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fly rod blank for a 3.5 year old?
Posted by:
Tom Lusis
(---.cpe.net.cable.rogers.com)
Date: April 16, 2013 10:31AM
Hello,
My son has shown a great interest in fly fishing and I would like to build him a rod. So far he has developed a pretty good roll cast using a Reddington form rod but we haven't done any overhand casting yet. We would be fishing for panfish, small smallmouth and rock bass, as well as shiners and chubs - pretty well anything that will hit a indicator/nymph rig. It will be mostly short roll casts from shore. Does anyone have any suggestions for suitable blank in the 3-4 weight, 6-7 foot range? I would like to get him a decent rod but at the same time would rather not break the bank at this point. thanks, Tom. Re: fly rod blank for a 3.5 year old?
Posted by:
Herb Ladenheim
(---.lightspeed.wepbfl.sbcglobal.net)
Date: April 16, 2013 11:34AM
Tom,
I built a rod for a 5yr old and got my blank from Dan Craft for $20. Is was a sweet blank - 2pc. As you get into the lower weights the difference between the expensive stuff and the other dims. I only build on CTS blanks - but for something like that I would give dan a call. He had a number of these blanks in the corner. They are not his FT blanks - but suitable. I specified a #6 but it handled a #7 line better. Herb Distrib. For CTS Fly Blanks Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/16/2013 11:34AM by Herb Ladenheim. Re: fly rod blank for a 3.5 year old?
Posted by:
Steve Wright
(---.hsd1.wa.comcast.net)
Date: April 16, 2013 02:24PM
May or may not be what you are looking for but a suggestion from my experience. I bought my daughter an Echo Gecko fly rod. I can not over state how impressed I am with the rod. It is a 7'6" 4wt 3pc rod and I over lined it with a WF-5- F line. It has small lower grip so they can spey cast with it also. For a child that small that is what I would teach him. The rod just casts great period and she can feel the rod load. The grips are small for little hands and in cool bright colors. If you have not cast one check it out first, at least look it over for some ideas to build a rod. Then when he is bigger and can appreciate having a rod dad built for him build him a nice one.. Re: fly rod blank for a 3.5 year old?
Posted by:
bill boettcher
(---.dyn.optonline.net)
Date: April 16, 2013 04:28PM
This kid starting this young
maybe another Loomis ??? LOL Bill - willierods.com Re: fly rod blank for a 3.5 year old?
Posted by:
gary Marquardt
(141.211.151.---)
Date: April 16, 2013 04:39PM
I totally agree with Steve the Echo Geckos are great. when my boys were young I built a rod off of a tip section from a 9 1/2 2 pc fly rod I had kicking around. then later built them each a rod based on what we were going for at that time. now they each have several. Re: fly rod blank for a 3.5 year old?
Posted by:
Bob McKamey
(---.se.biz.rr.com)
Date: April 16, 2013 04:51PM
If you can find a a ultra-lite to lite fiberglass spinning blank, they make great fly rods for children. They will take a bit more abuse that children seem to offer, than a graphite blank. Bob McKamey Mud Hole Custom Tackle bobm@mudhole.com Re: fly rod blank for a 3.5 year old?
Posted by:
Tom Lusis
(---.cpe.net.cable.rogers.com)
Date: April 16, 2013 07:10PM
Thanks for all of the input and suggestions.
I'll check on the Echo Gecko and also noticed that Hook and Hackle has a special on their 6'6", 2 weight Xi which looks like a pretty good deal. Re: fly rod blank for a 3.5 year old?
Posted by:
Don Lukehart
(---.hsd1.pa.comcast.net)
Date: April 16, 2013 09:00PM
H&H has some nice blanks but a 2wt. might be to difficult for him to feel it load. What ever blank you decide on,unless you know the CCS, it would be a good idea to go with a higher weight line. JMTC. Re: fly rod blank for a 3.5 year old?
Posted by:
Abram Harrison
(---.dsl.teksavvy.com)
Date: April 17, 2013 07:16PM
Try one of Batson's SPG blanks. I built the SPG 601 (5 ft 1 pc)and 720 (6 fot, 2pc) into fly rods this winter. I've only fished the 720 so far, and only a little bit, but it seems to make a good 4wt. I probably had $40-50 in each build, no more. My 5yo son was getting interested in fly casting watching me with the 720 at the creek. Now when he pretends to fish he always false casts a few times. :) Re: fly rod blank for a 3.5 year old?
Posted by:
Randolph Ruwe
(---.hsd1.wa.comcast.net)
Date: April 18, 2013 02:24PM
Tom, I have made a number of rods for children, although none as young as 3 1/2 yrs. I would recommend a practice rod first made with a light tip section with a piece of brightly colored yarn attached so he can get used to casting. He will be able to see the loop form much better and have fun with it at the same time. Then I would make a rod of 6 - 7' in a 5 wt so that he can feel the rod load. Video tape his casting sessions so he can see what he is doing right and what doesn't work so well. I would put a 3" fighting butt on the rod because he might wish to use two hands on the rod. Kids that age will have difficulty in one hand casting. Hope this helps. Randy Re: fly rod blank for a 3.5 year old?
Posted by:
Randolph Ruwe
(---.hsd1.wa.comcast.net)
Date: April 18, 2013 02:24PM
Tom, I have made a number of rods for children, although none as young as 3 1/2 yrs. I would recommend a practice rod first made with a light tip section with a piece of brightly colored yarn attached so he can get used to casting. He will be able to see the loop form much better and have fun with it at the same time. Then I would make a rod of 6 - 7' in a 5 wt so that he can feel the rod load. Video tape his casting sessions so he can see what he is doing right and what doesn't work so well. I would put a 3" fighting butt on the rod because he might wish to use two hands on the rod. Kids that age will have difficulty in one hand casting. Hope this helps. Randy Re: fly rod blank for a 3.5 year old?
Posted by:
Randolph Ruwe
(---.hsd1.wa.comcast.net)
Date: April 18, 2013 02:26PM
Sorry for the double post, sometimes the Forum doesn't react very quick.
Don't know why. Re: fly rod blank for a 3.5 year old?
Posted by:
Eric Viburs
(---.usar.army.mil)
Date: April 18, 2013 03:00PM
I would look at building it like a "mini spey rod" much easier for kids to 2-hand cast. I built my son a 5 like that. Re: fly rod blank for a 3.5 year old?
Posted by:
Randolph Ruwe
(---.hsd1.wa.comcast.net)
Date: April 18, 2013 04:15PM
Eric, you are right on, that's why I said a 3' fighting butt, thinking about a switch rod I just finished for my self. Two handed is much easier for kids to master. Re: fly rod blank for a 3.5 year old?
Posted by:
Tom Lusis
(---.cpe.net.cable.rogers.com)
Date: April 19, 2013 09:34AM
Thanks for the additional input. The two handed casting rod is a very good idea and I think I'll go that route.
Thanks again. Tom. Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.
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