Hello again, Hi Tom!

Seeing we're all on the butt wrap trend with the new software(Very cool But I have a MAC damn it! Hmm I wonder if I can run it on virtual PC!!) and being very much a newbie that has gotten the bug to build build build...

What do most of you experienced /pro builders do or what do your customers want on the butts of say 9wt or lighter fly rods .

As a fly fisherman I know a fly rod needs to stay light as possible ,also the dreaded Fly Rod Police only take a liking to a few bands here and there and perhaps a feather inlay now a days but nothing more! You Know "TraditiooooN Tradition"!! .

Not having seen any custom work other than on the web and mostly that of the spin and bait rod makers (for some reason many of the flyrod only builders dont have closeups of their product on their sites)

I have only seen standard factory rods though good quality Orvis ,Winston ,St croix ETC.. And there all the same as for general looks! Im looking for a practical idea to spruce a rather dull concept up a bit without adding too much wt or getting a place on the FRPs most wanted list!

Is there anyone doing multicolored wraps on single
foot fly guides as well as fancier butt wraps?

Just fishin for more Ideas to add to my rod building schoolin!!

Thanks for all your help Happy wrapping! "John"

Since I build rods as a hobby and not for resale, I have built only a few flyrods for fishing buddies and they only want trim bands on the hook keepers and their names woven in metallic thread. I use the plain patterns in Clemen's book. The only thing that I do differently is that I use A thread. I triple the strands and double the turns of size D thread to make the pattern larger. In other words, if the pattern calls for #1 left, I will have three strands of the size A metallic thread tied as one strand and make two turns of the size D thread overwrap. It makes for a tighter weave and easy to close any gaps. The pattern looks good and is not overbearing. Hope I have made sense. Ellis

In my ad firm we have run various PC software on Windows emulation software and on the Mac it ends up running faster and more dependably that if we ran the IBM type machines. We like the Mac because it can and will run anything perfectly.

On butt wraps on fly rods it is really up to the customer as to what might be acceptable on the rod. There are other ways to customize a rod though and you might look at some burl in the grip or some type of special reel seat insert. Decorative wraps are not the only way to customize a rod. Just use your imagination.

many thanks I may pick up the software and try it with virtual PC Program I have for my MAC.

Happy wrapping "John"

do what ever you want, I have a 2 weight with a chevron wrap that is probably 6 or 7 inches long. the extra weight is pretty neglidgable if you use as little finish as you can get away with..... And I would probably not have any nice words for the "fly rod police", I kinda like stuff other people think is ugly, right colors etc. but that's just me.

I just finished two 9' 4wt rods for my sons in "school colors". For the butt wraps, I started with 5wraps of black (luckily a color for both schools) then used the primary "bold" color in a simple alternating inlaid wrap for 5 wraps and then finished with the black. Black primary wrapping on the double foot strippers, trimmed with 4 turns of the bold and then used the bold color as a single inlaid thread on the running guides.

To my eye, they turned out to be "bold", but with traditional fly rod subtlety.