Tony, I have used the exact same guides on a 4 piece 9 ft., 8wt blank, using size 6 runners. To be brief, I then retied using XN strippers and Recoil double foot snakes. The difference in rod responsiveness between the two guide types is like night and day. Therefore if you want to keep your rod as crisp as possible, go with a lighter guide option other than the TIPFs. Regards, Craig
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Jon, Janns Netcraft has the aluminum ones in three different sizes. Regards, Craig
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Bill, Click on Seeker blanks on Mudhole site, then they will be on right side of page. Regards, Craig
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Bill, I bought a couple test spools in size A black. The thread diameter is smaller than say Gudebrod or Fishhawk size A. Did a few wraps with it. It cuts very easily which is nice when finishing a wrap. Regards, Craig
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Mark, These three fly reel seats fit my Abu Garcia C4 reel and my Daiwa GC120 reel. Alps HERA7L1, HERA7WL2, R-CAH15LXL2. I think the R-CAH15LXL2 gives the most secure fit for these two reels. Regards, Craig
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Gerald, Herb ordered a blank for me in mid-November and blank arrived Christmas Eve. Regards, Craig
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Carol, Very clever and innovative! Thank you for sharing! Now I have to figure out how you did it. Regards, Craig
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Pac Bay trad II. MF action. Saw it in Anglers Workshop catalog the other day. I second Herb on the CTS blank. Exceptional blanks!
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Terry, I asked Talon-Graphite if they made these blanks and also if they could make a telescopic tenkara blank and the answer was "No." Thats as far as I have pursued this. You might ask Herb Ladenheim if CTS if they will make them. Regards, Craig
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Sorry Will, gave you bad info on the Pac Bay. Wrong action and or color. Saw them in Anglers Workshop catalog. Phenix elixir FX 8022B is an option but finish is wrong (matte clear) not matte gray You could have the finish taken off the St. Croix if you don't mind negating the warranty. Trim 6 inches off the MHX F865. Add a 12 inch extension to a MHX S842-2. A great blank in itself f
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Will, Try CTS Fly Rod Blanks, the sponser on the left. Herb Ladenheim is a nice person to work with. He just ordered for me a 7.5 Ft,, 6 wt., 2 piece blank with med-fast action as a one off build from CTS. I'm using it for throwing size 4 Panthers too. Seems they will build you what you want. I have a 8 Ft., 5 wt. Cabelas SLi blank in the basement shop and when i rigged this up it felt under
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Laurent, This is probably a dead topic already but would like to add that while stiffness/MoI is important, it does not explain entirely impulse transmission. For instance I have two rods of same power, action, and build yet I can feel better with the lower modulus rod versus the higher modulus rod. It just leads me to conclude that there is something else to the impulse transmission equation
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Franck, Try Googling "noodle rods." These are lower power moderate to slow action blanks for 2 to 6 lbs. line test. Best Regards Craig
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Jeremy, I've been using 6 and 7 wt rods in spin and fly config for steelhead these past 30+ years and it works fine for me. My buddy likes 5 and 6 wt. I would give it a try if I were you. Generally the stiffer rods do not transmit that subtle take of steelhead which is so important to sense while drifting yarn, spawn and nymphs. Just try to build it light as possible from the tip on down. I like
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I made a rod like this in 1982 on a 10 ft 9 wt Cabelas fly rod blank for steelhead fishing and tossing Little Cleos off break walls and river mouths for salmon. It was a great rod, just a little bit cumbersome for me personally on the rivers. I've been sticking to lower power (ERN 6 to 8) 9 footers ever since. Not too long or short for the water I'm fishing around Lake Superior. A 10 footer mig
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Bobby, The MHX S842-2 is a great blank but probably too stiff. I really like the St Croix's 3S66ULF2 and Phenix Elixir FX661-2. Yes, I would like Mudhole to make the S841 in a two piece model too. Regards, Craig
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Rufus, you are right, every person is going to have a different idea of what "sensitive" is. Also lots of individual physiological variation in neuronal threshold between folks. The "sensitivity" definition floating around in my mind and perhaps Eric's too is the "ability to transmit vibration strength and frequency." If I could get a number on that objectively, I
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Jim, I understand and respect your point but in my mind I was thinking about measuring the finished product. Say for instance holding all variables constant but the rod handle (same blank, same guides, same layout, same everything) what will transmit more vibration: a foam cored carbon skinned Tenn. grip or a cork Tenn. grip? We could use it to rule out our own influential subjective thought on
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Gee, we can measure electrical impulses in the heart and brain thru tissue and bone. Measure earthquakes half way around the world. You would think we could quantify somehow rather cheaply the amplitude of vibration transmitted through a rod handle?
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Paul, FishHawk light blue or sky blue would look real nice with cobalt. ProWrap Maui surf. Regards, Craig
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Bill, I haven't been on here for a couple days due to work. If you have any further questions my email is CaJohnson@up.net. No plans to CCS it. Going to be a new brookie rig for throwing small Mepps XDs and Panther Martins. It feels right to me. Regards, Craig
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Bill, I have a FX661-2-B sitting here next to me right now. The tip section starts to bend significantly 8 inches from the tip end. Might be a bit stiff as a short cast 3 wt. Really nice blank though. Regards, Craig
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Karl, I throw 7.5 to 10 gm lures (Mepps and Panther martin spinners)for Lake Superior browns that typically run 2 to 5 Kg. I use exclusively a 7wt fly rod blank in a spinning configuration. I use several manufacturers blanks and blank power does certainly vary by the manufacturer. Not sure about the size of your sea trout your catching but personally I would not use a blank rated for more than
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Scott, I don't have the numbers or formulas to prove it but generally as power increases and action becomes faster in your case, you will rip more hooks. The good news is that the power and action increase may be small enough that there is no statistical significant difference in total fish landed vs. total fish hooked ratio. After all, you are only extending the rod by 15%. Overall power and
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Tom, Try Minima size 10 stripper and size 7, 6 & 5 single foots. Not sure if the size 5 will accommodate your knots(ID=4.5 mm) but the foot width of the size 6 exceeds the blank diameter near the tip of finer diameter rods. Guess you can grind the foot width if you need to use size 6. Regards, Craig
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Thanks to all for your responses. Sounds very encouraging. The blank arrived today. The guides will be arriving within the week. I am also planning to use them on some UL spinning blanks soon. Have fun at ICRBE! All the best, Craig
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I'm considering building a 9.5 ft, 7wt. rod shortly. ERN=7.5. Has anyone built a similar rig with these Minima 4 CF4CG guides? If so, what is your opinion on weight versus other (perhaps lighter) guide options? Also, are there any durability issues? Regards, Craig
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Martin, I have read in some natural history book on the local Ojibwa here that they would peel their birch bark from live trees for canoes. Also an old pulp cutter told me that they would peel their logs with an axe before the wood got too dry. Bark peeled off of green wood can be dried flat with some weight. If you take the bark off seasoned wood the bark fibers will tend to make the bark cur
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Phil, Besides the options mentioned above American Tackle has the 316SS braced micro tip-tops with nanolite or duralite inserts . Also Fuji has a new model BMCAT Alconite micro tops. As Lou said A TiCh loop fly top might be the ticket. Light and takes considerable abuse. Craig
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Thank you Chris! I certainly will look him up. Craig
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