Showing posts with label Micarta. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Micarta. Show all posts

Sunday, December 3, 2023

Milenkovic 5113-4


Small stream 3wt prototype glass rod-just completed! Perfect stick for that hidden and overgrown brook trout stream.

It sports pale yellow Clover silk wraps/rust accents, dark Ti-snake guides, short Garrison grip, homemade rust colored micarta spacer and NOS Struble aluminum cap and ring, for lightness. Super deft and precise, easy casting 3wt. Length is 5'11". (Pictured below with Hardy Featherweight and Forbes Aerial reels, for scale/comparison.)




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Wednesday, November 15, 2023

Wednesday, April 24, 2019

Short Story About Two 6-footers (Part 2)

Milenkovic Staggered Ferrule Hybrid Glass 604/595, 2/2


This is a Hybrid Phenolic/E-glass Staggered Ferrule rod (604/595, 2/2). With two tips of different lengths, the rod has a 6' configuration for #4 line and 5'9" length for #5 line. With longer tip for #4 line it is a great semi parabolic taper. With the shorter, more parabolic "power tip", it will launch a #5 line with authority.

The rod is purposefully designed for fishing for larger trout in confined spaces, using both dry flies and streamers. I used a nickel silver Swiss style ferrule rather than the standard spigot. This slight extra weight helps rod load better on narrower streams. Phenolic glass slow taper is used in the butt section, while the E-glass tips have a medium fast taper, with good amount of power. I find this configuration much more versatile than current trend of short rods designed for ultra-light #2 and 3 lines...When a large trout surges into the bank, you will be able to stop it better with a rod which has a bit more "meat." The shorter #5 tip is not just a shortened version of a standard tip. It is a completely different taper, executed over slightly shorter length.

The rod features burgundy blank sections (US made) with oxblood silk wraps (they appear jet black.) The reel seat is made in house with cherry spacer, and mini butt with ivory micarta button. Ventilated Ritz grip. Oxidized hardware, including light wire Pac Bay snakes, vintage NOS Allen carbide stripper, and NS ferrules and slip ring. The shorter, stronger tip is tipped with ivory NCP thread at the ferrule and the tip top. Custom partitioned rod bag with compartments to accommodate unequal sections, ferrule stopper and aluminum tube round out the package.





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Sunday, April 22, 2018

Comparison: Two Versions of Retrograph 904-4


So how these two builds compare? They are built on two identical blanks, with slightly different components. There will always be some variation in blank weight, regardless of the manufacturer. However, the difference in components will make larger impact on the weight of the completed rod.

Retrograph 1: 904-4 glossy blank, uplock cork/micarta reel seat with mini butt and aluminum fittings, 6.25" cork grip, TiCH wire stripper, Snake Brand Original snakes and tip top.

Retrograph 2: 904-4 hand rubbed satin finish blank, downlock micarta reel seat with nickel silver cap and ring, 6" cork grip, agate/nickel silver frame stripper, Pac Bay light-wire snakes and tip top.

I used identical finish on both blanks, and guide wraps were kept as short as possible. Here are the results. No doubt, the extra weight of nickel silver contributed to the slightly heavier weight of certain rod sections.


rod model butt section 3rd section 2nd section tip section total rod weight
Retrograph 1 724 grains 267 grains 140 grains 63 grains 1194 grains
(2.72 oz or 77.36 grams)
Retrograph 2 788 grains 276 grains 135 grains 62 grains 1261 grains
(2.88 oz or 81.37 grams)
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Saturday, April 21, 2018

Retrograph 904-4 #041518


I like fishing 9' 4wt rods, and in that length, graphite is the only choice. Here's another Retrograph, just completed. Made on USA made blank, with moderate-fast action. The blank has a satin natural graphite finish. The rod features burnt orange micarta/oxidized nickel silver seat, oxidized guides and red agate stripper, flor grade Powell-inspired grip. Silk wraps are very dark, translucent burnt orange.
 
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Sunday, May 21, 2017

Unstructured Fiberglass 804-4 "Orange & Green"



I have just completed a build on one of the blanks from the 2015 batch, which I put away for personal use (I realized I had an extra blank.) The rod has a fishtail grip with a slender nose, home-made, oil finished orange micarta reel seat insert, blued Garrison-style hardware and guides, rust guide wraps, and clear ferrule wraps with single black trim at the cork check. The custom rod sock is made (as always) by my better half.

I tried taking pictures under changing light... The rod is available for sale (just scroll below or click on Available Rods button on the top.)

 
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Saturday, May 6, 2017

Monday, December 28, 2015

Friday, August 22, 2014

Monday, July 28, 2014