I've never been fly fishing in saltwater but I am starting to plan a trip next spring and an 9' 8 wt is in the cards. This will end up being used for the occasional saltwater trip and carp fishing locally.

Blanks - I'd like to keep the blank under $175 and am looking at the CF4 Rodgeeks and the MHX. I'm a pretty competent and accurate caster from 25-40 feet but have never had to learn to double-haul. This 8 wt is going to have to hold my hand through the learning curve. Thoughts on these two? Any other suggestions? A Sage Maverick blank may tempt me to break my budget.

Reel Seat - I've built all my rods using Lemke and love them. The LC25 looks a little overkill for the 8 weight so I'm thinking maybe a RA701L2 instead.

Guides - Other than kits, I've used Snake Brand guides. For occasional saltwater use do you think these would be okay? I see REC Recoils mentioned a lot for salt as well.

Thanks,
Mike J

Mike,
If you're going to break your budget - just a little - and less than the Sage - consider a CTS blank.
They are very light "in the hand" and have a phenomenal recovery rate - meaning greater line speed. great for saltwater.
Email me for some ideas.

Re guides - my favorite are the REC's. Snakebrand are good - but heavier. Also, they will stain your thread wraps unless you are very good at cleaning your rods after use in saltwater,
Re weight - remember - a blank is a dumb piece of equipment - so it doesn't know if it being loaded by components or fly line.
The lighter the components - the more grains it can cast.

Email me to discuss if interested in pursuing the subject.
Herb
CTS Rep

Thanks Herb. Sent you an email.

Re REC guides - for double-foot guides would the RSNXB Black Pearl RECOIL Double Foot Snake Guides be the recommendation?

Thanks,
Mike J

With fly rods, like most things, one size does not fit all. For some fly casters a 35 foot cast is a boomer; for others casting a whole fly line is no big deal. It only makes sense that these two fly casters would be best served by fly rods with considerably different physical characteristics. You will be best served by a fly rod whose physical characteristics best complement your casting abilities and the waters you fish - not the best-advertised, glitziest, most expensive fly rod. Fly casters soon discover the choice of fly line is more critical to fly-casting success than the choice of fly rod.

Phil is correct, matching a fly line to the rod and your abilities is the trick. This can get expensive if you don't get the right fly line the first time or you may just not know that the rod you just built would cast better with a different line. If you are going to commit and teach yourself to double haul, cast at least 80' and cast into or sideways into a 15 knt+ wind; then spend the money on a fast lite blank like a CTS, Sage X or NFC F 890-4 (Gamma Beta). If your not sure the MHX is still pretty fast and you should be able to easily cast 40' and save you money for the trip. I also prefer REC guides over Snake Brand guides for the same reason Herb does. I will add, they are solid and not plated and they do not corrode. I don't think you can go wrong with Lemke. Try to find the best grade of cork you can for the grip. I prefer natural cork over all other materials and it is the lightest of them.

I wonder what the thinking is as far as the Lemke LC25 being overkill

A rod built on a TFO Axiom blank will put a smile on the face anglers who wish to make long-distance casts. This assumes the angler is able to mach the right weight fly line to their rod and has mastered the double-haul cast. Otherwise it goes back to the the old adage: "It's a poor workman who blames his tools."

many years ago i quit using the double haul cast because mainly getting older and went to using two hands..i should have done it many,many years before that..this is with bass bugs which are highly wind resistant especially hair bugs witth wings like the henshall bug..it added yeaars to my fly fishing as well as distance..i had to add an extension to my rod but that was no problem..and since then i have gone to using rods eight feet and less to reduce swing weight and reduce the number of ceramic guiges i use..the ceramic guides allow me to really shoot the line and get my distance back to that of a double haul..i make my own hair bugs usually from moose mane a nd some are tied on 5/0 hooks with a wing span of six inches..so i have to cast with both hands just to make a fifty foot cast.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/31/2021 11:53AM by ben belote.