I finally did it ......

[David Lee]

No , not a drivers licence (still ..... sometime in the near future :evil: )

I'm building a rod .

I know ..... I've enough 'bad' habits (flytying , Beer , fishing in general , various pranks/highjinx , chattering , etc, ....) and have said in public I'd never build a flyrod . I found a Fenwick World Class 8 wt. blank for next to nothin' , so I thought I'd take the plunge .

Should be a killer Bass-Bug rod . I'll post photos when I'm done :idea: .

David :roll: :roll: :P

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Great David, Sounds like fun.

I will give donate a new fly line for it when you get it done.

I would put a WF10F on it for throwing big bass bugs.

KD is using a WF10F on a 790-4 Sage XP.

Andy and I are using WF10F on our #8 rods.

Two sizes over for out of a boat when it is short casting.

Maybe only one size over if you are throwing more distance?

You can bring that "puppy" into the shop when it's done and cast it with all those different sizes to be sure.

[Ed Wahl]

Hey Bill, that St. Croix 8wt you sold me works very well on ponds with a 9wt line. Got it muddied up several times now. I need to find some more "private"(hee hee) ponds to use it on. Ed

[David Lee]

Very kind offer there , Bill .

I usually overline by 1 size w/ quick rods - I think the going up 2-3 line wts. helps a LOT if you're not used to chucking BIG bugs . As you know .... some of my flies are the size of small House Cats :shock: and I have been known to false cast Sunfish/small Bass that get stuck sometimes .

I'm really fond of the Mastery Bass taper , but still having issues w/ tip-sink . Perhaps I'll try a Rio Clouser taper w/ the welded loops to see if I can avoid tip sinkage .

I see lots of rod-building goodies at the shop - think you know where you'll find my nose stuck next time I'm in :idea: .

I'm thinkin' Olive wraps w/ a Black tip .

David :D

[David Lee]

Hey Bill, that St. Croix 8wt you sold me works very well on ponds with a 9wt line. Got it muddied up several times now. I need to find some more "private"(hee hee) ponds to use it on. Ed



:shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

SHHHHHHHHUSSHHHH !!!

Remember , we agreed to be quiet about our ..... uhhhh .... 'covert' activites [-X

(next time ..... the American River Trout Hatchery - we can't miss !!)

David :evil:

[Hairstacker]

I'm building a rod .

:lol: I think it was inevitable and just a matter of time. Good luck David!! Hope you have fun with it but beware -- I've heard it said that very few stop at building just one. :D

[David Lee]

I'm a slave to too many pastimes , Mike .

I'll try to keep it in check :) .

David :D

P.S. - almost Smallmouth time :idea: :idea:

[k.hanley]

Going back to work, building a flyrod, and a driving license on the horizon.......look out California! Good things happen in 3's Dave.
Cheers, Ken

[SullyTM]

...a new addiction! Be careful what you wish for David. Building rods may keep you off the water.

Keep the ferrules glued tight!

[David Lee]

A bit of an update ....

Blank #2 just showed up - a Fenwick World Class 6 wt , 8 foot , 4 piece .

Those Smallmouth are gonna be in DEEP DOO-DOO :evil: :evil: !!

I'm going w/ Aluminum seats (errr .... my rods tend to get wet sometimes .... :roll: ) , Olive wraps w/ Rust tips , Black Snakes , and the right decals (Smallie on the 6 , Largmouth on the 8) ) .

Twins !

David (nope , haven't quite lost it ..... YET :unibrow: )

[sculpin]

Hmmm. Do we have a budding Gary Anderson or RB Meiser in our midst ? :shock:

Mark

[OregonSalmon]

David,
Your next debacle should be a clam shovel. As I write my buddy is "pimping" my clam shovel. We will see how it comes out. You can use it next fall when you get smart and go north for salmon. If you ain't goin' north you are goin' south.

[David Lee]

Tonight ..... I got the reelseats/grips/fighting butt epoxied onto both blanks . Off to file guides for wrapping next week .....

Rodbuilder Larry Lee (no , not my Brother Larry , he's still in the stir ....) has been a HUGE help for all my first-timer questions/problems . Thanks for all the help Larry !!

Sadly ..... the 6 wt. won't be ready for OPENING DAY this Saturday :( - Oh , well ..... I'll have to use the usual suspects .

I'll post photos soon -

David

[Wednesday Caster]

Great. By winter you'll be bidding against me for the old blue collar boos on ZBay to refinish.
You'll be on the dark side soon- don't fight the FORCE.

[Hairstacker]

David,

For what it's worth, I've also found these sites very informative and helpful:

www.rodbuildingforum.com

www.rodbuilding.org

The first one above actually has tutorials with pictures that walk you though the whole rodbuilding process. Great stuff.

Good luck!

[David Lee]

Ahhhhh ..... the last rodbuilding update !

I couldn't do it .

Nope , not kidding . I COULD NOT get those damm guides wrapped - finally called Larry and had him pick the rods up to finish . I guess tried over 50 times on one guide , got to the point where I don't even want the stupid new rods anymore . I've no idea why I would have such a rough time with something involving thread ......

Anyhow .... thanks for all the positive comments . I think I'll just stick to tying flies - rod building isn't for me .

David :oops:

[Hairstacker]

David, I've stared at your last post a half dozen times and just don't get it. I know it's a moot point now but what was the problem? Did you prepare the guide feet first so there was a smooth transition from blank to guide foot? Did you just not like how the thread wraps looked? Knowing what a heck of a fly tyer you are, I just can't imagine you having difficulty, like you said, with anything involving thread. . . . :(

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

David,

You could bring it by the shop and I could show you how to do it.

I actually wrapped rods daily in a bait-n-tackle shop 40 years ago.

Nothing fancy though.

[David Lee]

I had issues with the rod wrapping jig .

Using it was a little like trying to use chopsticks to pick up a dime - I think had I have used a bobbin , it would have been easier ( of course , also more time consuming ....) because it would have eliminated the middle man , so to speak .

Not to toot my own horn as far as fly tying skills ....... but before I ever started tying flies or actually fly fishing , I used to tye Glo-Bugs by hand - without a vise . Try it sometime , it isn't easy !

Maybe the biggest problem was the time involved . Coming home from work with the fingers nicked up ...... I just wanted the stupid things finished . Something like tying flies .... not a problem , because I have the fundimentals down already (I should have them down , after tens of thousands of bugs tyed over the years ....) . Wrapping just got beyond frustrating .

In the end .... I don't think its a big deal . You never really know if a new craft or hobby is for you until you give it a go , right ? For me .... it just worked out better to have someone who knew what they were doing take care of it , rather than letting myself reach the point of wanting to break things .

Probablly a good thing I've no interest in golf !

David :)

[Sturmer White]

Hey David
I wish you had called me before throwing in the spung.
I know, I could have made it easyer for you. I also would have just wraped them for you if I had known. I think almost cutting off your finger just before starting was not good. It does take fingers without big tape all over them.
Stick to your flies,you are great at that.
SW