First one that pops in my head is rainshadow knife jigging blanks. I believe their 50-100# rods are 6' or shorter. I think black hole makes a similar blank as well.
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Email him.
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Did someone say bacon? I'm hungry now.
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Phil and Norman, thanks for the responses. I was hoping herb would respond since he recommended the torzite guides. I use double foot minima 4 guides for my fly rods and haven't had any issues fishing from boat or beach in Salt conditions. Phil made a good point about shooting head lines, but I still don't see the point in spending that much money for torzite. I feel it's better spent on the blan
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Just curious. How do the torzite guides benefit a fly rod? # 16 guide retails for $32.00. Do the benefits outweigh the cost?
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I find holding the rod in the proper position helps with sensitivity as well. When I fish from a boat or beach I hold the reel high (waist to chest high) and the tip is just above the water surface when stripping line. That reduces the amount of line flopping around in the air and keeps it almost slack free. I'm able to see and feel the fish tap the fly. Plus it's easier to strip set the hook.
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Thanks Roger. I'll give your method a try. MH
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Tom, I do. I use your method. I like to do two or three rods at a time. Some might have an 8-10" thread pattern as well. The finish didn't work for me but that doesn't mean it's not a good product. I'm happy with what I'm using. Thanks for the input.
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I must have used the new high build because it was starting to gel 15-20 minutes after mixing for 2 minutes. So much so I was rushing to coat all the wraps on surf rods. I switched back to the flex coat in same temperature and it took an hour for that finish to gel the same amount. Like some other builders I bought it because of the rave reviews. I did like the clarity of the cured product. I use
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I don't like prokote because of its short working time but it does cure crystal clear. I prefer flex coat or aftcote. I get a more even finish with a slower cure time. I don't know the answer to your question about using on offshore rods. A longer cure will allow you to do touch up and fix the occasional bubble under a guide foot and also allow any small bubbles in finish to rise to surface and
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I would go light as possible with the stripper guides. Look at pac Bay minima 4 Ti coated. I believe the fuji K guides are overkill and there's no benefit from the design...IMO. For the runner guides I prefer snake style guides. Recoil or snake brand make a quality product. One size 6 or 5 then size 4 or 3 to the tip.
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I exclusively fish salt so I have no experience with musky...unfortunately for me. I don't see why you should under wrap guides but I would make sure the feet are clean of rough edges. If you grind them down make sure they don't etch the blank. I've never tried it but you could apply permagloss or a thin coat of epoxy without wraps under the feet to create a protective shell. I've caught some big
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I use minima 4 guides in saltwater with 20-40# braid and catch fish from 5# -40# on them. I haven't had any grooving problems with the guides. Years ago I did have grooving issues with the minima 3 tip tops. If you do a search you might find more info, but I do remember another builder having the same problem as you. Someone posted the problem might be debris on the line etching the guide ring. G
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The blank capt. Craig recommended is a great choice. Great quality and very durable.
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I wasn't serious about the reel on top. Spiral wrapped fly rod doesn't make any sense.
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X2 Norman. That's how I finished a few.
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X2 Tom. I just don't see the reason for it unless you mount the reel in top.
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It works great. I use black or clear label tape with silver color. It makes very professional labels that last. It's easy to download new fonts and symbols as well. Customer service is top notch.I highly recommend this system.
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X2 Tom. I do all coating on a mandrel then ream to fit blank.
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The CFX grips need to be reamed to fit.
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X2 Tom. I haven't noticed any temperature issues with the CFX grips. I use them in cold and hot conditions. I find cork grips to be more slippery after handling a few fish or handling bait then grabbing grip.
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X2 Phil. I epoxy my carbon grips and they're not slippery at all. It's the exact opposite. I really like them on fly rods, because even when my hands are slimy from handling fish the grips remain sticky. Happy Thanksgiving everyone. MH
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I've built a several rods with them. They look great and are very durable. Most people coat them with perma gloss or epoxy. I prefer epoxy. They look like glass are still very light. Not sure why you would think carbon fiber put on with heat shrink but if it was the seller would tell you that.
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I prefer slower curing epoxy over fast. I don't have to rush to mix and apply and then clean up any drips,etc. The mixing is the most important part. If you rush that IMO the finished product can be compromised. Also mix on a flat surface like tin foil, cardboard, etc so the heat can be dispersed when the two parts activate. As far as arbors I use the old masking tape. Haven't had any problems wi
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X2 Roger.
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Definitely place all components and static test. I'm thinking 40-30-20-16-10-10-+tip. When that rod is loaded and the drag is ripping you want to make sure the line has a nice curve with no hard angles. I like and use the seeker Hercules blanks but before you build your next rod check out the Batson knife jigging blanks. Very durable and are inexpensive for a top quality blank.
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Great blank choice. As far as guides, I would take Toms advice and look into heavy duty single foot guides. I've built a few but I used double foot guides. When choosing guide sizes keep in mind the size of the reel spool and the type of line to leader connection you plan to use. I like at least size 10 for the upper half to pass knots. The butt guide will most likely be a size 40 or 50. Make sur
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Guiness is the best. If you use too much it can have a negative impact on your build.
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I see your point but I don't cast several ounces with my 9' rods. I cast 3/8- 1 1/4 Oz lures. Plugging rods I'll use 1-2 1/2 Oz. Rarely use more then that. On those rods I build with a longer butt so I can brace it between my legs so the weight is more vertical and I use my body to counter the drag on the lure. Adding weight to the butt will make the rod heavier in my hand. I do see your point an
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Phil, the advantage I see is when I hold the rod by the reel seat to walk the dog or bucktailing. It's lighter in the hand and doesn't wear me out when fishing for hours. I use 9' rods for that type of surf casting and I build with a shorter butt section so it doesn't get in the way. They tend to be well balanced. When I plug in surf I will use a longer rod with a longer butt section and hold the
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