Thanks for the advice all. We decided to go with a downrigger blank in the end, as he has tried out a hotshot rod and found it to unforgiving at closer ranges.
Forum: rodboard

Looking for some advice from more experienced folks here. I have someone asking for a rod for them to use out of their kayak for salmon & steelhead fishing in the Great Lakes. They plan on fishing for spring fish staging in shallow water, using torpedo weights and planar boards. My first inclination had been to look at downrigger blanks, but I'm thinking that they may not be quite right fo
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If you want to try glass I can recommend the Proof Havana, 4/5wt, 7'5". Sweet little rod when built up.
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When I did my clear wraps I was given a few tips by some more experienced rod makers. 1. You don't need to use Gossamer. #100 silk works just fine. 2. Thin your epoxy. Either heat it or use alcohol. The long term effects of alcohol thinning on wraps is a debate in itself, but either way it needs to be thinned. 3. Start applying epoxy at the very tip of the guide foot and work your way up the
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Do you have a particular rod weight you're trying to use it on? Spey rod or single hand? You could try cutting it down to make a compact shooting head, but I'm not sure how short it would end up being with that heavy of a line.
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Spey line?
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Mark, I think I've got it now - just took me a bit to sort it out in my head. You're trying to reduce the distortion that the blank is going to undergo while bent (ovaling), while keeping the blank flexible through the joint. A solid spigot or a heavy enough oversleeve will cause increase stiffness, you've created a lightweight spigot and a lightweight sleeve that still reduce distortion but w
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Mark, It sounds like a large part of your design is aimed at eliminating the distortion of the rod blank, the ovaling effect you mention. I agree that you'll see ovaling exaggerated at the end of a tube, but I question whether you would actually see it in a well fitting spigot or oversleeve ferrule. A solid spigot fit to the taper and epoxied into position should prevent the butt section fr
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Mark, I've been turning your design over in my head for a day now and I think it's neat, but I just can't see how your design is an improvement over existing ferrule designs. I'm hoping you don't take that the wrong way and that you can maybe show me what I'm missing. You seem to be mostly working with vintage fiberglass blanks, which I also enjoy working on. Aside from the metal ferrule (
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Fiberglass (and especially bamboo) has a soul. Carbon fiber is a cold, black, soul-less material. But seriously, each material has its strengths and weaknesses. I love fiberglass fly rods for the feel you get while casting them, and the appearance you can get when the fiberglass weave is allowed to show itself. Graphite is more suited to faster 'modern' rods.
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I'm going to swim upstream a bit hear and encourage you to rebuild them. While they may have some sentimental value right now, to me they would have more personal value when rebuilt into a rod you enjoy fishing. I'd choose the worse of the two rods and give it a try. There isn't much information out there about the St. Croix fiberglass rods, but they have a reputation of being a solid 'blue-c
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I guess I buck the trend. I'm 29 and have been building for a couple years. I find it's a good way to unwind and get my mind on something else than work and other responsibilities in the evenings.
Forum: rodboard