"Spey Cowboy I" 13ft 7wt 4pc Rainshadow Spey Rod

[Midwest Custom Fly Rods]

As a custom builder for customers you learn to not get too attached to any rod you build because you know it's not yours and it has to be sent away, but on this one I'm gonna be very sad to see this one go because I kind of fell in love with this rod and wouldn't mind keeping it for myself for some steelhead action.

The blank is a R13074 13ft 7wt 4pc Rainshadow Spey blank. Reel seat is a Batson AL82 with Gunsmoke hardware and blueish/green woven style insert which matches the trim bands. One thing I did with the seat is I inverted it into a down locker so that the hood is recessed into the rear grip rather than the front. This will move the reel about 1" or so farther back on the rod and will help balance the 13ft length better.

Grips are Natural cork centers with rubberized ends and dark mix exotic cork framed by 1/4" burnt cork. Front grip is 13.5" long and rear is 6" long. Since the front grip is so long I turned it in three separate pieces and then final sanded it once it was on the rod. Also based the shape of the flared ends and the rear grip off some of the Meiser & Beulah Spey rods, the shape of the grips is extremely comfortable in your hands. I also recessed the very butt of the rear grip to fit a round button of a fly fisherman into the butt and made it so it sits completely flush with the end of the cork.

Three stripper guides and double foot running guides are all wrapped with black main wraps, then single turn metallic trim on each end of the black main wrap including the "inner" part of the wrap, then 6 turns of "Blue Dun" as a secondary trim band, then two turns of metallic silver on the very end of that. All together this rod has around 100 single turn trim bands on it.

Ferules are also wrapped in corresponding wraps with the single and double trims as the guide wraps plus a single turn silver trim in the center of the main ferule wraps.

The rod also has two measuring marks but I worked the measuring marks into the build rather than as separate wraps.....The very end of the butt to the very end of the last inscription trim band is exactly 28"...and then from the very end of the butt to the ring of the first stripper guide is 40".



















Steve

[rayhill190]

Fantastic Steve.I really like the thread work

[fishdog54]

MCFR,

I'd have a hard time giving up that baby too! I don't Spey fish (yet), but if I did, that would be one sweet rod!

Best regards, Dave S.

[Greg F]

Very nice work on the trim bands, Steve. I built a rod for myself on that same blank. If you cast it you are going to make one for yourself, it's sweet with a Airflo 480 compact Skagit.

[Midwest Custom Fly Rods]

Thanks guys.

Greg I'm gonna take it out back tomorrow when it's light outside and give it a few test casts....I may just get myself the same blank if I fall in love with the feel of it. After all, a man can never have too many rods right?

Steve

[JohnScott]

... I'm gonna be very sad to see this one go because I kind of fell in love with this rod ...

... as evidenced by more narrative and more and better pics than I've ever seen you post. And rightfully so. That is a beautiful concept, beautifully executed.

John