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.



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



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



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



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.



****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.



Now you need to sand your new reel seat location.



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.



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.



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



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.]

Originally Posted by Alphahawk

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.