Hello folks,

I’m basically new to rod building though I have built a couple fly rods and a spinner but over the span of 30 years, the last prob 12 years ago so my skill level is pretty low so apologies if I ask something dumb. The situation is this: I got more into the streamer game a few years ago and have a couple of 9’ 6 and 7 wts which I quite like. However, I’ve found that their length is an impediment in the small rivers and spring creeks in my area (MD but I fish central PA limestones quite a lot). On those types of waters, you’re typically fishing close in, particularly if you throw in cress beds and he like, so a 9 ft rod requires your presentation to be more similar to dappling rather than fishing the fly. The late Ed Schenk, who was a wizard at fishing those streams, used to build and fish 6’ 6wts on streams like the Letort and Big Spring. I understand his were made from stout fiberglass spinner blanks and they reputedly were a bit of a challenge to fish. With this in mind, I happened to pick up a 7’ 5 wt glass rod (good luck finding a commercial carbon rod in this sort of configuration) a couple years ago and in many ways, it’s been a game changer since I can more precisely work my fly and swim it around obstacles. I used to count myself lucky to catch a large trout (18+’) or two a season but it’s an odd trip now where I don’t at least tangle with one of these fish. However, I’m definitely missing fish that I think I shouldn’t because the tip is so slow. So, I’m looking to build a carbon rod around 7’ for a 5 or 6 wt. I’m figuring to line it with an Express short which seemed to be idea for my glass 5 wt. I’d been tossing the idea of cutting a fly rod down or doing a fly rod build on a spinner blank and after a communication with Kelly Galloup, who related he’d build a number of fly rods from spinner blanks over the year, I feel the spinner route is the way to go. I’m thinking of using a either a medium or medium heavy (I’m leaning toward the latter), spinner. I have no idea of how to figure out what proper line weight it’d be ahead of time (I guess I could just see what it likes when it’s done but I’d like to be a bit more scientific about it. It’d be annoying if after all the work, it turns out to like a 4 wt or an 8 wt line). Next, is there specific formula I’d use to ensure proper guide spacing? And finally, how should I best go about choosing an appropriate reel seat for it? I’d think balancing the shorter rod might be an issue. Once again, I appreciated any advice on the subject.

A rod blank is a rod blank. Any rod will cast any fly line at some distance. So yes, you can use a "spinning" blank to build a fly rod and it'll be fine.

Now how to match a line to that blank. For many years the accepted practice was to take the mid range of the casting lure weight, say it is 1/4 ounce, and use the denominator as the numerator over 16. So a spinning that is happy casting 1/4 ounce lures will match well with a 4-weight line. But keep in mind that fly lines are rated over their first 30 feet. If you're fishing in close at very short range, a 4-weight rod might perform better for you with a 5 or 6 weight line.

Guide spacing is guide spacing. Just enough guides to evenly distribute the load just like you would a regular fly rod (or any rod for that matter).

........................

NFC P700 X Ray 7 ft. one piece blank is in the 5-wt. power range, close in it may be just the thing with a bit heavier line. Lee Wulff was also a believer in short rods.

Frank,
I could never understand why someone would want to do what you describe. There is a reason why there are spinning blanks and why there are fly blanks.
Can you doit - sure. Will it cast a fly line - yes. Will it be as good as a fly blank - definately not.

There is a proper tool for every job. What you are suggesting reminds me of when my wife bangs a nail into the wall using the heel of a shoe.

Herb
CTS Rep



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/29/2023 09:49PM by Herb Ladenheim.

The problem with using a spinning blank for fly is that their action is almost always faster than fly blanks and this affects the ability to load and cast properly as a fly rod, at least for most of us. My fastest fly blanks are only about 65 degrees AA or a little faster (described as "Extra fast) and finding a spin blank in that range or preferably of somewhat lower AA in the ERN 5-6 range is problematic.

The subjective descriptions of action are usually not the same for spin and fly. 65 degrees would likely be called moderate in spin blank. But a recent purchase of a "moderate" action cast/spin blank gave me a 79 degree AA. Hardly moderate. Not at all predictable. Good luck.

One blank that might work is the MAF-764 Am Tac two piece fly blank. It's a 7 foot 4 wt fly blank. If too long you might experiment with it simulating both cutting off the butt, then simulate cutting off the tip a few inches (by utilizing a guide positioin down from the tip as a tiptop to see how it works) .

Some of the best fly rods I have built have been on spinning blanks. The action fo the rod has nothing to do with being able to load the rod. It is the power of the rod that you are working with when loading the rod. You hear people say that fast action rods are hard to load. This is NOT true. They just do not have the proper weight line on the rod. Most of my spinning blank fly rod builds have been either for very heavy saltwater use or for very light freshwater use. I have found that the range of spinning blanks that work well in these situations is much broader than what is available in the catagorized fly blank market. Choose the blank by the line weight you want to cast and match the weight of the line to the casting weight range of the blank. It will work fine.

I should have been more specific. Faster actions are harder to time properly. At least they are for the less than expert casters.

I would not cut down a fly rod blank so the direction you are going in with a spinning blank sounds the most economical and better for the application. I would also look for a medium power fast action blank that flexes more toward the middle of the blank than just off the tip. That is somewhat confusing but if you can cherry pick out of some blanks something like that would be better for a fly rod. If you go with a light aluminum reel seat it will probably be better because you not going to have much blank in front of the grip.The lighter the better, but that can all be thrown that out the window with a heavy reel. If you already have a variety of line types and tapers you should be able to match it up pretty good, otherwise it can get expensive quickly. Let us know what you decide and how it comes out. I have been very interested in doing this also.

Remember, the blank does not know if you're casting a fly line or a sinker. Figure out what line you're going to use and at what distance and then you can dial in the right blank. A "medium" power blank tells you nothing about the casting weight it'll load with and handle well.

.........

Frank

You can make a fly rod from a spinning rod blank and vise versa. If in the end it suits your needs your effort is rewarded.
My go to pan fish spinning rod was made from a fly rod.

Herb Ladenheim Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Frank,
> I could never understand why someone would want to
> do what you describe. There is a reason why there
> are spinning blanks and why there are fly blanks.
> Can you doit - sure. Will it cast a fly line -
> yes. Will it be as good as a fly blank -
> definately not.
>
> There is a proper tool for every job. What you
> are suggesting reminds me of when my wife bangs a
> nail into the wall using the heel of a shoe.
>


>
That is the essence of rod building, a rod blank is a rod blank and does not know its destiny until a rod crafter makes it into a rod that satisfies a need.

Herbs' wife may not have used the proper tool but, she got the nail in the wall and the nail didn't care how it got there and the nail will do what she wants it to do.


Frank, go for it, and.....

Have fun



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/30/2023 04:06PM by John DeMartini.

The p 700 has an ERN of 5.7, AA of 65 deg. Wholely and completely where he wants to be for a 5 or 6 wt. fly blank.

>> "fast action blank that flexes more toward the middle of the blank than just off the tip"

What would the likely AA be for a blank like this?. With all due respect, sounds like "fast action" and "flexes more toward the middle" are in conflict.

Looks like Spencer has the answer. WITH OBJECTIVE DATA! That should work very nicely.

Spencer Phipps Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The p 700 has an ERN of 5.7, AA of 65 deg. Wholely
> and completely where he wants to be for a 5 or 6
> wt. fly blank.

Maybe. I suspect an ERN of 5.7 will push him to at least a 6-weight if not a 7-weight line which may be more than he wants to use.

..........................

If you want something a little more powerful. The MHX S841 is an UL blank, it has an ERN = 6.6 and AA = 66. It appears if you want a 7’ fly rod in the 5 to 7 weight range you want to look at UL or L rather than M or MH blanks.
Norm

I don't think Spencer was commenting on which line to use; he most likely was commenting on matching the ERN of the P 700 with the OP's request for recommendations for a 5 or 6 wt fly rod. And it looks like he nailed it.

If the OP wants a rod to do what he outlined in his original post with a 5 or 6-weight line, I'd go with a power in the area of about ERN 4.5 to 5. Matching it to the spinning rod's intended casting range is even better.

.................

A 5.0 rating is not a "perfect" 5 wt. a 5.5 ERN is, read the articles.

Spencer Phipps Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> A 5.0 rating is not a "perfect" 5 wt. a 5.5 ERN
> is, read the articles.

That still doesn't mean the rod will perform best with a 5-weight line or the rod is a "5-weight"

..........

Try a 7' light popping rod blank.

Greg
Aptos, CA

Frank,
I have gone both ways; building a spinning rod from a fly blank and, inversely, building a fly rod from a spinning blank = they all work if certain aspects are needed by the individual angler; the fish certainly do not know the difference.

Mark Talmo
FISHING IS NOT AN ESCAPE FROM LIFE BUT RATHER A DEEPER IMMERSION INTO IT!!! BUILDING YOUR OWN SIMPLY ENHANCES THE EXPERIENCE.