Phil,

To a very large degree, things like performance, accuracy are really a mute point.

Bottom line - tie a string to a tree limb with a hook and live bait and go out and catch a ton of fish.

In reality to the average fisherman, do they really care exactly how much a rod weighs, whether it is straight to the nth degree, does it cast 43 yards or 44 yards?

Doubtful.

But, by all means do what you like to do with this avocation called custom rod building. If the client is happy with what is being created and if the builder is happy to create the object that the client wants - then by all means carry on. That is what life, satisfaction and contentment about doing a great job is all about.

For myself, it is all about client satisfaction with a product that I have created.

Best wishes

Roger: I have a nagging suspicion that some retailers deliberately misinform innocent consumers in order to enrich themselves. I don't much care about limousine purchasers and such, but I have a soft spot for people who want to build rods and fish with them. I have little use for people who chiefly wish to enlarge their own pocketbooks or egos. I will leave the identification of such phonies to others, but I just received a fly-fishing product magazine which offerers a $135.95 set of fingernail clippers to trim your fishing knots!

Ain,t America great! I don't begrudge anyone for trying to sell something or anything for for rediculus prices.

One has no business buying an item without some sort of research or knowledge.

So hats off to the vendor selling fingernail clippers for $135.95.

I remember people buying rocks and making pets out of them.

It,s not the seller it,s the buyer.

If no one buys any they will be on sale for $4.95.

I won,t buy one at any price.

John.

Whichever fits in your vehicle (or wherever else you would like it to fit) outperforms the other. Fact.

Around here any way the 1 piece fly rods are as dead as the Dodos, resale is terrible.

I see lots of fish poles resting on the tailgates of pick-up trucks and sticking out two or three feet behind the truck - some are even multi-piece rods. As long is there is there is demand for such rods there will be a brisk market for new and replacement one-piece rods.

I find the two piece blanks to be much more soulfull and accurate from my testing and use.

Terry - You neglected to mention the more delicate presentation made by two-piece blanks!

Terry, you must be one of those ad-writers we hear so much about..lol..keep up the good work..

Also, break a tip off of a 1 pc. rod and you've wasted a reel seat and grips. Unless, you want to go through the hassle (which I've done) of removing seat. The tip section of today's 2 pc rods can usually be matched and replaced for far less cost than a whole 1 pc blank, reel seat, grips and labor to replace the components.

Terry,

Phil wrote;
" The performance of his fly rod is probably ten times more important to a fly angler than the performance of a casting or spinning rod is to the angler who uses either of these rods. And fly rod anglers have made 4-piece (3 ferrule) fly rods by FAR their most preferred fish-poles. Quality multiple-ferrule rods evidently fish, travel, and endure just swell for a big crowd of finicky anglers, if not those devoted to one-piece cane poles.

I get the feeling that Phil is looking down his nose at us spin and cast fisherman. We seem to lack the finesse and ability to select and or build rods that offer the optimum performance for our needs.

So can I glean from Phil's statement that if 4 piece 3 ferrule rods are among the "most preferred poles"., then we should suffer no ridicule by using a 2 piece 1 ferrule pole, unless poles perform better as more ferrules are added.

No offense Phil, just having fun.

I have both 1 and 2 piece rods and use them as the situation warrants.

John

John: I speak for myself, not the people I have built rods for. I try to provide what they want. I prefer to fly fish for sport and bait fish for food. I like fresh fish and bait fish quite a bit. I don't put a lot of money into my own bait fishing rods, but watching folks with solid-glass spin rods with 2 oz. sinkers attached bounding up and down over a tailgate gives me the willies - even though it may keep some rod builders busy.