I live in S. Oregon and pursue large trout. I have several 6wt Rods, none of which have a fighting butt. I have a Sage XP 9'0, GL3 8'6 and a St. Croix 9'0. The St. Croix is the least expensive of the good rods that I have (use) and I would like to attempt adding a fighting butt. I have read conflicting reports on how and if you should remove a reel seat, or how and if I should remove the butt cap.

I would appreciate any advise and/or horror stories of anyone who has done the above mentioned. If all goes well, I will add fighting butts to all of my 6wt's. After reading Mr. Kirkmans book, I am also pondering replacing and adding guides that may help my pathetic casting.

Thanks.

Justin,

Boiling the reelseat to loosen the epoxy has always worked well for me. It usually will come off after about 3-4 minutes of boiling, with no more than a twist of wrist. Try not to get the cork wet or you risk damaging it.

However, if you're going to extend the blank and put a fighting butt on that, you may just want to remove the butt cap (boiling works for this too; only submerge the butt cap) and insert an extension. Find a scrap piece of blank approximately 6-8" long that will fit inside the existing blank snugly enough to leave about 1.5" extending beyond the reelseat. You can use either glass or graphite. Epoxy the extension in with Rod Bond or a good quality 30min epoxy. Put your fighting butt on the new 1.5" extension (adjust according to the size of the FB, of course).


Scott Kinney
The Longest Cast Fly Rods
[www.thelongestcast.com]

If your looking for a removable fighting butt, they sell them or you can buy the hardware and make your own, in either case, you need only to remove the butt cap, glue in the threaded insert and your on your way to the river !~

Except if the blank goes all the way up inside the reelseat to the buttcap like most do. Very tough to insert anything in if the space is full o' blank.

Scott Kinney
The Longest Cast Fly Rods
[www.thelongestcast.com]