Hi, I have been trying to find an UltraLight spinning rod that measures 4'6 and is two pieces for use on creeks and hiking along small river banks but everyone tells me they are not available. I picked one up years ago and I want to replace it.

I am sticking to the 4'6 length as it is ideal for the areas I fish for small trout. I know I can find 5'0 two pieces but I just prefer the shorter length.

I can buy a 4'6 one piece and I was curious to any suggestions to make it into a two piece. I have looked at ferrules but the ones I have seen are metal and it would be an over kill for such a small diameter rod. I don't have any rod building experience so I am not sure how to create a ferrule if that can be done with thread and expoxy.

As well I thought about taking a 5'0 two piece and cutting it off at the grip then inserting it into a small cork handle which would give me the length I am looking for, but I don't want it to be a complete hack job.

I searched and saw a simular post but I don't want to build a rod from scratch at this point until I have a better understanding of how to build one, which I guess would be accomplished through actually doing it.


Sorry for the long post, any help you can give would be appreciated.

St Croix 2S60LF4 - throw away the bottom section and POOF 4'6"

OR for something a bit heavier

St Croix 2S66MLF3 - throw away the bottom section and POOF 4'4"

With the 2S60LF4 minus the bottom section, would four guides be enough? 20-10-8-6? I am basing that on the StCroix guide kit for their one piece.

Spacing them would be a little more difficult as it would now be a 3 piece 4'6" rod. Using the spacing guide for a one piece rod would
there be any major issues?

This is obviously the last of the options I would want to persue but it appears it is the only way I will get the rod I want to use.

One piece, two piece, three piece, etc. has no bearing on the number of guides or the spacing. Tape them up and put it through the static placement test and see where you are at. I would be tempted to try a 16J, to see if I could get away with it, then a 8LJ followed by two 4.5's - all in Fuji SiC (Stainless). I wouldn't see any reason to use a guide larger than a 16 to start, the reel wouldn't be larger than a 750 or 1000 on something like this - you will know for sure once you get it taped up. The reason for the SiC guides is that they are lighter and more importantly, they are available in really small sizes for use on fly rods - great for ultralights. Look at the HKS-1 St Croix handle kit for that rod.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/04/2007 11:35PM by Jim Gamble.

Okay thanks for your help, gives me a little better idea of what I should look for.

The type of guides is still something I am learning and I guess its more personal preferance.

Do you see any reason I shouldn't use an 8" solid cork handle with the real seat rings rather than
the screw down solid type of seat? They are the ones you see on small Ice fishing rods.

Thanks again.

Dan,

It's callen a Tennessee (TN) grip and very popular, especially with U/L

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!!

You can use a couple of different style reel seats that will all work

1) a normal spinning reel seat
2) skeleton spinning reel seat hardware with a cork spacer (I like this a lot on ultra lights and light rods).
3) Fuji Quick Lock handle (works pretty good, my daughter likes it)
4) variation on 2 but with the hood buried in cork. The only hardware you see is the hood that adjusts.
5) Cork handle with sliding bands. I'm not a fan of these as I've had them loosen up.
6) Cork handle and mount your reel with tape. Ugly, but it works great - typical ice fishing rod mount.
7) Fuji plate reel seats on cork handle. Typical for surf rods but it works great on ice fishing rods and light/ultra light rods. You can tape these reel seats on or wrap them on with guide thread (I like C thread for these) and then epoxy the thread. The seats hold well without a bunch of hardware.

Another simple solution would be to buy a 5' rod and cut six inches off from the base of the butt section with a fine-bladed hacksaw or cutting wheel. It may sound a little drastic, but years ago when blanks were difficult to come by, many,many "custom" rods were just such "hack jobs", and this approach would work for your needs. The blank's action would be a little faster; obviously, the tip section would be longer than the butt. Barry.

Thanks Barry, that is what I am in the process of doing right now with a 5'0 Ultralight two piece, just waiting for the new grip to arrive.

I've also starting making my rod holder and I am ordering the St.Croix blanks so I can try out my rod building abilities which I think
I can cerate a fine rod with as well.

If anyone has any suggestions on particular threads that maybe easier to work with with begginer rod builders please let me know.

I have tied flys for many years so working with most of the products I am hoping is simular.

Best Regards,

DC

Dan,

Check out the library above and read the article on New Concept Guides and the one on Static Testing. and be sure to post any questions you might have. I would recommend that you follow the concept spacing system and go with no bigger than a size 20 butt guide.

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!!

Thanks, two very interesting articles!

I would also suggest that you pick up a copy of Rodbuilding Guide by Tom Kirkman. It will take you step by step (with about 100 pix) through the building process and be the best $15 you can spend on this addiction.

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!!