Has anybody used a fly blank for a steelhead casting/drifting Rod. If so, what # blank did you use and how did you determine guide size and placement. Thanks in advace for any info.

Klinkerone

I have built two in the past based on an article I read in a local magazine. I will never build another one. I used to sell rods and I made these two rods for a couple of fellows that insisted on having them. I built them just like I would any 9 foot spinning rod. They both said that the rods were hard to cast... too whippy. This was before graphite and they were built on Fenwick S glass 6 wt. blanks. In my opinion there is really no need to use a fly rod blank. Nowadays you can get any action and power that you want in a spinning blank.

My favorite striper and salmon rod is a 10 weight Lamiglas graphite fly rod blank wrapped as a baitcaster. Good with 15lb test, bends all the way to the handle.

I didn't build it though, it was a gift when I was a teenager.

Phil

I built a couple of 9' 7wt fly rod blanks as spinning rods, and they work really nice. The Steelhead don't run much past 8# up here so that works out real well. These are fairly fast action fly rods and I think they cast very good. I can't ever seem to find a 8 1/2 to 9 1/2 spinning or casting blank in that matches that power and action, so I will use a fly rod bland. Seems there nothing in the light to medium light power in a moderate/fast action for steelhead rods.

Rainshadow just came out with a nice new blank, the IST 1142F . If you've fished everyones 1141 blank,this one is faster and has more power in the butt, much like the 1143. Has a nice tip for light gear presentations. They developed it for side drifting, but I can think a lot of situations I'd use it in.

In the upper midwest there are a few brave souls that use 6wt fly rods for a spinn steelie set up. Your a shade on the light side and you do stress the blank over time and it will blow up eventiually, The prefered weight for steelie is a 7 wt for low water and an 8 wt for high water. We build on fly blanks all the time having 1st been intorduced to the really long Dick Swan noodle rods that are rated for 2-4# mono and are basically a 5 or 6 wt fly blank with spinning guides attached. I'd start out witha sz 25, 16, 12 high frame Alconite or hialoy ring stay with the high frames (3 usually) until you get to the tip section then, in the case of Hialoy go to regular framed 10, 8, 7, then 6's on out, For alconite 25, 16, 12 buttsect, then starting at the ferrule BLAG's (note not directly on the ferrule) 8, 7 and then 6's on out to a BFAT 6mm tip. There are many long production steelhead spinnning rods on the market all are made from fairly light weight fly rod blanks, so we also adapted the heaiver weight blanks that hsve more back bone but the same parabolic action that is so nice in a fly rod blank. There is a small steelie fly/spin blank weight window of opprotunity, its about 7-9 wt. blanks. I have one 10 wt. When you get this heavy your inot salmon specificly and higher yet, those fly blanks are FL. 70# tarpon weight sticks. For a Steelhead rod I am an advocate for length 9'-6" or 10' 8 wt, The old 05' 95$ dollar Croix SCIII Avid series as apposed the new 06' Croix SCIII AVID series for $160 with the special IPC tapers. The old AVIDS were a real deal in comparison..For $160 a blank I want a little bit higher graphite than just above the entry level offering, and now that entry level graphite offered (SCII) is $100 a blank for a 9' 8 wt. They basically killed the real decent graphite deal (with a limited lifetime warranty) of a fly blank series

I do have a couple of fly rod blanks I use as spinning rods...........In order to win our fishing bets, my buddies and I go 4 pounding (use 4# test line) for red fish. I find that I can land more big reds with a fly blank and light spinning tackle. Probally get the same results with an UL but I like the action these rods give me...........Just for fun and a little money.............

Big John
Rio Hondo, Texas
Blessed are those who can give without remembering and take without forgetting

i read an article in Saltwater Sportsmen about a year and a half ago about using a fly rod blank for a spinning rod. It was written by Capt. Fred Everson in the Tampa Bay area. I liked the idea of having a really light and long rod to throw super light jig heads to stripers and flounder in the back bays here in NJ. So, I bought a 9' 7 wt Forecast blank from Neal's fishing for almost no money, and ended up cutting four inches off of the butt and two from the tip to make it 8'6". The butt is only about four inches, and I used single foot alconite guides, along with a Tica Libra 3000 reel. I used the New Concept system to lay out the guides, and the rod works great. It is rather whippy, but I love it. The fight on even a small fish is done in the butt section, which is where you need to fight any fish.