I have been building Fly Rods for years. I am starting my first casting Rod. Is there a "common" spacing for the reel seat? I building a 7' MH- Fast casting rod with a split grip.From the Butt, how far up should the reel seat begin. I have heard it doesnt matter but is there a good starting point or a min / max?

The number one rule is to make sure the butt length is not so long as to catch on your clothing during fishing.

Maximum total handle (fore, seat, butt) length of 15.5 inches might be a good starting point.

Agree on clothing issue.

You need not even have a fore grip unless the rod will be used for pretty heavy stuff, like musky, salmon, really big bass. Some like the styling of them, but it's not mandatory.

I always go w/ the butt of the rod hitting right in the "meat" of the underside of my forearm. Place the seat wherever it falls.

Todd Theodore Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I always go w/ the butt of the rod hitting right
> in the "meat" of the underside of my forearm.
> Place the seat wherever it falls.

I'm pretty close to what Todd says. You can take a broom handle or a golf club and find the "spot" where you like it. My butt ends in the little pocket under my arm that I can use for leverage when fish fighting, where my trigger finger is marks the reelseat..

Glenn;
I cannot speak for other types of fishing, but when it comes to bass rods, depending on the technique involved there are advantages to having different length handles for each.
So if you plan to use this for bass (and maybe other types of fishing). It would be prudent to decide on which technique it is to be used or if used for several what length compromise would suite you best.
There also different arm lengths for different people and different style preferences


Considerations;
if your predominant style of fishing is going to be long casts and longer handle may aid in that such as fishing spinner and crank baits in open water flats, but if you intend to use the rod for working in and around shore line structure such as docks, boats laydowns and over hanging limbs, using multiple angles of casts with the same types of baits? A shorter handle will suite you better. Providing more clearance around your body
If using in open water to work twitch type baits? A slightly short handle will keep you from beating up your forearm with the handle butt.
If using heavier baits with lots of pull to them (large crank baits, swim baits) you might want the handle long enough to tuck up under your arm to cut down on fatigue during the day

Then there are personal choice considerations
Two good examples are;
Gary Cline; long time successful tournament angler;
Who prefers shorter handles for flipping and pitching rods, believing the extra clearance around his clothing increases his landing percentages even though it makes his rods tip heavy and tiring to fish. Which puts more money in his bank account

Roland Martin;
Second in professional tournament career victories and titles to only Kevin VanDam;
Who prefers a longer then average handle, so he can brace the handle against his body providing better leverage for working fish out of heavy cover, which makes for a lighter then average tip rod lessoning fatigue and increasing bite detection. Which puts more money in his bank account.

I would suggest taking some time to consider what you want to fish and how you want to fish it, and then maybe repost your questions. You are still going to read a lot of personal opinions but those opinions might get you closer to the answers you are looking for.

Steve Gardner Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Glenn;
> I cannot speak for other types of fishing, but
> when it comes to bass rods, depending on the
> technique involved there are advantages to having
> different length handles for each.
> So if you plan to use this for bass (and maybe
> other types of fishing). It would be prudent to
> decide on which technique it is to be used or if
> used for several what length compromise would
> suite you best.
> There also different arm lengths for different
> people and different style preferences
>
>
> Considerations;
> if your predominant style of fishing is going to
> be long casts and longer handle may aid in that
> such as fishing spinner and crank baits in open
> water flats, but if you intend to use the rod for
> working in and around shore line structure such as
> docks, boats laydowns and over hanging limbs,
> using multiple angles of casts with the same types
> of baits? A shorter handle will suite you better.
> Providing more clearance around your body
> If using in open water to work twitch type baits?
> A slightly short handle will keep you from beating
> up your forearm with the handle butt.
> If using heavier baits with lots of pull to them
> (large crank baits, swim baits) you might want the
> handle long enough to tuck up under your arm to
> cut down on fatigue during the day
>
> Then there are personal choice considerations
> Two good examples are;
> Gary Cline; long time successful tournament
> angler;
> Who prefers shorter handles for flipping and
> pitching rods, believing the extra clearance
> around his clothing increases his landing
> percentages even though it makes his rods tip
> heavy and tiring to fish. Which puts more money in
> his bank account
>
> Roland Martin;
> Second in professional tournament career victories
> and titles to only Kevin VanDam;
> Who prefers a longer then average handle, so he
> can brace the handle against his body providing
> better leverage for working fish out of heavy
> cover, which makes for a lighter then average tip
> rod lessoning fatigue and increasing bite
> detection. Which puts more money in his bank
> account.
>
> I would suggest taking some time to consider what
> you want to fish and how you want to fish it, and
> then maybe repost your questions. You are still
> going to read a lot of personal opinions but those
> opinions might get you closer to the answers you
> are looking for.


Thanks Steve,
This rod is not for me. I do a lot of fly fishing. Some of your good questions I will have to find out from the person for whom I am building it for. But just for my own knowledge, what is considered a long handle and what is considered a short handle? The guy who will be using this rod is really just a recreational outdoorsman. I dont think he is a die hard Bass angler as I am with Fly fishing. He is a Tattoo artist whom I am getting some work done with and when he found out I build Fly Rods he asked me if I could build him a casting rod. I dont think he goes out every weekend fishing. I have been told 9" from the butt to the begining of the reel seat is the most common spacing, is this correct?



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/13/2011 10:45AM by glenn evers.

My own personal casting rod are right at 13" from the trigger of the seat to the butt, which puts it right at the meaty part of my arm. On my customer builds, I have a mock-up rod with the butt end installed, and setup with a sliding reel seat to to adjust to the customer's preference.
You would really be surprised how peoples preferences can differ from one to another.

Ron Weber

9" from the butt to the beginning of the reel seat is about average. It's what I use on all my personal rods, and for most of my customers' rods.

Thanks all for the information.
The front split grip (for split grip handle) for a casting rod shouold be about 4" correct? I have one that is 2" but it seems that is for a spinning rod?

You can use whatever works, IF the o.d. of the cork/EVA pieces are really close to the o.d. of your reel seat, and IF your customer likes it. For my own rods, I use a 2" piece on the butt, and a 2.5" for the piece right behind the reel seat. BUT, most of the guys I build for prefer at least 3" right behind the reel seat.

2" just seems a bit too short for the piece right behind the reel seat. To be safe, I'd use at least 3".

I usually turn my own cork, but if you're looking for pre-formed cork/EVA, I've been using the following, and have been happy with all of it:

Swampland: [www.swamplandtackle.com]

Mudhole: [www.mudhole.com] For the butt
[www.mudhole.com] For right behind the reel seat (also comes in cork)
[www.mudhole.com] For right behind the reel seat (also comes in cork)

I build only bass rods, and I personally like 10" to the rear of the reel seat on a 7' rod. When I use cork, I use 5 rings (2 1/2") for both the butt grip and behind the reel seat. Lately I've been using the black EVA from Swampland that Andrew linked to above - it's tough to beat Lance's price on those.