Working on two new light line glass rods, a 3wt and a 4wt. Here are the reel seats, partially done, both are uplocking. I will make small fighting butts for them, too. Pics of the finished rods are coming up soon.
Showing posts with label Prototypes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Prototypes. Show all posts
Friday, April 26, 2024
Saturday, December 9, 2023
3wts: Old and New
My two 3wt rods: the new 5113-4 vs. old Unstructured 743-3. The longer rod was a prototype which unfortunately didn't make the regular Unstructured Series in 2014. It is a superb taper for smaller water, heftier and slower than the new, short 5113-4. However, the 5113-4 is a med-fast taper, so light, nimble, and sensitive...Can't wait to fish it next spring!
Sunday, December 3, 2023
Milenkovic 5113-4
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.)
Wednesday, November 15, 2023
Thursday, May 5, 2022
Milenkovic Parabolic Smuggler-style Fiberglass Fly Rod, 7' 4wt 5pc
Suitcase-ready fly rod in brown translucent fiberglass. Parabolic taper, featuring original NOS Pezon et Michel aluminum hardware, zebrawood spacer, Powell grip, hard chrome snakes and carbide stripper. Guide wraps are maroon with brown ferrule windings.
Sunday, March 3, 2019
Trout Glass Rods or "The Magnificent Seven"
My personal collection of currently used trout glass or hybrid glass/bamboo rods, L to R:
6'6" orange S-glass 3/4wt 3pc, quick dry fly
7'3" Paradox Hybrid phenolic glass/bamboo 4wt 2/2, parabolic
7'4" Unstructured Prototype E-glass 3/4wt 3pc, med-fast progressive
7'6" orange S-glass 4/5wt 3pc, quick dry fly and streamer
7'6" Unstructured "Old Empire" E-glass 3wt 4pc, semi-parabolic
8'1" Hybrid phenolic/S-glass 3wt 5pc, dry fly fast parabolic, regressive butt taper
8'2" (250cm) Unstructured Prototype E-glass 4.5wt 4pc, dry fly progressive
Sunday, July 2, 2017
Driftless Fishing and Paradox 734
Little para taper boo-glass hybrid proved itself again in Driftless. It was raining quite a bit and streams were discolored. I had to search for fishable water, but was rewarded with beautiful wild browns. Paradox 734 handled them with aplomb and I ended up fishing it exclusively. I posted few more pics from the trip in my other blog.
Sunday, June 4, 2017
Big Guns-Conquistador Glass Fly Rods
The saltwater season in New England is under full swing and it is time to dust off the big guns. Conquistador Glass tapers (L to R): 9' 10wt, 9' 9wt, 8'6" 8/9wt. I am contemplating building another batch of Conquistadors, so stay tuned. Photos of striped bass (top) and myself courtesy of Dave Skok. Dave took those during the prototype rod-testing, in Fall 2015.
Wednesday, April 5, 2017
Paradox 824 Flexing Curve
Paradox 824 (curve leaning toward progressive)
Paradox 734 (curve leaning toward parabolic)
Monday, April 3, 2017
Wednesday, March 22, 2017
Work in Progress...Paradox Revisited!
I am finally having little time for rod building. I am working on a longer Paradox 8'2" 3/4wt. The blank has very unique casting properties due to its solid bamboo tip, fiberglass ferrule and woven tobacco-glass butt section. Next post will feature completed rod, so stay tuned...
Monday, June 13, 2016
Off to Driftless...
For some testing of Paradox 734. Will pack a couple of more 4wt rods for comparison and change of pace. L to R: Paradox 734, Retrograph 904-4 and DF 250-4.5-4
Thursday, June 2, 2016
Milenkovic Paradox-R 604 Fly Rod
The "R" is for "Reverse"- fly rod with split cane butt, fiberglass tip and mid-sections, and fiberglass ferrules. It is inspired by short rods which were popularized by Lee Wulff. This experimental rod has a pretty quick action due to softer tip/middle and firmer butt section. The fiberglass portion of the rod is "borrowed" from my Unstructured Glass 8' 4wt taper.
The rod casts best with WF5 line at short to medium distances, even though 4wt lines work too. With a heavier line it is very smooth and still has power to reach far out if needed.
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
Paradox 734 Fly Rod - Casting Characteristics
I know that bottom pictures can't tell you much, but here are some opinions on how this rod behaves. I tested the rod with various 4 and 5wt lines and it can be described as a strong 4 or a 4/5wt rod. The tip specs are progressive and dampen quickly. While the rod casts a long line, it will throw lovely loops at short/medium distances with various 4wt lines-perfect for your standard dry fly presentations.
If you like little more feedback in your cast, slightly heavy 4wt lines (various Airflo, Rio Gold or SA GPX) work great. This would be a nice all-around choice when you need to swap a dry fly with a weighted nymph or a bugger. When you want to go for more distance, the glass butt section goes into play and with more line out, the rod starts to feel semi-parabolic, with that extra kick coming from the fiberglass butt.
Using 5wt lines on the rod will get the butt section engaged sooner, with less line out, but without the tip collapsing. Anglers who like deeper loading and more feedback from the rod might actually prefer it with a 5wt line.
The rod will be tested on a fishing trip to Driftless Area in a few weeks, so more details will follow on how it behaves in real fishing situations..
If you like little more feedback in your cast, slightly heavy 4wt lines (various Airflo, Rio Gold or SA GPX) work great. This would be a nice all-around choice when you need to swap a dry fly with a weighted nymph or a bugger. When you want to go for more distance, the glass butt section goes into play and with more line out, the rod starts to feel semi-parabolic, with that extra kick coming from the fiberglass butt.
Using 5wt lines on the rod will get the butt section engaged sooner, with less line out, but without the tip collapsing. Anglers who like deeper loading and more feedback from the rod might actually prefer it with a 5wt line.
The rod will be tested on a fishing trip to Driftless Area in a few weeks, so more details will follow on how it behaves in real fishing situations..
Monday, May 23, 2016
Saturday, May 21, 2016
Paradox 734 Fly Rod - Weight
I took pictures of each rod section while resting on a scale. The recorded numbers are in grams. The completed rod weighs 90.09 grams (tip #1) and 89.84 grams with the second tip section. Both numbers equal to around 3.17 oz. With the use of cork reel seat and aluminum (rather than nickel silver) slip rings, the rod weight could easily be reduced to under 3oz.
Wednesday, May 11, 2016
Milenkovic 734 Paradox Fly Rod
Paradox Fly Rod is inspired by Pezon et Michel's Vario-Power concept of using fiberglass butt and split cane tip sections. However, its sections are both of equal length and it features fiberglass ferrule rather than the traditional nickel silver one. Darkly flamed tips closely match the color of fiberglass. The tips are progressive and loosely based on Powell A formula and transition nicely into the butt section, made of phenolic tobacco fiberglass. Quick recovery of the tips is amplified by the flexibility of the butt, with a very positive dampening. It is a lively, yet punchy rod and the glass ferrule contributes to its feel.
The rod features rust and medium brown silk wraps, oxidized hardware, maple/double slide bands seat, single foot tip-tops and a Powell-style grip. Pictures taken indoors don't represent the true colors as well as the ones taken outside.
Saturday, April 30, 2016
Paradox Taper in the Works
I have just finished and ferruled the blanks for my new project, a Paradox Taper bamboo-fiberglass hybrid fly rod. More pics soon, once the rod is completed!
Monday, August 31, 2015
Gone Fishing!
I've just finished a rod for personal use. The blank is a Dry Fly taper prototype (250cm #4.5) based on my 8'3" #5. This one-off build features uplocking sliding band with tobacco fiberglass insert, ventilated Ritz grip and all titanium hardware. Guides are thin wire Recoils. I'll be fishing it on Driftless spring creeks later this week.
