Building a Bluegill/Crappie rod made easy...

[Travis C.]

Last week I was sitting around thinking about getting a longer rod for fishing my trout magnets under a float. After looking online and in stores it dawned on me to try making one myself. There are several old fly rods that never get used so a 6wt, 8.5ft, graphite, medium action, 2pc rod became my starting point.

Here is the process in pictures.

Items used: (1) 2 pc 8.5ft flyrod, pot of boiling water, razor knife, round file, sandpaper, (1) rubber golf club grip @ $2.99, (1) pack of JB Weld @ $4.99

Total time involved other than the curing process for golf tape (12hrs) and JB (4hrs) was very little maybe 2hrs including the boiling of water.

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii40/MrCarney1979/32413011_zps2fa04ccc.jpg

Remove reel and start boiling water. Place the end of rod in boiling water for 1-2min to release old glue.

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii40/MrCarney1979/32413012_zpsfc3ff62c.jpg

Use knife to carefully remove old grip without scaring the blank.

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii40/MrCarney1979/32413013_zps84e7a32f.jpg

Next make sure to file the inside of the seat to clean old glue out.

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii40/MrCarney1979/32413014_zps37a45b4b.jpg

Continued.....

[Travis C.]

Once the seat is cleared out sit it aside.

Sand the blank and all the glue/grip residue down making it a clean surface.

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii40/MrCarney1979/32413015_zps8c193774.jpg

****Important**** slide your reel seat onto the rod prior to the next step!!!

Take your golf grip out and add your tape (included) then follow instructions for installation on a golf club handle.

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii40/MrCarney1979/32413016_zpsfb31904d.jpg

Now you need to sand your new reel seat location.

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii40/MrCarney1979/IMG_6153_zps815f3763.jpg

If your reel seat is loose on the blank you will have to take up the difference with something. I used masking tape place in 3 wraps ontop of each and gaps in between.

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii40/MrCarney1979/IMG_6154_zpse2bef1d9.jpg

Once the blank is prepped add the JB Weld in two beads on opposite sides of the blank. Slide the seat down and rotate one full turn but stop at the correct resting place lining up with the first guide. You will only get one shot at this.

Continued.... but almost done.

[Travis C.]

Finally after the curing time is up, check to make sure everything is solid.

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii40/MrCarney1979/32413017_zps88264c5c.jpg

Wipe the dust and clean the rod off then add your spinning reel.

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii40/MrCarney1979/IMG_6159_zps0aafd6e6.jpg

Now its ready to hit the water and get bent... LOL.

Hope you guys enjoyed reading this as much as I did trying it. I have never even attempted anything like this before but really looking forward to my "new" Trout Magnet float rod.

[Alphahawk]

Looking good! Got to love watching a float go under.


Regards

[Travis C.]

Looking good! Got to love watching a float go under.

Regards

Thanks! I can't wait to try it out.

[commdd]

Great job! I will be looking for old fly rods now. What a neat project and great info with detailed photos. thanks again.

[blink]

Very cool!

[MNfisher]

That is sahweeet!!!

[agelesssone]

Great post Travis! Be sure to let us know if you like it when you have had a chance to fish with it a few times.

[creeksmallie]

Travis, thanks for sharng great idea!!!!!!
Mike

[bfish]

Utmost Enterprise often has closeout flyrod blanks in the $20-30 range. While you order the blank, might as well get epoxy made for rod building, guides, and proper arbors (masking tape can fail, especially when you have multiple wraps and if it gets waterlogged).

Also Tom Kirkman has a good intro book (with lots of pictures and diagrams) which is a great help.

[Travis C.]

Thanks everybody.

bfish- thanks for the info. Since this was the first go round, I figured there are probably better ways to do it. One day I may get into it enough to try builing a fly rod and then spinning rod since this was more fun than expected. Will keep an eye on the waterlogging and maybe seal any open areas left (like the upper end of reel seat) with some silicone plus a wrap over of water proof tape.

[Fish Whisperer]

Nice work...

[Jim]

Cool idea Travis!

Makes me want to run out to the garage and pull out an old flyrod that hasn't been used in years to make one just like it.

Definitely update us on it performance. I wonder if it will be too whippy, but I doubt you will have problems breaking off fish with the forgiving action.

Nice job,
Jim

[Reel Tune]

Great way to use what you have around the house, and to save from buying a new rod. You have broke into an obsession, next we will see you wrapping guides, and trying to get the balance, and action you want from a particular reel on a blank.

Good job

Jeremy

P.S. I've wanted to start rod building for a few years. I go to North Fork Composites and Mud Hole's websites often and throw stuff in a cart, but I always chicken out. I just don't have enough time for another hobby.

[Travis C.]

Was using my rod today and wondered if I ever came back around with the conclusion....which I have not yet.

The rod is 8' 6" finished end to end. I have it set up with 2lb test on a small 10 series spinning reel.

Using only a 1/32 mag it will cast about as far as my 5' 6" ultra light using the same reel.

Using only a 1/32 mag and balsa short float it will cast forever. It will cast far enough to where I have to reel it back slowly because my eyes can't see the float move. LOL...

It will throw a 1/8 oz head on a TM a long ways too. Haven't caught any big fish yet as I usually forget its in the garage but will take it to Percy to try and hook a big white or hyrbid. I have caught hybrids on the same size flyrod that its built off of so I know it can handle it but it would be nice to see what it can handle (that's a lot of "its"). :D

All in all I am satisfied and it makes a good float n fly rod at that length too in the winter time.

Jim- there is some whippy action to it but once you slow down to the rods action you can cast it pretty good. Hardest thing is slowing your casting stroke down because it is very different than a traditional UL rod.

[jaysouth]

Travis,

How do the fly line guides work for mono? I have an orphan fly rod laying around but I dread wrapping new guides to replace the fly line guides.

[Travis C.]

Travis,

How do the fly line guides work for mono? I have an orphan fly rod laying around but I dread wrapping new guides to replace the fly line guides.

It works. Does it work better than standard guides probably not. Spacing isn't ideal. I would prefer to have the small guides on there and more of them than the snake style that are on the fly rod.

I don't need to get into rod building is why I stayed away from replacing.

[culprit7.5]

That's just awesome. Like others posted, you have me doing an inventory of all old rods to see if I can replicate this.
Completely impressed with the work as well as the documentation/instruction.

Thanks for sharing.

[ditz1]

It sounds like several of you fellas have some old glass rods sitting in a corner. If any of you have any old Fenwicks, Philipsons, Berkleys, or any others for that matter that you want to unload send me a PM.

Thanks