Most rod and blank manufacturers do not intend for their rods to be run over and if they are, there is no guarantee that they'll hold up. ..............
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That's something you have to do on your computer's browser preferences. ................
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No doubt - I had a builder in here last week cast one of my rods. He could only hit 120 feet or so with it. I was pushing past 150 with the same rod. But a few simple casting tips got him out beyond 130. But that's okay - you can have someone else cast your rod or do it yourself and have others cast it after the contest. I'm sure there will be a lot of that thing going on. We may add a practi
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Most rods were once built with separate handles which then either glued to the blank or attached with a collect and butt ferrule. It's still an acceptable way to do things. The butt of most blanks generally aren't very flexible to begin with and most will easily withstand the attachment of a separate handle assembly. Mud Hole even offers such handle kits which you then affix to the butt of th
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Again, tape up a set of guides and try it - that way you'll know for sure what effect it has. ...............
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It won't be as ugly as you might think and it will be your most functional option. ............
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Angler's Resources will certainly replace it for you. We'd all be interested in hearing what they have to say about the cause. I would mention that just because it arrived in the same shipment with the other guides does not mean it came from the same production batch. .............
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You want to use a fiberglass over-sleeve. This is by far your best best on that blank and should be very successful. Read the article on rod repair in the library section here. ..............
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What you've just done is one of the best uses of this forum - no builder can maintain an absolutely complete knowledge of all the various blank models out there. So there is nothing at all wrong with coming here and asking for specific recommendations for task specific fishing situations. Consider the users here your own knowledge base of sorts and use it to your advantage whenever needed. Most
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It was a gimmick - why not try it for yourself and satisfy your own curiosity. The size of the butt guide ring has nothing to do with the length of the rod and everything to do with spool size, line diameter and stiffness. Guide height is generally as important if not more so than guide ring diameter. .......................
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Line weight ratings for spinning and casting rods are a bit silly, really. They are put there by the manufacturers based on a subjective idea of the use an angler might find for them. They have nothing to do with any inherent property of the rod blank itself. ......................
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There would be different categories for mono and braid. We will specify a particular brand and size for both - they will be readily available so everyone will have access to them for their own test casting. The blank length will be limited to 6 feet, 6 inches in length. I need to over to the ShowPlace and take some measurements but I suspect 3/8 ounce will be the casting weight. ........
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I have something in the works and will list the requirements in a couple weeks. ..................
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I just may take you up on that. ..........
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Walt, Let me see if I can find the plans. I thought I had put them on the photo page along with the photo but maybe not. I'm sure I can get you the plans though. ..............
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The only rod I can think of that might be able to do it, and even then I doubt it, was a sturgeon blank once made by LCI Excelon. I have one here now. It's very unusual in that the butt diameter is only about 3/4 inch with a size 7 tip, but it will easily handle a full pound as hard as you can stand to throw it. Perhaps the stiffest blank for something you can actually cast that I've ever had my
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Blank. ...........
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Gene, I think that's a great idea and will certainly do it, both in the magazine and here. The idea will be to present the total combinations used by the winning contestants - reel, blank model, handle length, guide type, placement, etc. As much data as possible to provide. The readers can decide for themselves what aspect or combination of aspects made the winning difference. ...........
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Tests have been performed and there is a difference in strength of about 11% between CP and non-CP wraps. However, wraps made with CP are not inherently weak and you will deform the guide before you will experience a thread failure. .....................
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The intent of the contest is to have fun and learn from each other. It is impossible to host an event that will suit every person in every way. That can't be done. There is no way to design a contest that would seek to find the "best fishing rod" as such things are far too subjective. There is a limited number of things you can measure in terms of "best" but one of those whic
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Duco cement and cork dust was a long time favorite. Many guys have since switched to standard wood putty in a color that closely matches their cork. Keep in mind that cork dirties a bit faster and easier than does the putty. You may end up with a better match by going a little darker on the putty than the color of new, unfished, cork. ................
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Gary, Unusual reel position and the lack of sufficient guides for proper stress distribution are the two main compromises made by most who build rods strictly for casting competitions. The rods that win the major competitions do not generally make extremely good fishing rods in terms of comfort and fishing fighting. We may see a few such rods if we proceed with this, but I think most guys w
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My thought is Fastenal Corp., but I really don't know if they handle that material or not. ............
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Tim, You'd be outside the 6 feet, 6 inch length limit with that rod and you wouldn't be able to cast it that far without hitting one of the downtown buildings anyway. .............
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Eugene, We'd be talking about what reasonable rod builders would consider a common fishing outfit. A guy that has to stretch or bend the rules in the sort of fashion you mention isn't interested in having a good time with other builders - he's simply interested in winning by whatever means necessary. Thankfully I don't think we have many of that sort at the Expo. ................. Bill,
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If we specify a particular blank then one company sees a bit of sales while the others are left out. which one should get the business? If we specify one particular reel, then most folks will have to go out and buy reels that they might otherwise not care for nor use ever again. If we provide the reel for the contest, then guys would still have to obtain that same reel for their at home tests.
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Plans were in RodMaker Volume 1 #5, but that issue has been sold out for a long time. There is a photo of that clamp in the photo page under my name. You might could go by the photo to make up something for yourself. I believe this is probably what you're talking about. It allows for hands free drilling - you never have to turn the drill press off, it centers the ring and can bore about
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By the way, Steve just set a new single handed fly rod record, besting the record he had set some years ago. .............
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I believe that vintage Fenwick used Perfection ceramic guides. Not sure if those are still made or not, but somebody should have a few lying around. ..............
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Any open ended contest such as this with so many variables leaves the winning outfit open for much discussion - what gave it the winning advantage? Was it the particular blank? The reel? The line used? The guide set up? So again, unless we’re willing to set very stringent criteria and specify that a certain blank, reel, etc., be used we simply have a fun contest, not any sort of test to conclu
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