Prairie Drifter Rods "Switch butt" Glass rod

Equipment Rod Building: Cane and Graphite
1

This is an idea I have been working on for over 6 months. I have made a 4pce pack rod w/ different butt sections to make 2 rod lengths w/ the same rod. My first in this series will be a 8’3’‘/7’3’’ 4wt combo. I made this rod for packing in to some hidden lakes in Yellowstone park. The rod is built w/ one butt section shorter than the other pieces. In the 8’3’’ length it handles a dt4 or a wf5 w/ equal ease.60-70ft casts were not a problem. The shorter length loves a dt4,casting it effortlessly.Solid white glass spigot ferrules,translucent silk wraps that match the cherry wood reelseats using downlocking nickle silver hardware.Two matching agate stripping guides were used so at least one was is use in either configuration. Here are some pics.

2

Couple more pics

3

Mike…As usual you do great work. You may get these folks all reved up with these ideas of yours…LOL… Great pics with some creative rodsmithing !!..Ed

4

what blank is that on?? I love the old school look!!

I just started building rods…

5

that is quite lovely.

6

Thanks, guys. The blank is one of my custom Lamiglas blanks.

7

Mike,
Your work as usual is beautiful. You make me so jealous. Is that Lami one of your one piece 6 footers cut to size? I really like the way you take a little more than one rod blank, and make two sticks out of it.
I can hardly wait to see your work (and you) in person.
Thanks for the pics.

8

Thanks Joe. The blank started life as a 7 1/2’ one piece blank.

9

Mike -

For whatever reason, I haven’t been able to get any of the pics until this morning. Still don’t get all of them, but enough to be WOW’d.

That is a great idea with outstanding execution.

John

10

Mike -

On a separate note.

Can’t believe we haven’t heard from Betty. I’m concerned that she swooned over the creativity, the beauty, the overall effect, and the DOWNLOCKING REEL SEATS.

Hope you recover soon, Betty.

John

11

John,
did the rest of the pics ever come up for you? Yea, I’ve been waiting for Betty to chime in also,LOL.

12

Here is the first fish caght w/ this rod. I was using it in the 8’3" version w/ a 5wt sylk line. Rod handled all flies I used, casting up to a #6 beadhead streamer.

13

Nicely done, Mike.

John