I've recently received blank for Helios 2 10 ft, 5 wt, 4 pc from Mudhole and the butt section has a short insert of smaller diameter at its base. I'm getting conflicting info from Mudhole and from different Orvis folks regarding whether this is the intended shape of the blank or a defect.

I need help from someone familiar with this blank. I can send photos via PM if that would help.

Thanks for any help.

Could very possibly be a stent for the installation of the reel seat

Ron Weber

If you can post a photo on the photo page here I think we can clear this up pretty quickly.

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I agree that this is a stent for the reel seat. My query is whether or not this is the standard issue butt section for this blank. It measures smaller than the published butt diameter on Mudhole's site. I've had two conversation with Orvis personel, one of whom said it was as designed, the other said definitely not (and the he suspects this is an R&D prototype that was mistakenly shipped). I'm hoping someone on this site has familiarity with this blank. I'll post picture of this to photos forum.

I doubt anyone can tell you more than Orvis can. Perhaps someone at MudHole can let you know if the other Helios in the same model are fitted with the same extension. If so, then it's not a prototype. If not, then it might well be.

I can tell you that many Winston blanks I've seen over the years were fitted out this way.

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The folks at Mudhole don't know for sure. They don't have another of this blank in stock. It was their Orvis contact who said to send it back. I'm awaiting another opinion from Orvis rod shop. I'm still hoping that someone on this site has built with this blank and can give me another opinion. If the butt diameter published by Mudhole wasn't larger than the blank I received I wouldn't be questioning this. Two different opinions from Orvis has me totally confused. I've yet to talk to someone from Vermont--each person I get tansferred to ends up being in VA. I'm thinking that this stent is a necessary result of 10 ft rod dynamics, but I want to be sure before building.

Generally the reason the extension is use is to allow the use the same reel seat hardware on many different blanks, the extensions all having the same same OD where the reel seat sits.

At any rate, if you find out anything, please come back and let us know. You might not be the last person to raise this question on those blanks.

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