I'm planning to build a traditional action (not fast action) fly rod, 4 piece, 6 weight, and am finding from my traditional sources only a couple options. Those of you who are fly rod experts, please tell me your recommendations for a blank for this rod. thanks, Mick

You're not finding numerous options because so many manufacturers and retailers think you want a long, skinny, tomato stake disguised as a fly rod.

Last 6 weight I built was a 4 piece Epic fast glass. Tom Morgan offered at one time a 4 piece, 6 weight glass rod. I've not built up the Tom Morgan 6 weight, but the 7 weight is really sweet. The TFO Professional Series are not so fast.

The Batson RX6 line will most likely match your needs. One problem you have is a quantifiable definition of "traditional action." It is variable from Bamboo, glass and carbon fiber.

Mike, if you want to go with Graphite, CTS Vintage would be my only choice. I would also recommend looking into Fiberglass, CTS Quartz, Livingston Rod Co, Steffen, Tom Morgan, Epic, and McFarland, I've built on every one of those brands in 6wt for customers and I own a Quartz, Steffen and Livingston as my own personal 6wts.

A good choice for as build like that, not too fast and not too slow would be the 9' 6wt SHX from Karen at Bingham Ent. I have built on a lot of the SHX blanks and have had nothing but great reports on their performance

Ron Weber

Link to Bingham gives an error message. Any ideas on getting to their web site? I'd like more info on the SHX blanks.

Out of curiosity, why do you want a "traditional" action, and what characteristics do you expect this action should have? Back in the day when a 50 foot fly cast raised eyebrows the wet fly fishers seemed to prefer a slower action, parabolic blank, while the dry fly guys looked for a faster action rod. "Sensitivity" never was and never will be a legitimate concern about fly rods. If you fish with bait rather than flies it's a bait rod, not a fly rod.

The Bingham site is being worked on, the SHX blanks are nice blanks and the color is similar to the discontinued Rainshadow RX8 blanks, a titanium colored finish that goes with just about any thread.

thanks for the suggestions, Bimgham site is up now, I ask for "traditional" because the winner of a charity raffle asked for it. I have questioned what he is after with the word "traditional," and will be sure he knows what he is asking for. I think he believes "fast" causes casting issues or delicacy issues with the presentation. I'm working it out.