I am looking for advice/input from people who have built and used fly rods using the MHX blanks. Do you also have first hand experience with the "higher end blanks" Sage, St Croix, Winston etc. If so how do they compare? Thank you

I build only fly rods and have built upon many of "name" brands. If my customers do not insist on one of the names, I highly recommend MHX, as I know they will be happy with them.

MHX and the Batson line are my preferred choices!

They are my preferred blank. Light in hand, light swing weight, very fast actions. I liken them to the fast-action Sage or Orvis Helios blanks in performance. If you are looking for a dry-fly blank, maybe a graphite Winston or Sage Mod or Circa would be a better option, but if you want a fast blank they are hard to beat, especially considering the price difference.

Jim

I primarily build fly rods and am blessed to have had the opportunity to build up some out-of-this-world expensive banks to what are best described as cheap, blue-light-specials.

I characterize MHX as solid value, mid market blanks with no fit & finish or performance issues. And similarly to Phil E's message above, I really like Baston's and TFO's blanks from a value perspective. From a solely personal casting preference perspective I rate Winston as the unquestioned top of the heap of all the names you listed. But that is just me - a recovering bamboo bigot.

The thing is (and this is going to get me in trouble) most fly fishermen do not know what they need or are not sufficiently competent casters to adapt their technique to a rod's taper. Thus their choices are sometimes based on the assumption that a "name" and its higher cost must be better, which is not necessarily always true.

Bottom line is an MHX blank is a strong contender in the performance / cost = value ratio competition.

The characteristics of fly rod blanks vary between manufacturers, the model of the blank in question, and most interestingly they vary significantly between the different line weight blanks produced in the same model by the same manufacturer. When you find a custom builder who takes these variables into account along with the requirements and abilities of a particular angler you begin to understand why a good custom-built fly rod is worth the price.

I'm a total novice to rod building and recently finished my first rod. I used a MHX F904-4 (9' 4wt) and am very pleased with the results. It's a great tool, light and responsive a nice rod to fish with.

Hi John W.
Can you unhide your email so I can send you a question on the other components you used in this build?
Thank you.
John M.

MHX F904-4 And F905-4 fly blank are realy nice.
Make superb fishing rod.

Hi John M

I've changed my email settings, didn't realise it was hidden.
I've also sent you details and a photo by email.

Cheers
John

Does anyone have any recommendations that they would suggest over the MHX for a fast action 5 wt 9' rod? Blank price $150 or less.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/07/2016 11:00AM by Matt Bregartner.

The MHX flyrods are very nice, I also like the Matrix fly rod blanks. Both are exceptional blanks for the money. Cannot go wrong with either one.
Norm

PacBay Quiickline. Batson Revelation. Bingham Enterprises private line Shx. The Shx is the least expensive but very good. Comparable to all mentioned even the Mhx. I have built on all of them. The Quickline is my personal favorite.