Sage TXL 0wt. Build

Articles Rod Building & Craft
1

Having built and sold quite a few ultralight fly rods over the past 2 years, I’ve owned several TXL rods. Now the 0wt, 1wt., 2wt. and 4wt. I have regretfully let go the 1wt and 4wt months ago so I could keep building and learning about new rods. Upon reflection, my TXL rods were some of my favorites. I stumbled upon this TXL 0wt. blank on clearance for $149, so I snatched up the opportunity to build another one.

Here’s what I used:

Seat: Spalted Big Leaf Maple Burl turned to the same dimensions as the cork seat on an Orvis Superfine (with dual sliding rings). I got the dual sliding rings from Jim West at Orvis

Grip: Struble Ultrafine that I modified by turning down in thickness (generally) and tapering the rear to blend into the seat

Thread: YLI Silk Chestnut colored

Guides: Fuji MNSG Smoke Colored w/SiC Insert size 8j. Pac Bay Light Wire TiCh snakes sizes, 2/0 (5), 1/0 (1), 1 (1), 2 (1). Size 3.5 tip top.

I did not use a hook keeper and I did a little epoxy ramp instead of a winding check. This will be my new bluegill rod and will hopefully get a chance to catch some trout in the driftless area next year!

2

That reel seat is drop dead gorgeous. The rest of the rod is flawless, but that reel seat is a showpiece.

Nicely done.

REE

3

Thanks Ron. I appreciate the compliments! Someone on another forum was asking about the wraps…so I thought I’d update with some photos of the wraps:

4

Verry Nice, simple in looks but exacting in workmanship.

Eric

5

Very nice!

6

really nice.
On the reel seat, did you offset turn, route, or file to get the offset?

7

Cheffy: I made the mortise first by taping off the section that I wanted to “flatten”. Then I VERY CAREFULLY used a dremel to remove the larger portion of the mortised area. Then I used progressively finer sandpaper (by hand) to make the final adjustments to the shape.

But I did just finish another seat which I will be using on an Orvis Superfine Touch 6’6" 3wt. blank I just picked up. On this seat I did NOT do a mortise and instead chose to decrease the overall diameter of the seat until the rings were able to clear the reel seat feet. I was initially worried about the reel slipping around the seat without a mortise, but I can lock the rings extremely snugly with the wood insert (as opposed to a cork insert) without leaving a mark. So my initial testing suggests that I should not experience any reel slipping without a mortise.

For simplicity, I prefer the non-mortised seat over the mortised.

8

Thanks, I just looked at one of those Orvis 6’6" 3wt superfine. Nice rod. Where did you get the blank from?

9

Just call Jim West at Orvis. Email me at coltrane45@hotmail.com if you want his contact information. Most blanks are about $150 each. I just finished my 6’6" 3wt. I’ll get some photos up in the next couple days. I picked up the 8’ 4wt. SFT blank as well.