First of all, i would like to thank you guys for the great site. The information here is priceless. So far i was able to find all the answers i needed. Today this will be my first post. I cannot find anywhere information about building travel rod on fly blank.
I want to build a 4 pcs rod on 9 ft 4 pcs 10 wt blank. The blank is Anglers Roost, ultra high modulus graphite UHM12. Blank is rated as 10 wt.
My questions are:
1. Will it be capable to cast lures up to 1 oz?
2. What line i can safely use on this blank? I plan to use mono 12-15 lbs or braid 20-30 lbs test.

I am planning to build it as a spinning rod using either Fuji KR Concept layout or New Concept.
The rod will be used in a saltwater environment from the shore. The reel Pfluger or Quantum in 40 series, spool diameter 55-56 mm.
Intended species- whatever i can get there. But the waters there hold some tarpon of good size, seen 50-60 pounders before. I want this rod to be capable to handle fish of this side if it happens.

I built a spinning rod out of a 4 piece 10wt fly rod blank. It's great for travelling-I go every year to Alaska. A couple of observations...

-1oz lure weight will be pushing it. The largest I've thrown are 5/8 oz pixies. I honestly think 1 oz is too much.

-Your mono line weight is about right. I use 14 lb with mine. Your braid sounds too heavy.

-It will not handle like a normal spinning rod-the action is much slower (and I used a fast action IM8 10wt blank)

-You need to fight the fish with a bit of finesse. It will handle like a fly rod under load, meaning it will bend deeper into the butt than an equivalent spinning rod.

-While I have landed dozens of 12-16 pound salmon with mine, a 20 pound salt water fish will be about the limit for this rod unless you fish very light drag settings

-Maybe if 50lb fish are your target, consider a heavier rod.

-Fuji K guides are great. I used KLs for the reduction guides and KTs for the runners.

Good luck, for my needs the 4 piece is gold, and works extremely well.

Drew



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/09/2013 10:20AM by Drew Pollock.

Sergiy

I have read similar posts on this forum before. If I remember correctly it is generally thought that the fly rod line weight ratings convert to 1/16th's oz. spinning rod / mono lure weight ratings (give or take a little). 10wt = 10 16ths or 5/8 oz lure weight, a 12wt = 3/4 oz lure weight, etc. I'm sure a search of the forum would turn up lots of answers to your question.

Rog

Thanks guys. 50 lbs fish is not a target for this rod, but it is possible. I have different shorter and stiffer travel rod, 7 ft 3 pcs. TFO in 20-50 lbs range. The casting weight, however, is what i am looking at. I stated lure in original post, but really should have said "casting weight". Lets refrase it- the lead and bait totalling to 1 oz. If throwing lures- probably up to 3/4 oz, small spoons or topwater poppers. I also may use rod here in Ontario Canada for casting spoons for fall run of salmon and steelhead.
Also, I will not have warranty for the blank since it will be used not as intended.
What are your thoughts?
Are there any other travel spinning 4 pcs blanks I can look at? Cost effective, becase shipping to Canada is a killer.

There is the 3 & 4 piece travel salmon/steelhead blanks at Anglers Workshop. The TSH86MH-4 is rated 8 to 20 lb line, up to 3/8 to 1 oz lure weight. There is also a 3 piece, 9 ft blank for heavier lures designed for salmon.

The many years obsolete (but best we have) AFTMA rating for a 10 weight rod stipulated that the 30' head of a ten weight line weighed from 270-290 grains, which amounts to an average casting weight of .64 ounces. This indicates your blank will perform best casting a weight of 2/3 of an ounce. Modern high-modulus blanks can accommodate a wide range of casting weights, but their performance decreases with the extent of variation from the ideal rated weight. Still, since you have a new blank the chances are the manufacturer deliberately underrated the blank by one or two line weights, which means your blank may well perform best casting 4/5 of an ounce. Modern fly rod blank ratings are both outdated and contra-inflated, rendering them pretty much useless.
How big a fish can be landed by any blank is still up to the angler and the fish, or your team of gaff men if you seek a USGFA line-weight world record.

You can use any pound test line on any rod. It is the drag setting that will be important. I often use 35 # braid on rods rated at less than 20, but I don't have the drag cranked way up. Most reels won't do it anyway.

One tip on a travel spin, unless casting distance is a big priority, you might want to consider a low guide design so you don't have to have such large diameter tubes for the rod. That first guide on some designs can really get high. V guides instead of Y and higher.

For 10 years i was fishing from the bank in salt water at ROLLOVER PASS with long spinning rods(over 10' ) built by me on fly blank ALL STAR AUSTIN w 10,or i was changing some fly rods(SAGE RPLX W 10,W 11,W 12, G.LOOMIS IMX W 10,W 12/13).

With all this rods i can cast 1 oz. without problem using braid (or fused) 4 lb.-10 lb. line+fluorocarbon leader 8-14 lb.I am fishing just with artificial.
I was catching about 4 red fish ,each 40 inch and many big specks 5-9 lb.on jigs.
I don't need stronger line ,because with FIRELINE ORIGINAL SMOKE 4 lb. i was catching(C&R)one 40 inch ,23 lb. red fish and i think i can handle and bigger fish.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/13/2013 03:58PM by Jean Scurtu.