'm getting stuff outside EU. That's double customs. If this can be avoided, great. But if not, I'm most likely getting the blank via Bob.

Cheers.

On the CTS site.

[www.ctsfishing.com]

A distributor in Denmark and Spain, with Custom Builders in Sweden, Lithuania and Norway.

Chris

I am sure there are other companies that ship in the states .
Why CTS ?

Hi Sakari,

You can mail me if you wish...I do have lot's of blanks here.

But your right <> It may be best to contact Stephen direct for blank purchase if your out of the US...Or contact a Euro builder.

Over the past three seasons <> We've developed over 30 specific two handed blank tapers together in co-ordination with CTS.

If you contact Stephen direct you may mention "Adam and Eve" as these do represent the two specific families of tapers we've developed, and now being used by builders.

He'll understand.

"Adam " being a multi-purpose family of rods that can favor anchor management when delivering extreme sink tip shooting head line systems.

These are Skagit style rods: Rather stiff tipped, with slightly regressed butts <> Fast/medium fast recoveries, but with overall progressive actions.

These are our MKS rods <> Available in 12'6' to 15' in 5/6 to 10/11 line wts.

"Eve" being again a family of all purpose rods.

Nicely suited for all classic mid to long bellied spey lines....And certainly for the delivery of any Skagit/Scando shooting head line system as well.

These best suited for the angler that may perfer the fast/medium fast recovery <> Progressive taper and progressive action two hander for delivery.

These are our "Highlanders" and are available from 12'6" to 18'0" in 4/5 to 11/12 wts.

Hope this helps.

Bob Meiser

Andy Dear is a distributor for CTS blanks.

Stephen Pratt, from CTS, will be at the National Rod Builders Show. He's tinkering with the idea of having a factory booth there and hopefully he'll go aheady with those plans. It would be a great opportunity for builders here in the States to get a first hand look at the models and colors.

...........

Thanks all, especially Bob.

I'll be contacting Stephen then. I've always preferred the ladies so I think I'll go with Eve on this one too. :)
Fast recovery with fast progressive action - I'm already drooling.

Bill,
why not? I've only heard good things about Meiser models that are build on CTS blanks.
Oh, I'm not in States, I'm located in Finland.

Cheers.

That's why -- Finland. Thought you were here in the states

Meiz,
do you know if there's a model that is better or comparable (recovery speed - the higher the better, preferred actual line weight, action) with Loomis Stinger #9/10 12'6"? Or should I ask that from Stephen? I'm thinking that you'd might know the Loomis and I'm sure you know the CTS models quite well.

I took a look at the CTS grain delivery window and they seem very high compared to designated line weights of the rods. That's the main reason I'm asking.

Cheers,

Sakari,

The grain windows given by Stephen are actually quite accurate for the rods given.

It's more of a Mfgr. inconsistancy in relation to line numbers that will confuse the issue.

I feel that the line carrying capability of any given rod should be marked on the blank .......

<> And then the grains/grams of the lines should be posted by the Mfgr. on the box.

Grains don't lie, but line numbers are interpetive from one line Mfgr to another.

If this were done universily, there would be much happier two handed line /rod marriages.

Most any of the two handers out there will acheive amazing line speed .....It's all a matter of whether you like the overall action with which the rod will acheive this.

The blanks tapers from within Adam and Eve were all benchmarked from a consistent family of lines:

The old SA XLTs

.....And you'll now find this typical within Stephens two handers.

The Eve family are generally fast recovery rods, and extremely powerful, but do still noticeably load well into the butt sections when under full line load.

Full line load can be felt easily well into the grip....They are caster friendly rods.

If you wish to have a 4 pc. 12'6" with an extra fast recovery rod in an 8/9 weight ?

I'd suggest to Stephen that he stiffen the top third of his Affinity Plus 12'6" 8/9 by about 5%, and leave the rest as is.

This would be net 650 grain rod with a nicely authoritive top end.

I like the Scando family of rods <> Rods like the Stingers, Guidelines etc... But you'll find that the CTS blanks are FAR more durable in the real fishing world.

Bob Meiser

P.S.

If you want to acheive the 9/10....Do the same with the 12'6" Affinity Plus taper for 9/10...This will up the grain anty by about 100.

Bob Meiser

Hi Bob.

I too think that actual grain and grams should be noted. Maybe not on the side of the blank but on the leaflet that comes with the blank or rod. The same info should be available in mfg website too. I'd like CCS info there too. In the case of lines, the box or the leaflet inside, and, of course, the mfg website should all tell the actual weight in grains and grams.

Great info. The old XLT info is very good since I know that the old ones were much heavier than the new ones (according the spey line standard). My old #9/10 would be about #11 in the new standard (11.4 with full head taken into consideration, linearized standard).

I think the top stiffened AF+ #8/9 has the grain delivery window I want.

It's great to hear that CTS are extremely durable.

Thanks, the info you've give is great. You really seem to know your way around these CTS rods.

Sakari