I'm think of building a spinning rod for salmon and steelhead and want something about 8 - 8 1/2 feet long. Since I'll be traveling with the rod, I want it to be 4 pieces, but there doesn't seem to be many spinning blanks like this for a reasonable price. I've seen 4 piece fly rod blanks and was thinking of making a spinning rod from a 9 foot, 8 weight fly rod blank. Any comments or suggestions to this idea?

A second idea was to buy a 2 piece spinning blank and adding two ferrules. This would be easy to do in the butt section, but how about the tip section? Would this make a large dead spot in the tip?

Thanks,

Ernie

A blank is a blank is a blank. There is absolutely no reason you can't make any type rod you want from a 4-piece fly rod blank. However, be aware that few fly rod blanks possess very fast actions when compared to many spinning and casting rods. So you may not be able to find one that will suit you perfectly. At least not if you're after a very fast action.

You can make your own ferrules and no, there won't be a "dead spot" in the tip if you do this properly. In fact, you'll be hard pressed to even notice it's there by feel alone. Do you have Ralph O'Quinn's RodMaker article on making multi-piece rods?


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Like Tom said, fly rods are going to act much differently. Just much more action and sensitivity, so be careful with what you get. I would get a slower action rod and you will most likely enjoy it very much.

Matt White

They're made exactly the same way as casting and spinning blanks, contrary to what many fly fishermen think. Not more action nor sensitivity - just slower action than most popular spinning blanks. What most companies term a fast action fly rod blank would be a medium action spinning rod blank. Another reason to use the CCS AA figure so you can compare apples to apples.

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I built many spinning rod using fly blank because i like to fish whit long rods.

Sorry, i want to say you can use RAISHADOW RX8+ TRAVEL FLY BLANKS(4 sections ,fast) or RAINSHADOW RX7+(4 sections,med.-fast),RAINSHADOW RX8 TRAVEL(4 sections,extra-fast)
I was building for me many rods on med-fast blanks ALL STAR AUSTIN,very good blanks ,but now you can't find this blanks.

The Dan Craft FT blanks would be a good choice, Dan himself uses them for drift fishing. I've built them on other slower fly blanks in the past and they are ok, I only used them when I needed the transport length more than anything else. When Angler's Workshop built their IM6 TSH 86MH4 4 piece drift rod blank I quit using fly blanks. They are about the same price as the Dan Craft blanks.

this may or may not help. you will need a pretty heavy fly rod to translate. i had a rod built for me before i aquired the hobby. nine ft casting rod to throw popping corks and 1 oz. carolina rigs with 4 inch mullet. it was way too light for this use and i was unhappy. the builder converted it into a fly rod and it fishes 8 weight line beautifully.maybe you can reverse engineer this babble to see what size fly rod you would need, unsure of your power needed.

This idea was something we were doing on the Great Lakes thirty years ago.

Do it!.

Uncle Russ
Calico Creek Rods

I don't know first hand, but heard that the Manufacturer may not honor the warrentee. Maybe someone who knows first hand can chime in.

Along with Dan Craft, check out Batson. A lot of possibilities

I have a 10 foot 8wt Rainshadow RX7 tied as a spinning rod for steelhead fishing and it is excellent. My friend has a 10 foot 7wt RX8 that is even better.
I use mine for bottom bouncing, tossing spinners and spoons in rivers and off break waters as well sa tossing flatfish and other wobbling plugs.
The RX8 is lighter, crisper and more sensitive than the RX7, is is also a little more $$$$.
I don't know about the warranty, but I don't care as they are not terribly expensive blanks.

RX7 rod build
[www.rodbuilding.org]

Regards
Dave

Fishing is Life the rest is just Details

I've built 2 spinning rods on fly rod blanks, a 6'6" and a 7'0", both 2 piece rods. I can say two things for sure, they seem to be very sensitive rods to fish on, and I highly recommend using the new guide concept (NGC) to keep the tip weight as low a possible to keep the rods as fast a possible, action wise. On the 6.6' rod I use 2lb test line, and it is a ball for trout fishing here in NC.

The absolute best, light spinning bank ever available in Aus, (inmho) was the ,Mitsubishi,MR40-HR . 8 #.

This blank was a really great 2 piece fly blank.

It also built a great casting blank, to 3/4 oz lures.

Braid improved this blanks performance.'

I really like this blank. Sorry if I am seem to carry on.

Paul./

I fish therefore I am.
www.hookeduprods.com