All,

I have only built spinning and surf rods to date. I have a 9' 8-weight fly rod blank I'd like to build out for surf and inshore fishing for blues, reds, and spanish, and have a couple questions I hope someone can help with.

1) In looking through the various catalogs, I notice that there seem to be no graphite fly reel seats. Is this true? If so, can someone recommend a decent aluminum reel seat for this blank that will not break the bank, accept a fighting butt, and hold up in the saltwater environment?

2) A previous article in RodMaker magazine suggested starting with a size 16 low-frame stripper guide. I'd like to use Titan guides and finish with size 6 single-foot fly guides to the rod tip using the new concept approach. I've not used the low-frame Titans before, so can someone recommend an intermediate guide size between the stripper and the size 6's if one is needed?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Bilgee

You came to the right place for this information -

Do a search this board for:

[www.rodbuilding.org]

Michael made the fly rod presentation at last years ICRBE on salt water fly rods and build them professionally as a business.

Contact him via email and he will surely help.

Keep in mind that the guides on a fly rod endure a great deal less wear than the guides on a spinning rod or surf rods. It's pretty easy to over-build and over-spend for fly rod guides. From those who disagree I would like to schedule fly casting lessons or, better yet, several guided fishing trips!

I think any article in RodMaker on saltwater fly rods might have mentioned using a high frame 16 spinning type guide for your stripper.

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i use graphite seats or hardware on most of my personal rods. they hold the reel better in my opinion and i don't have to worry about the salt

I have built a number of saltwater 8wts. My typical setup is an A7 reel seat, either all aluminum or with a woven graphite insert. Pac Bay, American Tackle and Batson all make similar seats at about $15. The guide setup is a 16 stripping, 12 intermediate, 6, 5, 5, and finish out with 4's. I use light frame casting guides (not spinning guides) for the stripping and intermediate and single foot wire guides the rest of the way out.. I use a large loop tip top. I use a fixed cork fighting butt and a full wells grip.

I've built 20+ saltwater fly rods and have been using the REC Titanium guides on the last few. I like the lighter weight and I have noticed that they simply do not corrode like some of the Nitride and other SS Coated guides. I usually use the two footed snake guides on all but the heaviest of line weights (12+). Actually I've only built one rod w/o snake guides and I used the Fuji SIC Fly guides on a 12 wt that I built for someone else about 5 years ago.
Also, I usually fit my reel to the reel seat before building out the butt section of the rod. Most of the fly reels on the market require a smaller seat than spinning or even conventional reels. I don't like any slop in the reel seat once I've mounted the reel on the rod; makes me nervous when you start looking at how much the reels cost. As for preference on seats; I usually use the Pac Bay uplocking seats with a removable fighting butt. I typically purchase a skeleton seat w/ a wooden insert unless it's an 11 or 12 weight and then I usually use an all aluminum seat with two locking rings. Removable butts are nice because it makes a 9 foot 2 piece rod fit in a rod tube a little easier. Uplocking seats give you an extra inch or inch and a half added to your fighting butt; sometimes it comes in handy.

Good Luck!

Hi Bil,

Regarding number 2, I am delighted to see your choice in guides here.

If it were me, I would use the "Titan Ringlocks", they are lighter in weight with a smaller foot print (obviously titanium) and have the protective ring design. From my experience the line tends to gravitate toward the blank when double hauling anyway so ring height isn't my personal concern. I think the Ringlock style is an excellent choice for any fly rod, I would start with NIRLC-16, 12, & then a 10, (although the 3rd double foot stripper isn't necessary and can be substituted with a SF 10mm) then I would tansition into a single foot NIRLF-8 and the rest 7's. 6's are good too but I prefer the 7's for knots, loops, shooting heads etc. This guide train is absolutely awesome and I am willing to bet that on your blank will feel better in casting and fighting fish then the same rod using any wire frame guides.

Good Luck with the build.

Darrin Heim
American Tackle Company