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!
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.)
In the works...Steffen 8' 6'7wt. Completed Ritz grip with NOS Struble U-22 reel seat and matching fighting butt. Reel seat insert is a phenolic fiberglass tubing.
Red fiberglass 774-4 in action and Bosnian grayling (photos courtesy of Bane Topalović!)
