I have been on the lookout for 2 different travel blanks but have not been able to find a supplier. Temple Fork Outfitters (http://www.templeforkflyrods.com/conventional/spinning.html) seems to sell finished rods that would be suitable but I would prefer to build something myself,

1) 4 peice, 9ft or 9ft 6in, 6-12lb line for drift fishing for steelhead. There's lots of suitable blanks in 2 peice but I would much prefer something in 4 peice. I might build something from a 4 peice 8 or 9 weight fly blank, but fly blanks seem to have a slower taper than I would prefer.

2) 3 piece 7 ft Medium Light, 4 to 10 lb line for smallmouth and walleye. There seems to be lots of 3 piece Medium weight blanks rated for 6 to 12 lb line, but I'm looking for something lighter.

I have built multi-peice rods before by cutting 1 piece blanks and creating ferrules from blank offcuts but I would much rather not go through that hassle.

Can anyone recommend some blanks?

Thanks,

David McDonough

Try the Dan Craft FT fly blanks for your drift rod. The 9 ft blanks are very fast, the 10 ft blanks lesser so. Call FishSticks and ask about having a CTS built 3 piece. I've built a few I'd take for walleye and smallmouth bass.
CTS also has a 9 1/2 ft blank in their Elite series that may fit the bill , but I'm not sure about how many pieces they build it in. I've seen an awfully nice float rod made out of the Dan Craft 10 ft 7 wt FT, Dan also fishes one, along with the best he's seen, he built it from the R.B. Meiser Trouter switch rod blank.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/04/2009 01:59PM by Spencer Phipps.

Take a look at Batsons, they have several models: RX8+864-4, just for a start

I did a couple on the batson fly blanks. one an 8wt and 1 a 9 wt. They work pretty well but a little slow if you're looking for a hot shot type blank.