Rods for the Fly Fishing Expo

I'm just going to use this post to show the rods I finish each day in prep for the Midwest Fly Fishing Expo that is upcoming. Figure it's better than starting a new topic for each one...

This is the fourth rod just finished for the Expo... This one is a 6'6" 2wt 4pc Sevier Tiger eye dark brown blank. The wood insert I can not remember what type of wood it is because I bought that insert from Les Frieborg last year but I thought it looked really nice in contrast to the darker wood on the grip (grip ends are coated with Threadmaster). Wraps are Medium brown (No CP) and metallic gold trim wraps.

http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/2492/showrod41.jpg

http://img252.imageshack.us/img252/7271/showrod42.jpg

http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/6020/showrod43.jpg

http://img850.imageshack.us/img850/5599/showrod44.jpg

Steve

Yet another rod for the big Expo next weekend. This one is a Batson 8' 5wt 4pc Forecast blank. Reel seat is an all aluminum double lock nut black seat mounted inverted into a down locking seat. The grip is an all wood grip (cocobola I believe?) which I trimmed with matching metallic gold and then coated with two coats of Threadmaster finish.

Wraps are dark blue (no CP) with metallic gold trim wraps, spiral wrapped ferule wraps, single foot guides and an epoxy ramp for the grip to blank transition finish it out.

http://img853.imageshack.us/img853/3346/showrod51.jpg

http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/3660/showrod52.jpg

http://img802.imageshack.us/img802/5421/showrod53.jpg

http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/1823/showrod54.jpg

http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/9871/showrod55.jpg

Steve

I really like the handle on that second rod. That whole rod is a real beauty.

Dave

And yet another rod for the upcoming Expo show....you'll have to forgive the poor quality photos of this one. We have been having some 50-60mph winds here for the past 24 hrs and it makes keeping things in position for photos a bit difficult to say the least.

Blank is Batson Forecast 8ft 5wt 4pc, Reel seat insert is a piece of tiger maple. Reel seat hardware is BUL5 Nickle silver. Grip has dark wood trim coated in TM. Wraps are dark blue Gudebrod(no CP) with metallic silver trim.

http://img835.imageshack.us/img835/9643/showrod61.jpg

http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/2866/showrod62.jpg

http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/1232/showrod63.jpg

http://img715.imageshack.us/img715/3190/showrod64.jpg

http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/4166/showrod65.jpg

Steve

This is rod #8 for the expo. Blank is a Sevier Tiger Eye 6' 2/3wt 2pc. Seat is pink acrylic with nickle silver BUL5 hardware. Wraps are a rose pink with CP and no trim. Grip is a superfine style turned about 1/4" undersize to fit a women/kids hand better. Left the hood exposed and did the matching wraps and trim on the hood like I have done in the past. Also did some marbling on it to add a little flash.

http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/7746/showrod81.jpg

http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/3862/showrod82.jpg

http://img842.imageshack.us/img842/102/showrod83.jpg

Steve

Beautiful work, i like the reel seat on that first rod i turn my own inserts and wonder what skeleton nickle silver hardware you used. Are they Struble, Bellinger where did you purchase them.

Always a joy to see your creativity.

Thanks Ray.

Wes those are Batson reel seat hardware part # BUL5. They are a really nice set of hardware for a very good price I use them probably about 90% of the time because they are hard to beat for the quality/price.

Steve

This one is a classic series American Tackle moderate action 9ft 5wt 2pc with cocobola seat, matching wood trimmed grip, garnet (no CP) main wraps, metallic red trim wraps, and a black layer base of thread under the inscription. Single foot guide nickle silver BUL5 hardware and finished in Threadmaster.

http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/9168/showrod15.jpg

http://img859.imageshack.us/img859/8752/showrod16.jpg

http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/9593/showrod17.jpg

http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/5069/showrod18.jpg

http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/3329/showrod19p.jpg

Steve

One of the heavier wt rods for the show. This is a Matrix 9ft 10wt 2pc with all aluminum Pacific Bay reel seat, fell wells with green trimmed wood grip. Fighting butt, gold plated stripper, dark green gudebrod wraps (no CP) with gold trim.

http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/661/showrod20.jpg

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/2250/showrod21.jpg

http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/9650/showrod22.jpg

http://img843.imageshack.us/img843/6567/showrod23.jpg

Steve