Please bear with me, I've never posted on a...one of these before.

I am looking for a fly rod - or even a blank - like the one I use all the time. It's a 6' 5wt I bought from Cabela's several years ago but they've discontinued the entire line which was marketed as TQR - Tight Quarters Rod. I fish small streams for big smallmouth, places that see little or no real fishing pressure (except for the otters). These spots are beautiful but over grown with brush and trees. About half of my cast are roll cast and a long shot might be 40 feet. That would be very long indeed and only possible in a few places. This little rod actually works wonders in this environment. I'm able to use big articulated streamers, some 6" long on 2/0 hooks. It turns them over quite nicely and the little thing is powerful enough that I can keep control of the fish without having to use a rod that would keep me in trees. I used a 7' 4wt prior to this rod and it was pretty much a dismal failure.

Enough about why I like it, we all have our favorites; the rods that feel like an extension of our anatomy. I can't even find a blank that meets the specs. I found this site because in desperation I searched see if I could use a spinning rod blank to make a fly rod. It didn't sound to promising. I'm 60 so I can still get back into these wild places but my youngest daughter fly fishes too and she takes my rod, which doesn't really bother me, but since I only have one that short that'll handle the large flies we can't go together, unless we use spinning gear.

I'd appreciate any help you can give me or just point me in the right direction.

You should be able to use a spinning rod blank for what you want. You just need to match the Intrinsic power (IP) and ERN of your fly rod with that of the spin blank. Measuring your rod is quite easy, just follow the common cents system given at the top of the left hand column here. Getting common cents info on a potential blank before you buy it is more difficult since most Rod /Blank manufacturers don’t publish this information. For your use I suspect using a light powered blank would be pretty close. The fast action spin blanks ususally are faster than a fast action fly rod. With that said might want a moderate fast action blank. If you do CCS numbers on your rod post them here and maybe some one will know of a blank that is close.
Norm

hi John..if the spin rod that you are using handles 1/4 oz. lures, try your fly reel on it.. you may be surprised at what it can do..

The average weight of the first 30' of an AFTMA 5wt. fly line is 140 grains, one ounce is 437.5 grains, so a spinning rod blank which casts a 1/3 ounce lure well should also cast a 5-wt fly line well. The rod doesn't care what you are casting, or why, or how - only how much it weighs.

I agree with Phil's post above. I would research spinning blanks that will cast a 1/3 ounce lure should work and what would be the big deal if you had to go a line weight heavier if it under loaded with a 5wt line?

Another option would be to have CTS make you a blank, they have done Fiberglass for me in that short and that line weight. I don't see why they could not make one in Graphite. I know the type of fishing you are doing, have a lot of that water around my home area. I use a Fiberglass 7ft 6wt, bit longer than what you want, but it works like a charm for short casts with the big stuff.

what,s a little interesting is why we never see a rod rated for say 1/7 to 1/3 oz. or 1/3 to 11/5 oz...now, you will see lures rated this way, but not rods..just curious..

check with CTS they have made me special blanks.

WOW. Huh.... I am shocked beyond words that so many folks were willing to help. I thank all of you. Not being familiar with this form of communication I didn't know what to expect. I'm pecking this out on a tiny tablet that I got for $1 years ago when I got my iPhone3, also for $1, and I still use both, so 'tech' is not my forte. I never was one to give up on a piece of equipment just because it had a little age on it. I want you to know that I read all of them at least twice and found them all to have merit.
I read the "common sense" set of articles before I ever posted my message. It took me 3 days to figure out how to register so I did a bit of browsing. I found it very informative an caught myself smiling in agreement. This problem has existed since I sprang forth and I think his system is better that what we have now or the one I made the effort to develop, which is no system at all.
I've built a few of spinning rods and a good number of fly rods but I don't think I am anywhere close to the same category as you good folks. I've given the vast majority away. I've also built a few that I thought would be the perfect rod because of the numbers associated with the blank that turned out to be real abominations.
Uh oh. I just noticed how much I've written and I haven't really said anything. I was mortified when I submitted that first post and saw how long it was. Going on and on about otters and stuff. Its a wonder anyone did respond. I have a habit of just writing what I'm thinking.
As I said, I thank you all and I will use your advice. I think the best course of action will be to measure the rod I have and see if CTS can match the IP and ERN to a custom graphite blank. I really don't need this rod to come out like a broom handle or wet spaghetti just because I bought the wrong blank. Then I would end up 'fishing' with it and my daughter would get old reliable. I need to have this done by the time the leaves are as big as a squirrels ear. And no, the smallmouth season isn't open then but we don't keep any, so it doesn't matter as far as regulations are concerned. .
Thank you guys, all of you. It does the heart good to see such crowd of good folks with a common interest. I will do my best to return the favor and I will let you know how it goes. Tight lines.

I picked one up at Cabela’s a few years back and it felt like it was built on a conventional blank and not a fly blank. Phil is on point with this. I would look at a light to medium light power fast action blank with a 4-4.5 / 64 tip and rated for 1/16 to 3/8 or even up to ½ oz. There are a lot of 6’6” to 7’ blanks like that and although I don’t like to trim more than 4” from the butt of any blank, I think it would work for a fly rod. It will decrease the action to cut it down to 6’ (6’6” blank) or 6’4” (7’ blank) but that should work for a short fly rod. If you can find a place that sells blanks around where you live, then take your rod in and compare the power and action to yours. If it is one you will have to cut, you will have to compare it from where your grip is going to be (choke up). If there is no place around you, then try the ERN and CCS and these guys here can recommend blanks. Heck it could be as simple what Ben is saying, if it feels right then the power and the action of your spinning rod should give you some measure to go by. This is a wealth of knowledge with many of us having done this for more than 30 years, we are glad to help and want you to follow up on what you are doing.

CTS has the following "short" fly blanks already designed- so no extra design fee for you to pay:

6'6" #5 2pc or 3pc
5'6" #6 4pc
6'0" #3 2pc7'0" #5. Don't know # pieces
These are all Affinity-X Blanks: X fast / fast
Herb

Short fly rod for tight brushy streams is IMO in fiberglass wheelhouse. There are a few Seeker fiberglass spinning rod blanks that I have been told make good fly rods the 110 is a 4/5, SP 601 and SP702. Others models I have been told are too fast and judging by a fiberglass blank that short with a butt diameter greater than 1/2 inch I would say so. For blanks around $40 each they are something I want to try out myself soon.

Several decades ago Leon Chandler introduced the Japanese to western-style fly casting and fly fishing. It appears Americans are adopting Japanese-style Tenkera fly "casting" and fly fishing.