Quality trout fishing

[Sportsman]

Hey Sportsman that is some serious fishing! Well done. (Rubbing salt in wounds more like it...) Recently started tying flies and finally caught a trout on my own montana. Just makes it sooo much more satisfying. Been out a few times around London area (Rib Valley and Hanningfield) and have always caught a few (not nearly as many as you though...) The Greys Rod I bought is OK but I would still like to get a nicer rod. Is your offer still standing? It might be easier if you emial me at lerouxcraven@yahoo.co.uk. Just to let me know how to order to the blanks and accessories, ect. Thanks again

 

Hi Hpint.

Glad your catching.

Yes, the offer still stands. The choice is unlimited so we have to decide what it is you really need /want and most importantly what your budget is.

For best value you are better off buying in the States. I do it all the time with no probs.

Things to think about:

Blank: Length, weight, line weight, action, colour, price.

Guides: (rings) type and number. colour

Whippings: Colour / trim

Handle: Shape/style, quality

Reel Seat: wood insert, style, metalwork

The price of the components doesn't vary that much so what tends to dictate finished price is the blank.

Remember, this is your rod, so it should be the way you want it.

Now for the down side. Top end rods are light and responsive and a delight to use, they are also a bit more delicate than some heavier cheaper rods. I am not in a position to offer a lifetime guarantee so if you want one of those stick with your Greys. I will however build it to the best of my ability with good quality components and you will get a much nicer rod than anything you would buy from a shop for twice the price.

Have a think and send me a PM with your thoughts and we will take it from there.

Cheers

Dave.

BTW, you are fishing my old stomping grounds, I'm from Chelmsford and fished Hanningfield when it first opened for trout fishing

[hpint]

Hi Hpint.

Glad your catching.

Yes, the offer still stands. The choice is unlimited so we have to decide what it is you really need /want and most importantly what your budget is.

For best value you are better off buying in the States. I do it all the time with no probs.

Things to think about:

Blank: Length, weight, line weight, action, colour, price.

Guides: (rings) type and number. colour

Whippings: Colour / trim

Handle: Shape/style, quality

Reel Seat: wood insert, style, metalwork

The price of the components doesn't vary that much so what tends to dictate finished price is the blank.

Remember, this is your rod, so it should be the way you want it.

Now for the down side. Top end rods are light and responsive and a delight to use, they are also a bit more delicate than some heavier cheaper rods. I am not in a position to offer a lifetime guarantee so if you want one of those stick with your Greys. I will however build it to the best of my ability with good quality components and you will get a much nicer rod than anything you would buy from a shop for twice the price.

Have a think and send me a PM with your thoughts and we will take it from there.

Cheers

Dave.

BTW, you are fishing my old stomping grounds, I'm from Chelmsford and fished Hanningfield when it first opened for trout fishing

 

 

Hey Sportsman

 

Thanks for the reply. Tried to send you a PM but an error occured and said that I'm not allowed to send you one. Don't want to bore the other forum readers with all the details of my new rod. But since there is no other way... Right here goes: Rod needs to be 9ft6 long. 7/8 Weight. Medium to tip action. Same colour as greys g-series (which looks black from a distance but close-up or in bright light it is a dark green). Handle I like is something like http://www.carrilon.co.uk/product_info.php...224ce9ac3395cf2 (just click on picture to enlarge). I like the cork to taper towards the tip. The but section must also be cork but can be slightly smaller and rounded than the one in the picture in the attachment. What difference does the wood insert make? The colour for the whippings must be black and dark green (just like the g series) With the guides I might need some help. Silver and black for the colour then 2 Normal double footed rings on the bottom and the rest snake guides. Don't know about quantity. You've gotta help me there. Imagine Hanningfield...fishing a team of buzzers (sometimes with a bung) at a distance. All in all I would like to have a nice light rod with a nice smooth action that looks great. Is 150pounds too little? I would go up to 200 but definately no more. Hope all the info is sufficient. Please feel free to make any suggestions. I have been course fishing for about 20 years but only recently started fly fishing so still need some guidance. Thanks again!

[Sportsman]

Hey Sportsman

 

Thanks for the reply. Tried to send you a PM but an error occured and said that I'm not allowed to send you one. Don't want to bore the other forum readers with all the details of my new rod. But since there is no other way... Right here goes: Rod needs to be 9ft6 long. 7/8 Weight. Medium to tip action. Same colour as greys g-series (which looks black from a distance but close-up or in bright light it is a dark green). Handle I like is something like http://www.carrilon.co.uk/product_info.php...224ce9ac3395cf2 (just click on picture to enlarge). I like the cork to taper towards the tip. The but section must also be cork but can be slightly smaller and rounded than the one in the picture in the attachment. What difference does the wood insert make? The colour for the whippings must be black and dark green (just like the g series) With the guides I might need some help. Silver and black for the colour then 2 Normal double footed rings on the bottom and the rest snake guides. Don't know about quantity. You've gotta help me there. Imagine Hanningfield...fishing a team of buzzers (sometimes with a bung) at a distance. All in all I would like to have a nice light rod with a nice smooth action that looks great. Is 150pounds too little? I would go up to 200 but definately no more. Hope all the info is sufficient. Please feel free to make any suggestions. I have been course fishing for about 20 years but only recently started fly fishing so still need some guidance. Thanks again!

 

Hi

If you want a 9'6" rod in green, you are cutting down the choices. Having said that this is the blank I would have gone for

 

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/template...&hasJS=true

 

This is the finished rod to give you an idea. If you want more opinions google St Croix Legend Ultra.

The SCIV blank is tremendous and a 9'6" 7wt (which will easily take an 8) is about 85quid plus whatever postage.

With postage in mind it is better value to try and buy all of the components from the same place as they all get posted in the same package.

For a handle I would go with a Pac Bay bamboo burl reverse half wells, illustration here:

http://www.schneidersrods.com/fly_cork.htm

We can get that from the same place as the blank for about 8quid.

Reel seat is whatever you like, sounds like you want a small fighting butt, you can have a fixed one or a screw in.

These are my favourites, all excellent quality

http://www.reelseats.com/catalog/index.php...3c3689b07b708fa

You pay your money and take your choice say 25 quid

For guides on a rod of that weight I would go for Sic lined guides throughout with two two footed strippers and the rest single foot or failing that titanium single foot. I would not use double foot snakes on this type of rod. About 12 quid

For odds and sods like thread, winding check (the trim at the top of the cork) fly keeper etc allow anothe 6 quid tops

Rough total 136.00 plus postage and whatever tax we get stung for (may or may not)

I think this would give you a rod to rival anything out there.

The SCIV is a fast action blank so make sure that is what you want.

You are not exactly spoiled for choice at 9"6" but at the price you could get a Harrison blank

 

http://www.harrisonrods.co.uk/rods%20and%2..._and_blanks.htm

 

They have a great reputation, have a look at the product list

 

Apparently you can't send PMs until you have 15 posts so get writing

[Sportsman]

It occurs to me that for 175.00 you could buy a finished rod on this blank

 

http://www.mailordercentral.com/hookhack/p...umber=LU967%2E4

 

You wouldn't get to choose the components but you do get a lifetime guarantee.

Worth thinking about

[Sportsman]

Another great day at Haddo.

First fish of the day a new P.B. at 14.5lb

Another 15 quality rainbows, all over 2-3lb.

Caught on a new "home made" 9' 5Wt built on a Batson blank, a white fritz nymph and 4Lb Fluorocarbon leader.

Of to Orkney for a week tomorrow, working unfortunately but will be taking the tube and getting amongst some of the best wild brown trout fishing in Europe in the evenings.

[Vagabond]

I am the one in the yellow float tube

 

...and wearing my hat! Sartorially and practically, far superior to baseball caps (whose owners often can't decide which way the peak goes)

 

Sounds good sport at Haddo.

[Sportsman]

...and wearing my hat! Sartorially and practically, far superior to baseball caps (whose owners often can't decide which way the peak goes)

 

Sounds good sport at Haddo.

 

Absolutely

Keeps the rain off your face and from running down the back of your neck at the same time

Sport has been exceptional at Haddo recently.

[hpint]

It occurs to me that for 175.00 you could buy a finished rod on this blank

 

http://www.mailordercentral.com/hookhack/p...umber=LU967%2E4

 

You wouldn't get to choose the components but you do get a lifetime guarantee.

Worth thinking about

 

 

Hey Sportsman

 

Congrats on your new PB trout! That is a nice fish...Sorry for the late reply. I've got a hectic social life, especially now that its warming up. Too many friends to keep happy. Just a pitty about the morning after I had a think about the complete Ultra Legent fly rod. I know its got a life time warranty but its going to take all the fun out of choosing my own components. If green is cutting out options I wouldn't mind going for black. The SCIV

does sound like a great blank though (or are there better blanks out there?). If a fast blank is going to give more distance and controll then that is the sort of blank that I would go for.

 

The Pac Bay bamboo burl reverse half wells is spot on. I like it. I would like to have something like the cork but like the 1.5 FCR or the 1.5FVB. (http://www.reelseats.com/catalog/index.php/cPath/35). If its going to be a green blank what about the AUS reelseat with either the 1.5 FCR or the 1.5FVB butt? I think I would rather you opt for the guides as you're more experienced. How long do you think everthing is going to take timewise from ordering the goods till finished product? I'm off to Alaska 9 June (also away 23 May till 7Jun) for 2 weeks fishing. Cant wait...

 

Thanks again for all the research and help!

[davec]

Sportsman you are a STAR.

I went up last Wednesday evening but only managed to get less than 3 hours fishing.

6 fish to the boat, missed at least the same and lost 2. The chap who runs it is a great bloke too. He even gave me THE fly to use and I caught on the first cast.

Glad I went and I will return.

[Sportsman]

Hey Sportsman

 

Congrats on your new PB trout! That is a nice fish...Sorry for the late reply. I've got a hectic social life, especially now that its warming up. Too many friends to keep happy. Just a pitty about the morning after I had a think about the complete Ultra Legent fly rod. I know its got a life time warranty but its going to take all the fun out of choosing my own components. If green is cutting out options I wouldn't mind going for black. The SCIV

does sound like a great blank though (or are there better blanks out there?). If a fast blank is going to give more distance and controll then that is the sort of blank that I would go for.

 

The Pac Bay bamboo burl reverse half wells is spot on. I like it. I would like to have something like the cork but like the 1.5 FCR or the 1.5FVB. (http://www.reelseats.com/catalog/index.php/cPath/35). If its going to be a green blank what about the AUS reelseat with either the 1.5 FCR or the 1.5FVB butt? I think I would rather you opt for the guides as you're more experienced. How long do you think everthing is going to take timewise from ordering the goods till finished product? I'm off to Alaska 9 June (also away 23 May till 7Jun) for 2 weeks fishing. Cant wait...

 

Thanks again for all the research and help!

 

Hi

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you, I have been up in Orkney working. Tried a bit of fishing but my back problem flared up so didn't do too much. had a few wild Brownies though.

I would love a serious weeks float tubing up there.

Regards the rod, I think the SCIV is on a par with Sage or Loomis. It makes a great rod. Ironically whilst I was in Orkney one of the local ships captains had a go with my St Croix and now wants me to build him one, and he uses a 600 quid Sage Z Axis.

If you confirm length and casting weight I will do a final price on the bits. I use bamboo Burl for most of my rods and I think the AUS reelseat will be fine but what type of wood insert would you want? For the guy in Orkney I am going to use a REC seat with an Antler insert from Les Frieborg. It will look soooo cooooooll It would be easy to order two

For a 7 weight rod I would go with lined rings, titanium finish with a SIC lining look good and will last longer than you will probably. My choice of thread would be a dark green to match the rod with perhaps a very thin gold trim but you get what you want.

Delivery time from the States varies, can be anything from 1 to 4 weeks, usually around 2 but that assumes the blank is in stock, not always the case. It would only take me around a week to build, probably less so might be able to do it before you go to Alaska but you would have to move on it soon.

Cheers

Dave

 

 

Sportsman you are a STAR.

I went up last Wednesday evening but only managed to get less than 3 hours fishing.

6 fish to the boat, missed at least the same and lost 2. The chap who runs it is a great bloke too. He even gave me THE fly to use and I caught on the first cast.

Glad I went and I will return.

 

Hey Dave, sorry to have missed you. Next time you come up give me a shout and we will arrange a tubing session. Glad you enjoyed you visit, most people do

I bet the fly Mike gave you was white with a bit of fritz in it, would that be about right ?

Cheers

Dave Olley