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Have you taken this step? If you have been fly
fishing for a while you are probably tying flies
or have tied them and have three life times of
flies waiting to be used. I was crazy enough to
try to make hooks one time. I think they were
what Moses tossed in the water to part it so
the people could go through. They did not turn
out very well. But I did make the attempt.
I built my first rod two years ago. I learned
a great deal in doing this and had a good time.
It was also great fun to go out and catch fish
on the rod I built with flies I tied. I will
admit that the rod wraps were uglier than any
deer hair that I try to spin. But it did catch
fish and an 8'6" 5 wt was great fun for panfish.
I did get a 12 lb channel cat on it.
Last year I built an 8 ft 3 wt. I did a much better
job on the rod wraps on this one. So much better,
in fact, that I cut the wraps on the first one and
redid them. I took this rod with me last fall when
we went to Rocky Mountain National Park. I caught
several trout on it there. It was a lot fun to
cast and is a lot of fun for panfish here.
I am in the middle of an 8'6" 3 wt. that I got
a great deal on. I found the rod blank and
components for about $60.00. The blank was
normally about $300 and the components, reel
seat and line guides, would be about $40.00.
It was a close out, but it sure works for me.
I have the line guides wrapped. I glued in the
reel seat today and will then move the grip down
and attach it. I will tie on the hook holder
and then coat the rod wraps. I should get that
done next week.
I will then have another light-weight rod to
use. The other rods that I have acquired along
the way were 6 and 7 wt that worked but were a
little heavy for panfish. Most of the commercially
built rods that I see, and I may not be looking
at the right place, are usually 7'6" or shorter
in the lighter weights.
My dream is to find an 11 or 12' 3 wt to build. I
think with the longer length that I would be able
to cast in into the wind better. I don't know for
sure but I think that it would be fun to try.
I have checked several places but have not found
anything on this.
Another thing that I have not tried is to build a
fly line. I think that it would be too hard to keep
a constant diameter for the line. I think it would
be very hard to keep the core of the line in the
center also. So I think that my lines will come
from commercial production.
Another thing that I have been playing with a
little is in making my own dubbing. I have
several cones and skeins of different types
of yarn and such. I have mixed a few together
and have tied some flies up with them. I will
have to see how it does this year.
Think about building a rod. If I can do it,
anybody can do it.
Hope you can get out on the water. ~ Rick ziegeria@grm.net
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