OK ... I had a customer throw me a curve ball.

He called this morning requesting I build him a "shorter" fly rod in a fast to very fast action for casting around docks and mangroves - saltwater on the Florida SW Coast. He already owns a nice 9'0" 8 weight GLX - but he doesn't like using it for this tight stuff.

Accuracy is important, but so is being able to produce a very short cast. I do open water sight fishing on the flats and use 9' to 10' rods and I do tight freshwater fishing with 5'6" to 7' rods ... so I understand where he wants/needs to go - but that is where I get stuck. No one manufacturers a blank that is anything less than 9' long in a 8-10 weight range.

Any ideas? Comments, suggestions, etc.? I do "cut downs" on spinning rods all the time, but this may not be quite so simple - so fire away.

Thanks for your time, comments and suggestions.