Going to build an 8 weight 9 foot NFC LMX fly rod with fighting butt. I have never built a rod with fighting butt before. What do folks think is the best or right length fighting butt for an 8 weight fly rod?

Pretty subjective, you will probably get several recommendations. Your best option, visit a fly shop, take a small ruler with you (measure length and diameters) and see which brand seems to fit you.
Most FB’s are around 1” to 2” long. Diameters of the end seem to be all over the map. I personally don’t like them when they are like a clown nose, but others like that extra bit of “meat” on the end for comfort.
Some like EVA ends, some like the rubberized cork ends, from a durability standpoint, I think the EVA ends will hold up better.

If you have a lathe, it’s also possible for you to make your own or turn down a vendor purchased one.

Changing out a FB after the rod is completed is not a big deal either, purchase several sizes and before you glue everything up, mock up the build and see what suits you.

Bill Hickey Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Pretty subjective, you will probably get several
> recommendations. Your best option, visit a fly
> shop, take a small ruler with you (measure length
> and diameters) and see which brand seems to fit
> you.
> Most FB’s are around 1” to 2” long.
> Diameters of the end seem to be all over the map.
> I personally don’t like them when they are like
> a clown nose, but others like that extra bit of
> “meat” on the end for comfort.
> Some like EVA ends, some like the rubberized cork
> ends, from a durability standpoint, I think the
> EVA ends will hold up better.
>
> If you have a lathe, it’s also possible for you
> to make your own or turn down a vendor purchased
> one.
>
> Changing out a FB after the rod is completed is
> not a big deal either, purchase several sizes and
> before you glue everything up, mock up the build
> and see what suits you.

YES.
Herb

Thanks.

I did look at a lot of rods at the Denver FF show and most 7 or 8 wts seemed to have about a 1" fighting butt, some a bit shorter, others at most 1 1/4" to 1 1/2." Seemed no real standard of rhyme or reason. I guess I'll test fit a few.

Butt length 1.5" to 2" with the largest diameter not much over or right at the largest grip diameter. It will look more proportional if you stay within that parameter. I usually use natural cork so the butt is natural cork and burl cork at the very end. To me rubberized cork is too heavy but really it won't hurt and may help balance the rod.

Flex Coat has a template you can download. For an 8 wt I am about 1.5” long. Might be a little longer if I make some fancy thin rings of cork.

Most of the requests I get for that size are from 1.25 to 1.75

Ron Weber

Thanks all for great feedback. I am going with a 7" full wells grip with composite cork accent fore and aft, Pac-Bay channel lock titanium reel seat with the two locking nuts, Recoil double foot snake guides.