Hi,

I've got a 1002 HM North Fork Blank. 10' 6-10lb moderate action. Ideally, I'd like to build an 11' float road with a little more backbone that this. Would it be feasible to add 12" to the butt of this blank? If so, I believe this would also make the action a bit faster and thus give it a little more power. Does that sound reasonable?

I typically run a 12" CFX rear grip. Would it be better to run a 10 or 14" extension so that the joint wouldn't line up with the rear grip/reel seat joint?

I've added to blanks plenty of times. I always make sure the end of the main blank is covered by the reel seat. I'll use a piece of an old blank or rod and epoxy it over the main blank over laping it by atleast 4 to 5 inches. If you add by inserting it into the butt of the main blank chances are your butt grip will flex too much because you would be using a smaller diameter piece than your original blank.

Fishing is not a matter of life or death, it's much more important than that

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I have the same blank in the delta series that I’ve made into a float rod that has turned out better than I thought it would. One thing is it had way more power in the butt than the specs led me to believe. I liked it so much that I have the hm version on order and was going to build another one. The same thought crossed my mind as you and was thinking of adding 4-6” . I’ve lengthened blanks before just by using another scrap blank inserted and epoxied. I’ve always gone with the advice to keep the reelseat on the original blank and so far they’ve all worked just fine. But none of them I’ve noticed any increase in power and not sure how that could work. Maybe a tendon of fibreglass inserted a few feet in to stiffen up the butt would work.

Thanks all. So putting the extension over the existing blank sound like the way to go. Any need to lay up any glass over thr joint or is rod bond enough?

Reading the article, sounds like the over sleeve is the way to go in your situation. Depending on material outside reenforcing may or may not be necessary. Aluminum sounds like no graphite sounds like yes. I’d do a tight thread wrap the same as you’d do a wrap on the female ferule.

Thanks. As mentioned, that blank is phenomenal but with some new regulations were going to see out here a longer rod will be a necessity. Ideally 11' or more