I am looking to build a light duty 2 hander. I am having a hard time locating anything long enough that is this light.

There are a couple blanks from Anglers Roost I am interested in. Their 11 foot 2/3 and 3/4 wts. Anyone have experience or feedback on these??

Also, I have found a couple different 3 wt blanks from 10-11' on @#$%&. Not much info to go on on those.

Thanks in advance
Josh

R.B. Meiser 10 1/2 ft switch rod blank.

Josh, you may know this already but I'll give you some info first if you don't. Two handed rods operate on a "grain window" more than a line weight when you are using a spey style cast. For example, I have a 10'-6" Switch Rod that I built off a 4/5wt Beulah blank. It does not really cast single hand style very well and it needed a 7wt line to do so. When using a 2 hand spey style cast the rod worked much better with the Elixir 250grain switch line. Sweet rod for swinging flies to fish you could not normally reach with a single hand rod.
With that info, one of those blanks may work just fine as a two hand rod. The problem may be finding a line that will properly load the rod for spey style casting. I would assume that the blanks you have listed above are meant for a Euro Nymph style of rod, but I don't see why you could not build one out to be a two hand rod. You would have to play around with some different lines to get the right one. If your not worried about the money spent I would give it a go, whats the worst that could happen? If it doesn't work, chalk it up to the learning curve and build another rod.
There are several companies that do offer blanks in the 3/4wt and 4/5wt that have a good reputation in the spey and switch market. Spencer listed Meiser above, much of the switch rod development credit is given to him, if memory serves me, they were in the switch rod business long before any one else grabbed on to the concept. Beulah is also another one that has good stuff. Batson also makes a 5wt switch blank. CTS can make you anything you want, might be a bit expensive though.
One of my friends built a 2 hander on 4/5wt blank that came from Anglers Roost, I think it was an 11 footer, it works pretty good as a spey rod with a short belly spey line, for an inexpensive build, he got what he was looking for.

You have to be careful with those *#@$ blanks, the ferrules nor the blank are are heavy enough to withstand the added stress and strain of 2 handed casting, they will fail. That is the primary reason that most of your switch and spey rod blanks are considerably heavier than a standard blank. Make sure it is listed as a switch or spey blank.

Ron Weber



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/28/2012 10:56AM by Ron Weber.

Bill, yes, I understand the grain window thing. My plan was to find a 3wt rated blank in the 10-11' range and try some 5wt Ambush Triangle Taper on it.

Bill,
I'm interested in building a rod on that 11 foot 4/5wt blank that came from Anglers Roost that your friend used, but am not sure what line would suit it.

Do you know exactly what line your friend is using on it?
If one were to use a "standard WF" line what line would be best on it for a) roll casting b) overhead casting?

If I remember correctly, he built it with a switch style reel seat and grip. Total length came out to be around 18 to 20 inches for the bottom, reel seat and forward grips. He found that he could cast it somewhat well with a spey style cast using a short belly 6wt spey line, Cortland. I know he also tried using it for indicator nymph fishing and he was not impressed with it, had a SA 6wt on it. With the long length of it, it did mend well.

Bill,
I built an 8wt MHX switch rod this spring and finally got out to use, it, and like it so much, I want to implement the technique on smaller flies and fish. Looking to swing some small indicator rigs in large pools on small streams that have high banks and not much room for backcasts. I fished these pools for years, and areas always seemed out of reach. After spending some time getting a few spey casts down with the 8wt, a "Light bulb" went off. Now to find the right set up.

Thanks for the input.
Josh

I bought a Global Dorber 10' 3wt full flex to build into a two hander. Haven't finished it yet. But I do not think it is a full flex blank. Just fyi that Dorber has a 10' 3wt blank. Purchased so long ago do not remember price....was economical...but think prices have changed in the graphite world......

I noticed a video out there of a guy who modified a 10ft 3 wt BVK by adding a rear grip to it and turned it into a 2 hander. Looked pretty slick!

Velly Intraresting..... I never saw the video....but that is what I am doing. I added a 1 foot extension to it......So it will be an 11' two handed 3wt.
No big deal. Just sayin' brilliant minds think alike? well probably....but I would not even DARE to apply that to me. grin