A couple weeks ago I posted on here asking about whether Struble was still in business. I had ordered a grip from their website, and the consensus on here was that Struble had closed down a couple years ago. I was concerned after hearing that news. However, I want to report that I did receive the grip. I would like to have posted this earlier to clear this up, but I've just been so busy latel
Forum: rodboard

You guys have been great. I will call and wait a few more days before filing a dispute. I just find it odd that the PayPal would still go through. I'm hoping Bill is correct, and I end with the grip. I'll let everyone know how it ends up.
Forum: rodboard

Thanks, that's what i was afraid of. Now I have to find a 7" cigar grip. 7" was specifically requested, and the measurements, with the cap and ring seat in place, were already taken to accomodate a metal winding chack that has already been received. There is no way this thing is going down another half, or even 3/4, inch.
Forum: rodboard

I was wondering if Struble is in business? I haven't built a rod in over five years due to many factors. A friend of mine mentioned that his 14 yr old really needed a fly rod for panfish and mountain streams. I told him that I had a 7'6" 3wt blank. Anyway, I orered from Struble (who I used many times a number of years ago). Paid via PayPal received the PayPal confirmation, and received
Forum: rodboard

If it has to be 6', a FAST action 6' 3wt fly blank may be very hard to find. You may want to look at spinning blanks to build as a fly rod. I would look at 1/8 oz rated, moderately-fast action, spinning blanks. Some say to take the line number and put it above 16 to find a correspondingly weighted spinning blank. I've done this before a few times and found that to be a bit too much unless yo
Forum: rodboard

Jim Bureau reel seats are absolutely incredible. They look as good in person as the pictures on the web page. Golden Witch and Snake Brand for strippers.
Forum: rodboard

Buy a nice nickel silver reel seat and insert and blue the hardware yourself like the boo guys do with their seats, ferrules, checks, etc...
Forum: rodboard

That's exactly what I use on my home brook trout waters in Shenandoah National Park. I'd use 7' 3wt St. Croix SCIII or RX7 6'6" 2 wt (ERN of 2.9 - line w/3wt at those distances). The Pac Bay Pro is also exactly what you're looking for, but it's a bit more pricey.
Forum: rodboard

The rainforest is a little slower and has an ERN around 1.9 while the Rainshadow has an ERN around 2.9-3.0. The Forecast has and ERN right around 2.5. It all depends on the distances you plan on fishing.
Forum: rodboard

I'm about ready to apply finish to a bamboo rod I wrapped in silk. I've looked in my Home Depot, Lowes, and True Value, but I can not find spar varnish. Would Perma Gloss work well, or should I extend my search area for the spar varnish?
Forum: rodboard

I've used gel pens with mixed results. I recently got these in in the fine point silver and gold. They are a very fine point, much finer than the fine point metallic sharpies, flow very well, and do dry instantly. I haven't tried them on a rod a yet, but my preliminary testing (on scrap pieces and other various materials) indicates that they will be the solution to the frustration I have expe
Forum: rodboard

Those are my "home" waters. Your average cast will be with less (far less most of the time) than 15' of fly line past the tip. I'd recommend a 2 or 3 wt in 6'6" - 7'. My favorite rod to use while dry fly fishing up there is a 6' 6" Pac Bay Rainforest or Traditional series 2wt with an ERN of 1.9. It's slow and loads with a minimum of 2wt line. The fish up there are sma
Forum: rodboard

They are the Pac Bay Rainforest II series of blanks. I've found them to be a nice, smooth, well finished, straight, and accurately rated blank that is moderate to moderate-fast action, depending on the model. They are by no means "fast" as they are listed in the H&H catalog and on their web site. On the CCS Data Site (link to the left) look at the Pac Bay Rainforest and Tradition
Forum: rodboard

I'm building a 7' 3wt bamboo fly rod from a blank, and I am going to use traditional snakes. I've built many fly rods before, but I have always used single foot guides and have zero experience using traditional snakes. What size guides do y'all recommend I use/purchase? I'm going to be using a 9mm agate stripping guide. Thanks
Forum: rodboard

Jann's Net Craft
Forum: rodboard

Post on FAOL by LadyFisher claims Rodmaker Magazine is shutting down. Maybe this is just something that I've missed somehow, but it's the first that I've heard of it. Scroll down to her 2nd post. []
Forum: rodboard

Good, I'll stick with two very thin coats of modern lite-build finish. I plan to use traditional snakes and silk (hopefully, unless it's just too frustrating) thread. His blanks come ready to wrap. I asked about that and he said: "The rod blank has a deep penetrating hand rubbed finish(it's like a tung oil but I have my own mixture of solution) and is ready for you to put on the compone
Forum: rodboard

I hope it's ok to post this. Mark Fitch currently has two blanks on @#$%&, a 7' 2wt and a 7' 4/5 wt Payne 98 taper . His user name is fitchm57.
Forum: rodboard

Last week I purchased a bamboo blank from Mark Fitch. My question is whether there is anything peculiar I should know about finishing out a bamboo rod? I've built about two dozen graphite fly rods, so I have the basics down. Is there any reason why I shouldn't use a modern two-part finish on the wraps?
Forum: rodboard

The break is very jagged with many smaller cracks/splits spiraling up from the point where it broke.
Forum: rodboard

I've ordered a new RX7 spin blank to replace it. Looking forward to a new build.
Forum: rodboard

I'm really bummed, today I had my first blank failure. About a year ago I bought an older model Forcast spinning rod on sale from one of the board sponsors. I built it up a month or so ago for my 5 year old son, and it turned out really nice using blue ringed guides and ice blue trip wraps (my first trim bands, I usually build fly rods and like them very subtle and without flash). He's only fi
Forum: rodboard

Not exactly sure about the James, but I live in Fredericksburg (about 60 miles north) and fish the Rappahannock quite a bit. Right now the water is LOW. We haven't had rain around here in weeks, and I know the Rapp. is running at less than half it's 90 yr daily median average. However, the smallmouth action is very hot. You may want to ask over on , as I know a few of it's members live in th
Forum: rodboard

8' 5wt Pac Bay Traditional or Rainforest, very smooth moderate - moderate/fast actions. Watch out for this one though, it feels so nice and smooth you won't want to give it up. It will make you smile all day.
Forum: rodboard

Sorry, you're right. It's 46mm diameter, the 23mm is half the diameter.
Forum: rodboard

I've built many fly rods in the past but never a spinning rod. I'm building a spinning rod for my 5 year old son and need help with guide sizing. I have the issue of rodmaker that covers the new concept system, and I understand it well. The diameter of the spool is 23mm, so I'm thinking the first guide should be a 25. After that I'm a little confused. Should I just go 25, 20, 16, 12, 10 (if
Forum: rodboard

I'm going to build a bass rod (both smallmouth and largemouth) that will see very occasional use in salt water (plan on using Titans for this purpose), and I'm having a difficult time deciding on which blank to use. I've settled on the Dan Craft FT series, but not on the line wt. From what I've read about these blanks, I'm thinking that the 7 wt would be sufficient (basing this on CC numbers an
Forum: rodboard

May want to over on the Classic Fly Rod Forum (bamboo board).
Forum: rodboard

It CCs at 3.2, so be ready for that. A 2 wt it isn't, unless you're fishing at 50-60 ft.
Forum: rodboard

Single foot 6 fly guides should NOT be higher than your 12 dbl. ft. They should be considerably shorter. Are you sure you ordered fly guides? Sounds like you may have spinning guides.
Forum: rodboard