I'm building up a 9wt saltwater fly rod and I'm having some problems deciding what length I should make the fighting butt. I'm planning on using a fixed butt of cork rings attached to the bottom of the blank. Would it be advantageous to build it long enough to use the rod two handed? The reel seat is ~ 4.25" and the cork grip is about 7.5". Will that give me enough distance between my hands to effectively cast two handed?

Thanks,

Erik

Erik,

I would build the fighting butt no longer than 3-4 inches. I like a little longer fighting butts especially for salt rods. Reason is that I like the reel away from my body while the end of the fighting butt is against me chest when I'm reeling in a big ole saltwater fish. But, I have to ask you, why are you casting two-handed? This has me baffled?!

Paul

Paul,

I thought that having the fighting butt long enough, say 4" would give me the option to use it two-handed. I've never tried casting two-handed, but I wondered if it would beneficial.

Thanks for the reply.

Erik

i have built mine anywhere from 1" to 3". it is what i feel like when i build. i have most of mine somewhere around 2". i flyfish the salt in the carolinas and it works for me. there is no advantage to the minor differences in lengths except what feels best to you.

I have fished and built both one and two handed rods. 3 or four inches is more than long enough to cast two handed. Actually, when I cast with my spey rods my lower hand is on the bottom of the grip, so only a couple inches is truly needed.

I agree with permanently adding the fighting butt by gluing to the blank, as opposed tohaving a removable one. The removable ones loosen and can lost in the long run. Of note though is that when you add 4 inches of fighting butt to the bottom of the blank, everything moves up 4 inches - the reel seat and grip - so that your 9 ft rod becomes effectively 8'8". Not that it definitely matters, but something to think about.


Wayne

I have fished and built both one and two handed rods. 3 or four inches is more than long enough to cast two handed. Actually, when I cast with my spey rods my lower hand is on the bottom of the grip, so only a couple inches is truly needed.

I agree with permanently adding the fighting butt by gluing to the blank, as opposed tohaving a removable one. The removable ones loosen and can lost in the long run. Of note though is that when you add 4 inches of fighting butt to the bottom of the blank, everything moves up 4 inches - the reel seat and grip - so that your 9 ft rod becomes effectively 8'8". Not that it definitely matters, but something to think about.


Wayne

Thanks guys.

A box of parts showed up in the mail today and I'm anxious to get started.

Erik

A fighting butt or extension butt can be any length you like. The maxium length that IGFA will except is 6 inches or 15.24 cm for world record purposes. I build and sell mostly big game fly rods our fighting butts are no longer than 3 inches. All fly rods I build have fighting butts made for them because I think it gives them a finished look. On sizes 2,3,4,5 weights I use a 1 inch butt. Size 6,7,8 I use a 11/2 inch butt all of these small butts are made of cork to match the casting grip. On 9 wts and above I turn Hypalon from 2 inches on up to 3 inches. I've caught a ton of big fish with a 3 inch butt and my overgrown belly does not get in the way.

If you are in any way concerned about the rod meeting the standards for the IGFA the rules are presently under consideration for change. The length of the approved fighting butt whether fixed or removable will be clearly defined in the soon to appear new regulations. The six inches presently defined refers to the length of the removable fighting butt. There is no defining points for where the 6 inches mentioned is measured. For conventional rods the measurements are from the center of the reel seat but this does not apply to fly rods with the present Rules wording. One issue for usage other than two handed presentation is what position the butt can be placed in a cup for fish fighting. If the butt is extended slightly the waiste cup can me moved downward toward the thigh area for more comfortable "pumping" of bottom seekers like tuna without belly interference with the huge reels used.

I like to extend the butt no longer than 4" , as I then have a 4" internal overlap under the reelseat and over the original blank. 4" ins the about the vertical height of your hand unless you have baseball mit hands and can palm a basketball. And overall I like a forearms worth of cork and reel seat to tuck the butt under my upper forearm and fight the fish one armed while I move when wading

One other very important thing to consider, and to me its the 1st thing to note as it possible might be the most detrimental to the rods existance, and I'm not sure if any of the experts above mentioned it, and to that end I don't for the life of me know why not. BUT while a Mfg made removable fighting butt does not void a blank Mfger's warranty the installation of a fixed one DOES VOID THE MFG WARRANTY.