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nb&twil · Horse Mullet Joined: 15 Mar 2009 Posts: 100

I'm contemplating building a 10 or 12wt to get after some tarpon and kingfish this summer. Anyone on here know anything about building flyrods? Any suggestions for deciding between 10 and 12wt? I'm leaning more towards a fast action 10wt. But, I'm just thinking it would be easier to toss a 12wt line in the winds that we usually have...
So, I'm seeking advice on blank weight, blank selection, and reel. Capacity doesn't concern me too much, the drag is all I care about. I'm a big fan of Van Staal's spinning reels, but don't have any experience with their fly reels, thinking about looking in to one of them for their durability...
Thanks in advance for any advice.

ArtificialB8 · Posted: Wed Feb 24, 2010 8:14 pm Post subject:

Check out Tibor reels, top notch. Others to consider include Nautilus, Abel, etc..anything with a sealed drag. As for rods....both a 10 or 12 will be quite tiresome to cast. I would go with the lighter 10wt. Some say that a smaller diameter line will cut through the wind better too even though it isn't as heavy. I tend to think that if it comes down to cost, dollars are better spent on a proven reel with a great (sealed) drag system. Here's a six and four wt I've built over the past year.....

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nb&twil · Horse Mullet Joined: 15 Mar 2009 Posts: 100

wow... that's certainly some pretty work! hopefully i can build some rods that pretty. more importantly, i hope my rods don't blow up on me the first time i hook a decent fish. do you have a specific blank that you like more or less when building? i've been thinking looking at TFO's TiCr X and Axiom 10wt blanks. But, that's mainly because it's all I really know. Have you built any larger fly rods and have an opinion? Thanks again for the initial pointers.

ArtificialB8 · Posted: Thu Feb 25, 2010 7:27 am Post subject:

I've always been a fan of Loomis, but they are no longer selling blanks, only complete rods. I have heard good reviews about Northfork rods (run by former owner of Loomis rods, Gary Loomis), but do not have any personal experience. Sage are great, but really pricey. The 4wt in the picture above is a St. Croix, moderately priced and performs well for what I use it for.

The heaviest fly rod I've built was a 10 wt, it's a beast and I can't stand fishing with it because it's just too laborous to cast. Would be ok for sight-casting, but not blind casting for any extended periods.

nb&twil · Horse Mullet Joined: 15 Mar 2009 Posts: 100

gary loomis owns northfork?? i was under the impression that he was work with lefty kreh and TFO? i thought he designed all of their new spinning rods. i could be wrong. but thanks for the info, i'll certainly look into all of those options.

ArtificialB8 · Posted: Thu Feb 25, 2010 4:45 pm Post subject:

Yep....should be a good product....here's the propaganda from their website ( http://www.northforkcomposites.com/about.html ).

North Fork Composites is Gary Loomis' latest project, devoted to producing the highest-quality, American-made rod blanks for the custom-rod builder and OEM markets. All of the blanks bearing the North Fork name are designed and manufactured at North Fork's own facility in Woodland, Washington. And while North Fork is a group effort, we think it makes sense to introduce some of the core people involved:

First and foremost, there is Gary. Do we really need to say more about the man who was a key player in bringing graphite to the fishing world over 35 years ago? Well, perhaps we should say that Gary and the *North Fork* of the Lewis go waaay back.

Second is Gary’s son, Brad. You won’t hear much from Brad directly—he is happy to let his work with composites speak on his behalf. We can tell you, though, that many people think Brad is the finest machinist in the Loomis family. That's high praise indeed.

And third is Jon Bial, who serves as the General Manager (and general counsel). If you call North Fork, you are likely to get Jon. An angler, outdoors guy, and lover of fine, handmade rods, Jon finds his “down-time” is best served by hiking into the backcountry in search of untouched trout, or perhaps launching a whitewater raft off a 10-foot drop.

There is also a behind-the-scenes team here, making sure that North Fork blanks are the best they can be. Whether it is in graphic design, production, shipping, or good old moral support, there is a quiet crew that puts in the hours, too. We hope that their efforts make your North Fork blank just that little bit better—and know that when you set up on that first big fish, they’ll be cheering for you...

RPool · Posted: Fri Feb 26, 2010 3:11 pm Post subject:

Artificial B8 - very nice work on your handles. So often 3-6 wt. rods are built with tapered cork handles but the shape of yours gives a very comfortable grip..Very nice craftmanship.