I am planning to build a long slow action fly rod. The blank is a 11 1/2 ft. 2 pc. Steelhead noodle blank rated for 1 - 4 lb. line and 1/32 to 3/8 oz. lures with a butt diameter of .355 in. and a size 4 tip. 3/8 = 6/16 = about a 6 wt. rod. I need to figure out the best reelseat & grip configuration and whether or not to add a fighting butt. Do I make it a switch rod or a long single hander? I'm also debating with myself which stripper & guides to use. I want to make a modern version of an old fashioned wet fly rod. Thanks in advance. Ralph

If at first you don't succeed, go fishing, then try, try again.

I FISH THEM LONG NOODLE ROD CONVERSIONS FLY RODS ALOT. IN MY HONEST OPINION, I THINK IT NEEDS A BUTT OF SOME SORT, I PREFER A FIXED (SMALL SPEY TYPE) BUTT ON THE LONG RODS, IT SORTA HELPS TO BALLANCE THE LONG BLANK. ALSO I THINK A SINGLE HANDLE ROD IN THAT LENGTH WOULD BE AWKWARD, ITS NICE TO HAVE THE OPTION OF THE 2 HANDER WHEN UR SWINGING FLIES. I'VE BEEN GOING WITH THE RECOILS FOR STRIPPERS AND GUIDES, AND LIKE THEM ALOT, SOME GUYS DON'T SEEM TO BE TOO HOT ON THEM, BUT I'M REALLY TUFF ON MY RODS, AND I HONESTLY BELIEVE THAT THEY WORK WELL, NICE TO HAVE A VERY DURABLE GUIDE WHEN BANGING IN AND OT OF THE DRIFT BOATS. I USE A 7.5" FORE GRIP AND A 4" BUTT ON MINE. I AM BY NO MEANS A EXPERIENCED BUILDER THOUGH, BUT I BUILD RODS THAT FISH REALLY WELL, STILL WORKING ON MAKING THEM LOOK REALLY PRETTY.

Built it with spey-style grips!
I have one just like this for swinging dries for summer steelhead.
I've built this one with a PacBay CL7R-B seat, #12/10/8 PacBay LCTNG's, and LCFNG 8's out to the tip.
I prefer the Forecast spey grips over the Pac Bay's.
It loads well with WF6 line, but even better with a WF7.

This is a FUN rod!
Enjoy it!

RB

I sure as heck can't cast a 11.5 foot 6 wt single handed very long. you are gonna need 2 hands on it somehow. I think you want a high frame stripper and I would try the choker guide setup. I like the Alconites or the titanium SIC depending upon how much money you need to sequester in guides.

I just called the distributor and this blank weighs 2.4 oz. so I'm still considering which way to go with seat & grip. A spey butt & seat & fore grip or a fighting butt & seat & full wells? Fuji CLAG Alconites, for certain. Good advice so far. Thank you. Ralph

If at first you don't succeed, go fishing, then try, try again.

The re-coils would be I think as light as you could go. If I get it I will be building a 20 FT with them to keep the weight down.

In the 80's as a teen, I cut my teeth on a Loomis Composites (Pre-G. Loomis/Pre-LCI) 10' 6" 8/9 wt fishing for steelhead and salmon. It was a factory rod and had your basic 2" or 3" fighting butt with a half wells grip. I used that rod for close to twenty years before retiring it. Nice, slow, lazy caster. It feels like you're in slo-mo while loading it on the forward cast allowing you to control every part of the cast. My father owns and still uses an 11' 6" model 8/9 wt with the same handle. My Dad's still a big, strong guy and has no problem casting the 11 1/2 footer like a normal length fly rod. I, however, have never been a "big, strong guy" at 5' 8" weighing in at at about 140. I found the 10 1/2 footer with a conventional handle to be within my means. Though, I did build a preference for roll casting in the brush-laden, smaller sized rivers where I sought summer-runs. So, if you ask me, it comes down to how strong you are and how far do you need to cast on the waters you fish?

Jay
That is why most all is a personal thing. I myself like a fast action maybe a mod-fast. Like the faster casting stroke. I call slow rods " mush " and find there is no power to throw a line. At least too me. Guess that is the " feel " of it.
Different strokes for different folks.

I favor rods with from a moderate to a slow action for my fishing rods. I enjoy watching/feeling the fly rod flex deeply when making a long cast, not shooting the line but picking up the line and putting it where I want. A tight or open loop is a matter of technique, not the rods action. I love to make my fly line seem to float out and land softly to not spook a 1 pound + Bluegill or other wary fish. If you can put the fly on his nose without scareing him off, he will try to eat it. I do love to feel the grip flex with the blank as I play a larger than average fish to hand! I have this same 11 1/2 ft. blank built as a spinning rod for Crappie & White Bass. I've landed Channel Cats & carp well over 10 lbs. on it and Love the feel of this rod with big fish on. Ultra-Light is my second love, my wife's first. A moderate or slower action will protect a lighter line or tippet better than a faster action of comparable power. I'm comparing for example, a 6wt. fast to a 6wt. moderate action rod, or a 6 to 10lb. fast to a 6 to 10lb. moderate rod. I think I'll really enjoy this fly rod for tube & canoe fishing. I still can't decide whether to use a spey handle or a full wells with a fighting butt. This is my fishing/rodbuilding addiction! Ralph

If at first you don't succeed, go fishing, then try, try again.