My dad and I have been building split bamboo fly rods in Colorado since 1960. I am thinking about offering a line of custom-built graphite fly rods (7 to 9 feet with line weights no greater than 7) and would like anyone's opinion on Pac Bay's Rainforest, forest green blanks, which I assume are built by Baston Enterprises. They seem to be very reasonably priced. I have built quite a few rods with St. Croix Avid and Legend Ultra blanks, and have been pleased with their quality control and warranty, but their respective matte gray and matte spruce green color leaves little doubt as to who the manufacturer of the blank was to the astute customer. Can anyone draw some comparsions between the reasonably priced Rainforest blanks? I truley appreciate any valued input. Take care and thanks for your time.

Best,
Steve Jenkins
The C.W. Jenkins Fly Rod
www.jenkinsflyrods.com

I seem to always go back to the St Croix blanks! Don't like the color-paint them

Steve - Batson enterprises makes Rain-SHADOW blanks Pac Bay imports their own rainforrest series
John

Steve - Batson enterprises makes Rain-SHADOW blanks Pac Bay imports their own rainforrest series
John

Steve,
The Rainshadow blanks are made in a brand new blank plant in Sequim Washington. It is hard to go wrong with them they are excellent blanks for the money.

Steve,
I am sorry I posted before I was ready. The Pacific Bay blanks are not built by Batson industries. Batson builds the Rainshadow blanks, the Rainforest blanks are built for Pacific Bay.

I have one of the Pac Bay RainForest 8' 5-weight models. Very nice, easy casting blank. I can't put it in the same class as the St. Croix SCIV, at least for my personal casting and fishing style, but we don't all like the same things.

Still, I wouldn't think twice about recommending the RainForest models for anyone who wants a beautiful, easy to use, economical fly rod. And to tell the truth, it's also one of those blanks that performs much, much better than the low price would seem to indicate.

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I highly doubt Batson makes anything for Pac Bay, especially given the history between the two!

Thanks to all who have responded. I believe I've got it right now about the difference between the Rainforest and Rainshadow manufacturers. Am still interested in any comments on quality comparisons, warranty information, action, etc. of both blanks and how they compare to St. Croix. Thanks again to all who offered their thoughts and those who might still.

Steve Jenkins

They're all very good blanks. Quality is excellent across the board. The actions and performance vary, however, and as such it's hard to make comparisons. What I like best, you may not.

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Steve go to fishpacbay.com read about the warranty no questioned asked. Warranty is transferable from rod builder to anglers and will cover workmanship and material for the life of the blank. Action should be mod-fast depending on which blank. You can also receive a catalog via the site. Quality is excellent, price great I have built on St. Croix & PacBay each is great, we make the choice.