I posted a couple of pictures to show the color of guide wraps that I might use on a Rainshadow black matte fly rod. The rod will be a raffle item at my family reunion later this summer. The hardware is nickel silver & the guides are single foot chrome. I've only wrapped the ferrule, the stripper & one guide & I'm concerned about my choice of thread. It's HT metallic aquamarine & silver. Is it a poor choice for a true fly fisherman? Would it be more appropriate to use more subdued colors? I've already completed a Rainshadow black matte spinning rod for the reunion that I wrapped in garnet & gold metallic. It has gold hardware & gold framed guides. Any comments & suggestions would be appreciated.

What is a '"True Flyfisherman"?

This could be interesting.

Billy,
Probably just about anyone other than me. People who know how to use a fly rod proficiently amaze me. I have limited skills with a fly rod. I've contributed a lot of flies to brush & trees in the northwest on small rivers & streams.

Mel,

I think it looks nice. It will be a bit flashy. I wouldn't use all metallic HT myself on a rod I'm going to use on small water for fear of scaring a fish or 2..... for general use I don't think it will make a difference.

True fly fisherman..................One who comes home late and tells his wife honest honey I was out drinkin with the guys...then we went to a seedy bar where we met some girls...I wasn't fishing again. But she knows........LOL

Mel,

Never met a flyfisher who hasn't hooked a good tree bass....as long as you get the fly to the fish.

I am not a fan of metallic thread on a fly rod. And aside from looks, I don't trust metallic wraps to hold single foot guides fly guides either. I have looked at a lot of fairly high end fly rods and don't see much metallic used. When I do my own rods I don't use CP either. I do use NCP for the trim wraps. The fly fishing community is pretty conservative and most rod manufactures go understated rather than bold with the trim.

Why not think about just the Silver thread with maybe 3 to 5 turns of thread before the guide foot & a minimal butt wrap. Black & Silver. Ralph

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

I've used metallic thread on saltwater rods, but the only fly rod I've used it on was the Lamiglas Perigee blanks that were a little flashy anyway.
I really like garnet and silver on grey blanks.

Keep the silver and get a regular nylon close to your base wrap. No CP Then keep the silver as thin as you can.

Mel, Go with Madeira fluorescents and metallics and really throw the fly police into overdrive!!!!!

Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!

A flashing light on the tip top. LOL

Mel,
I have stood near the mouth of the Mattole River in Humboldt County California with the rain coming in horizontally and fly fished for salmon and Stelhead for hours. I have fished in ponds, lakes, and the ocean for all sorts of fish with a flyrod. As a bumper sticker I once idolized read, Flyfishing is the most fun you can have standing up. I belong to that group of fanatic fly fishers who prefers to flyfish than eat. I make flyrods which I believe are very traditional with a few minor adaptations to the use of modern materials.

I don't think that your colors are extreme. I just finished two green Rainshadow pack rods for a customer who gave me the freedom to choose thread colors. I wrapped the rods with two-toned classic twist rust/black with teal trim. I chose for the guides TiCH frames with TiN coated zirconia rings. The reel seat was also TiCH with a wood insert.

Like another respondent posted, I also don't care for metallic thread for the wraps because I have always had trouble crushing the metallic coating and exposing the under thread. I recently changed the type of tension device and I might give the metallics another chance.
For my own personal choice, I would not like a 6 axis diamond butt wrap on a fly rod--even if it were composed of brown, beige, tan, and black . I think a simpler butt wrap would look better.

I have made several rods from black blanks. One of my favorite combinations is to use red/black two-toned classic twist with a bright yellow (sunshine) as trim. A trim is meant as an accent color to contrast with the wrap colors. I personally think many of the high end commercial rods such as Orvis, T&T, and Winston are pretty boring.

One thing about fly fishers is that we are an independent lot and don't care much about the opinions of others about style. Our goal is too cast narrow loops accurately and with some level of grace while doing so--and once is a while catch a trout (or whatever).

Go with your metallic aquamarine.

Mike Blomme

Ya sit in church - and - think about fly fishing
Go fly fishing - think about God.

Mel,
I don't see anything wrong with your guide wraps. They look good to me. I have a rod that I used the Electric thread on and have not had any problems with it.

If you want to please the purist go with outdated snake guides and chestnut or burgundy color threads with no cp. If you want a good reaction get Billy to suggest a pattern and then let him make a eva grip with some wicked inlay. I'm sure a few guys will get chocked up over that.

I like Sulky black metallic as a fly rod wrap and I use a lot more metallic trim since discovering the Sulky metallic threads. Interestingly many of my friends that always prefered the stealth look as a tradition for their fly rods have come around for a bit more flash after seeing rods that offer a bit of contrast. I now experiment with my own rods and use colors that I enjoy and have yet to receive a ticket for non conforming.

Stan Grace
Helena, MT
"Our best is none too good"

They'll be coming for you, Stan!!!!!!!!

Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!

Go ahead and use whatever pleases you, this is the beauty of a custom rod, it"s yours and you can do it any way you want. Later if you don't like it you can change it. I agree with Stan, I have made a lot of fly rods using metalics, especially the blacks, blues, silver & gold. I used it for my own rods and then some of my customers started asking for it. I don't believe I've scared too many fish. Yes Mike, the fly conformist police will probably be coming for me too.

I agree with Stan. Sulky Metallics are much more user friendly than Gudbrod. Easier to wrap around a small diameter. Great colors too, although not a big selection. As for color selection... I encourage you to go with what looks good to you. Do lots of comparison tests and search the photo archives and let your own eyes decide. Show your true colors.

You have to go stealthy on the wraps, the neon yellow, orange, whatever lines we wave around and chuck in the water don't count. LOL.