About 5 years ago I built myself a 9ft 3wt 2pc Matrix and I loved that rod. I sold it the following year and I have no idea why I sold it but I always regretted it because out of all the rods I have ever built myself, that Matrix was by far my Favorite rod for dry flies. I liked it better than even the Sage/Winston/any other rods I have every owned. It just “fit” my casting style best.
So finally I decided with my annual 15 day Au Sable vacation coming up next month that it was high time to build myself another one.
Blank is a Green Matrix 9ft 3wt 2pc. reel seat is a Jadewood, grip is custom turned out of dark mix, rubberized and some thin sliced burnt cork (yes I’m lovin the new cork slicing jig lol), wraps are medium brown with CP and light tan trim. Polished winding check with the grip shaped right into the check size. Also did a 10 feather inlay with Jungle Cock feathers over a pheasant feather. One thing I didn’t want was the way when most feather inlays are done the area of the inlay is always MUCH thicker finish than the rest of the rod, which to me detracts from the look of the rod. So I sanded down the finish after each coat of finish I did over the feather inlay which I think worked out just like I wanted where the feather inlay area is no thicker than a normal finish without a inlay.
I’m looking forward to some serious dry fly fishing with this rod on the Au Sable next month.
Steve