Thanks everyone!
Forum: rodboard

I'm just getting back into wrapping rods and i notice i only have one 8wt bass fly rod. I was considering a Revelation through Get Bit (the Eternity is out of my budget) but also found a "Special Buy" on an IM7 for $54. An NFC LMX is in my budget. I was also considering a Rod Geeks 8wt. MHX is probably at the top-end of my budget. CTS appears to be way out of my budget (sadface). Any s
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There are a ton of US bamboo makers, often working out of their home shop, who can help you. You could email me and i'll send you a link to help. eric fresno, ca.
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I have never bought a "kit" but have been wrapping up fly rods for years. I'm no expert at all but it's fun and combined with tying my own flies (a new venture), it's pretty cool to catch fish on your own rod and flies. The main reason i have never bought a kit is that this is the opportunity to assemble each component that <<i>> want to use. my choice in guides, my choic
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I think we need to clarify that we're talking about fly rods here. "clouser" is the clue. :) do not fear the faster actioned rod. and the double haul. especially when throwing clousers. it's all in the timing. a moderate/medium "action" rod wiht a fast recovery may be a solution, i do not know. many advertisements trumpet extra fast actioned rods are for the more experie
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Kelly, i thought I understood what you were asking, but maybe i'm wrong. you have orvis, sage, and g loomis. you mentioned CTS. it sounds to me like you are asking for the best fly blanks offered by companies that would NOT be considered the major brands out there. so you're asking about blanks by companies EXCLUDING the big names like sage, g loomis, orvis, winston, redington, thomas & thoma
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I would suggest that for tying flies, quality is the top priority. Chickens are genetically bred and farm-raised over generations to produce quality feathers with specific fly tying characteristics, one being consistency in quality. certain "brands" have evolved over time to offer what most consider the best feathers. Whiting Farms is just one such top producer of feathers. since you
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Anglers Workshop as Donald mentions is a sponsor here. You can look to Janns Netcraft too. Find a fly shop in your area, visit it, and see the selection of feathers they have available. When on vacation, search out the shops in towns you visit if none are available near you. Also, there are two widely known sports/outdoors/gun/fishing/camping companies which have fly fishing/tying departments (bu
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You may have found that Sage offers the Mod 9' 4 piece 2wt blank (290-4 Mod). For about $100 less, CTS might be your best bet. Also, I've found two 9' 3wt 4pc blanks elsewhere (Bushido and MHX), and MHX offers a 9' 2wt as a 2 piece blank. Kind of a special offering in that size. eric fresno, ca.
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wait, what????? you can order a tip section? i broke my Sig V 8'-3" 4piece 3/4 weight years ago....! i loved that rod!!!!! i'm going to have to contact dan and see what he says. i thought he had told me not available years ago. eric fresno, ca.
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You may try contacting the seller for tljohnsonoutletdepot on that big @#$%& site. I do not know the current business profile of TL Johnson, but my impression isn't too positive for resources since most stuff i've seen for sale have been "old stock." eric fresno, ca.
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It's target market is probably for somebody else. No offense meant. But a high production facility would probably find it invaluable and would write it off as a production expense. Batson makes other reamers probably more in line for the general market. eric fresno, ca.
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Hey thanks to everyone for all of the input, very helpful. -eric fresno, ca.
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No, I haven't Spencer. Thanks, I'll check them out. I was leaning towards the PB Quickline because I'm simply a fan of Pac Bay, but from a forum search just now, I should add the MHX line of blanks too. Good thing I'm not in any hurry. eric fresno, ca.
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Thanks Mike! I should have added the Eternity2 to my list of curiosity, as well as the TFO BVK. Anybody else have an suggestions? eric fresno, ca.
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Hi. At some point, I'd like to wrap a fast action fly blank in a 9 foot 8wt size. Without CCS numbers, I'm going to have to speak generally. This would be for casting 1/0 clouser streamers with a Rio Outbound sinking line (striped bass in still water would be one target). Double-hauling, wind, etc. Possibly surf fishing in the future. A buddy lent me his TFO TiCR-X a few years ago and that wo
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The Grizzly lathe and Flex-coat's option are probably the cheapest ways to go. I remember the Turncrafter and Jet, and later the Rikon (best of the options) were the talk of the town a few years ago when i too was considering turning my own fly grips. This excelsior was also a good choice, probably on par with the turncrafter. When I realized the lathe would be just the starting purchase, an
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The American Tackle AMF7-4 is a graphite blank. There are a ton of choices in fiberglass these days. What is your brother's budget? I've seen fiberglass fly blanks from $29 through $350, and various actions and feel. Most fiberglass blanks it seems come as 3-piece offerings, especially the $29-$100 blanks, though I've seen 2-piece blanks from the higher priced companies. and i think the 2-piec
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I have no affinity for St Croix. I've never fished a St Croix rod. I'm 50 years old, and have been fly fishing for 18 years. I started rod building 15 years ago. My budget is limited, i search for bargains, with an occasional splurge. I too have always wondered about the love for St Croix. My guess is that most who love the brand have been using it for a long time, probably longer than the che
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I'm on the wrong side of the country. Congratulations on another successful year! eric fresno,ca.
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i second bill's suggestion. eric fresno,ca.
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"light saber in hand"? you mean a bright color? Blue Halo offers the RetroFlex II B 5wt 8' blank in 7 colors, including three that are more muted. Charcoal, cappuccino, and raw. eric fresno, ca.
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I went with a 2 inch long removable fighting butt (PacBay) for an 8wt i wrapped years ago. it kept coming loose every few trips. or i felt the need to check its tightness. i always used it. so then i felt it was not necessary to have it "removable." the next 8wt i wrapped i went with a permanent butt design. the third rod i wrapped with a fighting butt, i went permanent, but a small 1 o
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I wrapped a 9 foot 8wt rod this year for LMB with poppers and streamers on an inexpensive no-name blank. I usually fish my 8wt rods with a cheap basic Rio floating bass taper (i believe Rio, though may have been Cortland, either way, we're talking a $39 bass taper line). A buddy let me cast his Sage LMB fly rod with the matching Sage Performance Bass Largemouth taper line. Wow. The improvement in
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I've often used Pacific Bay's in size A regular nylon, since moving away from Gudebrod. No problems. I generally like Pacbay stuff overall. I've tried only one spool of Prowrap, found it fine too. I've used Fuji once, in black, regular nylon size A and found it very very slippery, made it difficult to begin wraps. eric fresno, ca.
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When it comes to price, i often am tempted with 2-piece fly blanks. They're the ones at deep closeout prices. Vendor trying to get rid of them... eric fresno, ca.
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My 9-foot 6wt graphite fly rod is a 2-piece. I sure wish it was a 4 pc. The definition of "travel" really needs to be extended to include simple traveling by car and backpack, no need to focus on airline travel like everyone tends to do. I just don't see any advantages to a 2-piece rod to outweigh the advantages with material designs these days for 4-piece rods, UNLESS a desired rod
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My demand is based on what I like, since I do not have customers, just a hobby builder who sometimes hands off a fly rod to one of two buddies. I was traditional, i preferred wood seats, but I'm also picky, i like satin finish, with a mortise since I find it easier to mount a reel when i can see and feel quickly where it goes. I hate searching for the almost-hidden pocket even though it only
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I've run across the tool to create your own snake guides, but if i remember correctly, they were generally sold on a few web sites of bamboo fly rod makers. some offered the reverse design loop (English style). I would embrace google in a web search. try youtube too for examples. There's a certain pride and completion of the entire craftsmanship picture when you create the entire rod with all
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Lamiglas made various versions of fiberglass fly blanks. Bill Hickey mentioned versions. I test cast one of the more popular ones long ago, a friend's rod, and it seemed very whippy to me, i wasn't quite fond of it, but i was casting at a park. I later picked up a Lamiglas fly blank on closeout back around 2008, model CGF 904, a two piece 7'-6" tip over butt design in a rich amber color, i b
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