I have a friend that wants a short 9/10 wt fly rod blank. He is looking for an 8 to 8.5 length, fast action, and 2 piece configuration. I've never seen a fly rod blank for that weight shorter than 9ft. I know Sage is making the 7'-11" series of rods, but they don't interest him. Has anyone here ever taken a casting or spinning blank and used it for a short 9/10 wt? He doesn't want to spend more than $75 to $100 on the blank. Thanks.

Yes, it's easy to do. Is he interested in casting long distances or mostly plans to use the rod for fighting large fish?



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I am interested in your suggestion for fighting bigger fish. In the fall the water flow turns into fast narrow stream where a short rod would be sufficient.

If that's the case, then it's just a matter of finding a blank that has the power you need for the fish you're after. I have used Back Bouncing blanks for blue water fly rods. Multi-piece Hot Shot rods can do a good job here as well. Generally, these short "fly rods" are used close in after fish have been teased up near the boat where a short cast is sufficient.

If you still want to cast those lines a reasonable distance, you'll have to pay careful attention to matching up something that will load with the amount of line you'll have past the tip, in the size you plan on using. This isn't too hard to do - I'd look for something that is rated to cast about 1/2 to 3/4 ounce lures. This should work well with a 9 or 10-weight line inside of 40 or so feet.

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Thanks Tom, what he is looking for is a 40 to 50 casting range for small tarpon in the mangrove lanes. I was kinda thinking along the lines of a 3/4 oz rod, but I wasn't sure if it would load and cast like a fly rod. I'm sure I'll be able find a good blank to meet his needs.

It will, but it needs to be something that will load with the same amount of weight as that of the fly line at roughly that distance. I think you'd be about right with something rated 1/2 to 3/4 ounce.

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