Corpusfishing.com

[crab_n_fisher]

Up here (Mat-Su Valley, Alaska) we are a few weeks before the yearly descent into four-six hours of daylight per day, tons of snow; and any fly-fishing we do will only be in our collective noggins!

I've always wanted to build my own one piece trout or redfish rods. After years of procrastination and not doing it, I've been invited to join a start-up fly-fishing rod-building club. I found that so cool, being that a couple other members are interested in green house gardening, gold sleucing and log-cabin building!

How will you spend your winter? Remove one six-pack of brews and a night of boob-tube watching and get a life! It is really fun and exciting, as a healthy alternative.

I have permission to submit this reply:

I just saw your post in the forum. One of my goals with this is to keep the cost down for Newbies. This doesn't have to be an expensive hobby. You can build a nice wrapping stand for 20-30 dollars. I will open up my shop for people to finish their rods. I have a 4 rod dryer so we can get a few rods going at once. I will have some equipment on hand and I may build up some more if needed. I primarily build on Batson Rainshadow/forecast Blanks. I feel that bang for the buck they are the way to go. That is almost all I fish with now. I encourage begginers to keep their first rod simple. Learn the basics then build on them as you progress. I will bring in some of the rods that I have built over the years so people can get an idea of what the different rods feel like.

I have 2 main goals with starting this group....
1ST and most important is to have a good time.
2ND is to build up the rod building community here. I plan to do that buy having fun, and trying to keep the cost down as much as I can.

I am stoked about the interest in this. This is the first time I have done something like this so it will be a learning process for me. I met the guy who started "The Nerbs" (Northeast Rodbuilding Society. They are a great group of rodbuilders, and some very talented rodbuilders. A few of them have written books, and respected as some of the best buiulders around. If you want go to www.rodbuilding.org It is a rodbuilding forum with great tutorials and the photo section of it has pictures of some of the best rodbuilders finished products.

I have babbled on long enough. I will be announcing the first gathering soon. The only thing I ask is that everyone has fun, and are patient. This will be a learniing process for me but I am looking forward to it all.
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Crab here...If you have never used a fly rod please consider it. White and Largemouth/Black Bass are fun on such tackle, in five or less weight. No need for fancy fly tippets, floating line or the like...Use heavy mono (as backing), swivel, and lighter line to attach to lure/fly....Simple!....About casting? Forget that over-and-over the shoulder and head helicopter twist, or back-in-forth motion....Strip out fifteen or twenty feet of line and "you are in business for flipping"!!!!

[ArtificialB8]

Carefull...rod building can become addictive. I have way more rods than I'll ever be able to use because of it. Rodbuiling.org is a great resource...as are the NERBs.

[crab_n_fisher]

I hear ya, Art!

My favorite rod is a grayish-black matte 7 foot blank, that I like to think is an old school Berkely Lightining rod. It has a faded reddish lightning bolt just above the rod seat. It is my dream to restore it.

About rod-building, let me state as such: I do not like to spend money. Saving it is more of an exercize of accountability and self-reliance more than anything. However, I will spend a pretty-penny, if ya can squeeze it out of me for these ever popular Rainshadow blanks.

The rivers up here are so swift I'd laugh at using anything less than 30 lb test....A light tippet would work for trout and grayling....but prepare for more snap-offs than anticipated.

[Chef Lefty]