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.
Friday, April 26, 2024
Saturday, February 10, 2024
Old rods revisited: HarborSky saltwater camo fly rods
I built these rods in 2012 and still use them regularly. They are 9' for #6 and #7 lines. Graphite blanks were made by G. Loomis, painted by myself with a non-gloss paint, for the stealthy camo look. Their moderate action is well suited for precise shots on the flats. I use the #6 most often for my local sight-casting. It loads quickly for shorter casts. The #7 (fishes like a #8) has more power...I like it for longer casts on pale bottom flats.
They are still fun rods to fish today, and they have held up very well, after many days in the saltwater environment! You can read about them in my original post.
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
Sunday, June 25, 2023
Steffen 8' 6/7wt
Steffen 8' 6/7wt, 3pc fly rod blank build, featuring flor Ritz grip turned on the blank, and Struble U22 reel seat hardware with integrated fighting butt. The insert is made of the matching fiberglass tubing. Guide wraps are made with jasper silk thread with rusty NCP accents on the butt and the tip top. Multiple coats of spar poly were used on the wraps.
The rod should be a perfect tool for chasing smallmouth bass with larger streamers and popping bugs!
Saturday, June 17, 2023
Grip for Steffen 8' 6/7wt
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.
