7ft 6in ~ 0wt

[bgreer]

Here is a little brook trout rod that I built for fishing in the Smokys earlier this year.

It casts like a dream with a 0wt line. It will cast a lot further than needed on little streams.

[smij]

THAT looks like a blast to fish! Your thread work is incredible!

[tkidder]

Nice looking rod! smij is right, those are great lookin' wraps.

[bgreer]

Thanks for the kind words.

I've been making rods for right about 1 year.
I bought some rod building equipment off this board from Jack Hise and I was off and running.
Along the way I did a lot of research on the net and got help from here and the rod building forum.....many of the guys are here on FAOL, too.
KBProctor gave me some tips after my first rod that really helped me out.
At first I was using too much tension on my thread. That left some gaps in the thread; since the tension was so tight, I couldn't pack the thread together or burnish it very well.
I learned more as I went along and practice has made things a lot better. Experience is a good teacher. It's also nice to get good tips from really good rod makers along the way.

Brian

[herefishy]

Brian, how in the world do you make those little "running" things in your thread wraps? Or is it a trade secret? You do amazing work for no longer than you have been doing it.

[bgreer]

Herefishy,

That wrap is *not* my own design. It's called an Olive Branch wrap.
It's basically a second, contrasting thread that is wrapped around the main thread.
It takes a little practice to make things look even. It took me a few practice wraps to get the spacing correct.