Hi all,

I've only started rod building within the last year.

The first rod I built was a 5wt Batson RX7 fly rod. The second was a 4pc Batson RX6 spinning rod - SB720-4, 6'0", 4-8lb.

I have built this rod using basic Batson components: VS guides (6,6,6,8,12,20 - A double foot guide as the butt guide), an ultra-light Batson spinning handle kit, a hook keeper, black thread and some metallic silver trim wraps

The total cost of the blank and components came to $52, purchased from Utmost Enterprises.

Both myself and couple of friends have been really impressed with the blank and they were simply stunned when I told them that it only cost $32!!

I'm really happy with the overall result and its great that there is nice 4pc spin blank available at this price point.

I also purchased the next rod up in the series, the SB781-3, 6'6", 3pc, 6-12lb and I've started building this one too, with essentially the same components, only using slightly larger guides and a longer rear grip.

Here are a few photo's:
[www.rodbuilding.org]
[www.rodbuilding.org]
[www.rodbuilding.org]

Regards

Dale
Hobart, Tasmania, AUS

Congrats Dale. Good selections for a good pack rod. I like these since they make backpacking with a rod much easier. Add a "casting bubble" to your kit and that 4 pc. can through small presentations a long way even in shallow water and not spook fish! Try ti some time. A lighter leader and a fly makes it even more interesting. Continued luck.
Ray

Very nice! I built a couple of those for a guy in December. They are great little blanks.

jeremy

Just for the sake of curiosity, why did you use a double foot guide for the butt guide?? I and most builders I know would use a Single foot guide for the butt guide on a light Spinning rod. It would take quite a bit of weight off the rod if you use a SF butt guide. All the ring sizes look good to me and the blanks you are using are great little blanks.

J.B.Hunt
Bowling Green, KY

Jay,
I like the double foot guide as the butt guide for durability really.
On previous rods I've owned, the single foot butt guides can get bent and twisted over time, from walking through the forest, bumping into trees, occassionally slipping over and knocking the rod on rocks etc.
I guess this is also because that guide is the biggest and sticks out the furthest, making it the most vulnerable.
For a pack rod especially, that is going to suffer some abuse over time, I feel that this extra durability out-weighs the extra weight that you are adding to the rod.

However, I'm only a beginner rod builder, so over time my opinion on this may change!

Cheers
Dale

Durability for a pack rod, that makes perfect sense. Thanks, just curious.

J.B.Hunt
Bowling Green, KY