As far as i have seen in the many supply houses there isn't much in the way of real seats for spinning or bait rods. For instance why can't we get a really nice nickel silver real seat with the choice of some really cool functional knurl work?Perhaps some pewter or champagne colored seats? I don't know if perhaps I just don't know where to find it. I do know when i am building a fly rod I have no trouble finding good quality and exciting components to offer my customers but the majority of my customers are spin cast around here or bait cast and although they have there place and are quality graphite and plastic components are the norm of what i have to offer.

Have you tried using the skeleton spinning reel seats Mudhole has in their catalog? I just built an ultralight spinner and used a block of burl walnut I bought from Andy at one of the Charlotte shows to turn a nice looking insert. You're right about the casting seats, but the spinning skeletons offer lots of options. I also have turned several inserts using Dymondwood, available from HUT Industries.

This is where custom building comes in - make your own.

Generally, casting and spinning seats have been seen as functional rather than cosmetic. Sales haven't been there for anything along the lines of fancier styles of these seats. Fly rods have always typically used seats that ran more along the lines of cosmetic rather than functional (how many fly fishermen have their reels come loose or even fall off during a day's fishing?).

Your best bet is to make your own or do some letter writing to the reel seat manufacturers. The dealers and suppliers won't be able to help much in this regard - they can't carry what the manufacturers don't manufacture.

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

Timing is everything. I know the subject here is spinning seats, but I was also looking to customize casting seats. I wanted to combine a skeleton seat, with my own insert, and a trigger. I know I've seen just the triggers being sold someplace (I'm guessing you screw and/or glue them in place?) but I'm having trouble finding them now...can someone point me to a sponsor that migt carry them...when I search for "trigger" I get way tooo much?

I've taken regular trigger seats cut them up, and added a cork spacer. Same could be down with wood. I've got a bunch of Wiebe Triggers which are apparantly really hard to come by, which I've used with cork spacers. You could do the same with wood in there.

There are painted Fuji Seats available from a few places around the World, problem is they are expensive and people don't want to pay the $$$.

Steven,
Try @#$%& they have the IPS triggers and seats

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

Before you get to all fired up about using metal casting spinning seats . You might want to take into consideration How cold they get if you fish in cold waether like I do

Steve Gardner Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Before you get to all fired up about using metal
> casting spinning seats . You might want to take
> into consideration How cold they get if you fish
> in cold waether like I do

Good thread. I agree with Steve. It's amazing how painful it can be after a couple hours holding a rod on a cold, drizzly late fall day fishing for 'eyes in MN. I'm exploring options for making my own spinning seats. I'm searching for a sensitive, comfortable spinning handle. I have lots of ideas to try. Seems a shame to tape a reel on a custom rod...

I think some of the above posts are right on. We need to make/modify our own seats as required. That is how new products are conceived. Dream it and do it. I'll buy it!

Chuck



_________________________________________
"Angling is extremely time consuming.
That's sort of the whole point." - Thomas McGuane

I am fair weather fisherman! I do not go fishing if the terperature is below 0 degrees C (32F). I don't like to stick my pole in the lake or stream to get the ice out of the guides. That said: I'm like Billy V. I've cut down a few trigger seats and put wood inserts in them. As per spinning rods, I always use skeletons with an insert. (Many of the sponsors of this site carry skeletons in various sizes) You name it I've tried it. wood, cork, bowling ball, nylon, Corian, corn cob, etc. If you want metal you can find pieces of tubing to fit your needs. I've seen a few that Putter has marbled that were beautiful. I use a hack saw to cut them down if I need to. I think many rodbuilders have used very imagintive ways to add art work to build reel seats. For what ever it is worth.

Ed Smith

spinning reel seats can be wraped with thread to match the guide wraps or can weave names or other designs in them to dress them up a little.

A few ideas....a very comfortable "new" spin seat:
[shop.mudhole.com]

Also pre-shaped wood inserts that fit standard skeleton spin seats:
[shop.mudhole.com]

Skeletons:
[shop.mudhole.com]



Regards.
Team Mud Hole Custom Tackle
Web: [www.mudhole.com]
Email: sales@mudhole.com
Toll Free Phone #: 1-866-790-RODS (7637)

Stay Connected with us:
FaceBook: [www.facebook.com]
YouTube: [www.youtube.com]
Instagram: [www.instagram.com]
Tik Tok: Tik Tok: [www.tiktok.com]
Twitter: @mudholetackle

I use a lot of the seats in the Mudhole link above and they are VERY comfortable as spinning seats (even though they are listed as a casting seat on the web site) and customers really like them. I just wish they came in size 17 (I would use a lot more) and different hood colors. They are a VERY nice seat at a decent price

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!!

Is there a recess for the handle material or do you have to angle the cork. Can't tell from the pic. Mike, I looked at your pictures and saw a rod built with this seat down locking. Ever try up locking? I saw one somewhere and it looked odd, but was wondering if it was comfortable.

Chuck

There is a recess for the grip to slide into. No reason that you couldn't reverse it, although I don't know how it would feel with the "hump" towards the front.

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!!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/18/2006 04:55PM by Mike Barkley.

I'll order a couple. I agree, size 17 or 18 would be nice. I looked on American's website and they only show a 16 in the new pricelist. I guess flocking would enlarge it a bit. My son bought a 'bargain tent" rod at Cabelas that has this grip with a "quick-lock" cork nut and it is very comfortable.

Chuck

Size 16 makes the seat totally useless for any of teh fishing I do. Don't think the reel feet would fit properly. I do think the shape of that seat is ideal for a conventional reel, although I've never felt it it would be worth the $10 to find out.

Curiously I have a reel that fits snugly, almost nicely, in a DPSD-16G seat, but wont fit at all in a DNPSM-16G seat. I've also got a number of older DPS-16 seats that it wont fit - the thread portion on the seat is shorter.

American Tackle sells 16, 18 and size 20 and Pacific Bay caries sizes 16, 17 , and 18. So there are some other sizes available out there - personally I prefer the lightest smallest componenets able to comfortably execute the job needed. Pacific Bay also has woven graphite, cork or a variety of wood inserts for a variety of these sizes as well. Not sure of who all caries these components other than my old faithful - Bingham Enterprises - Karen will help you out if you wish to go that route. Chuck Ungs

Have you looked at REC components? Sponsor on the left column. They have some very nice spinning seats.

Ray Vinzant
Juneau, Alaska