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PostPosted: Thu Apr 20, 2017 10:12 am • # 1 
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Location: Georgetown, Texas and Corpus Christi, Texas
Would love to know some of your preferences and any comments you might have as to why ....

I'm thinking of a 7-ft, 3-wt. graphite rod and a 6-ft, 2-wt graphite rod, both medium-fast.

Specifically:

Snake guides or single-foot guides?

Uplocking, downlocking, or double-uplocking (or rings)?

What type of insert -- wood, cork, graphite, aluminum?

strap and ring hook keeper or u-shaped hook keeper?

Grip style -- torpedo, cigar, half wells, reversed half wells?

Has anyone considered adding an additional stripping guide closer to the grip of a short rod?

And I think that's it. Obviously I'm just starting out, but I'm really curious about what you guys prefer and what has worked or not worked for you in the past. Thanks! -- Aaron


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PostPosted: Thu Apr 20, 2017 12:15 pm • # 2 
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It sounds as if you're doing some building of your own, and since you asked here are my opinions but keep in mind they are just opinions.
Line guides for UL rods, I can go either way. I like snakes on my bamboo just for the look because it's classy. But on graphite, single foot may look better.

For UL rods, no need for double-uplocking. That's just over kill. Unlocking would look fine and work well. Down locking some believe is more secure and it places the reel down a little farther near the end. Never played with one, so I won't say more on that.
Slip rings have stood the test of time, and they are secure. I would get nickle rings, not aluminum.
I have rings on my 7' 3wt and bamboo 4wt and they work very well. They are also less expensive.

The insert, wood is always classic looking.

I love the look of the strap & ring hook keeper. But I do find it a little less convenient than just the U shape keeper because it moves. So you may have to play with it a bit to get the hook to attach to it. But if I had a choice, the strap & ring is worth it.

Grip style. My hands are not your hands. So it's all personal choice.

I like the idea of the stripping guide to be closer because it gives me better control and speed if needed.

So that's my 2 cents. Maybe only worth 1 cent, but you got it.


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PostPosted: Thu Apr 20, 2017 2:02 pm • # 3 
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Sliding rings work great and are inexpensive. Just don't flatten the reel foot side of the insert too much.
Grip is purely for comfort of the user. Which do you like?
If you're wanting to retain flex in the rod, use single foot guides, although snakes may not stiffen the rod much. If you're building this rod, order both and tape them in position and test cast before wrapping to see which, if either, feels better.
Don't even bother with a keeper. If you use a keeper on a 7' rod, you'll have at least 2' of leader inside the guides. Instead, leave the line to leader knot outside the guides, wrap your tippet under the reel and hook the fly to a guide for transport.


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PostPosted: Thu Apr 20, 2017 2:24 pm • # 4 
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Universal Snake Brand Guides
Double slide band rings on a nice burled piece of wood
I personally like the reverse half wells grip
If I bother to put a hook keeper on, it doesn't get used. I use kieths reasning above
I wouldn't put a extra stripping guide on a ul rod, instead I would place the striping guide where desired and add a extra snake guide

Just my two cents, I'm not an expert rod builder by any means. I go for simplicity and function. No fance wraps or decorative features.


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PostPosted: Thu Apr 20, 2017 3:04 pm • # 5 
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Here's an odd ball idea for a hook keeper. I am not a builder of rods so this is maybe an ignorant question, but is there a reason why a hook keeper can not be placed on the end cap of the grip? It would be unique.


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PostPosted: Thu Apr 20, 2017 4:14 pm • # 6 
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I'm sure it could be done.


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PostPosted: Sat Apr 22, 2017 6:05 am • # 7 
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Iasgair wrote:
Here's an odd ball idea for a hook keeper. I am not a builder of rods so this is maybe an ignorant question, but is there a reason why a hook keeper can not be placed on the end cap of the grip? It would be unique.




Why would you want the hook near your hand?


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PostPosted: Sat Apr 22, 2017 11:25 am • # 8 
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keiths wrote:
Iasgair wrote:
Here's an odd ball idea for a hook keeper. I am not a builder of rods so this is maybe an ignorant question, but is there a reason why a hook keeper can not be placed on the end cap of the grip? It would be unique.

Why would you want the hook near your hand?

My factory 7wt XP has slots built into the reel seat recessed hood. Of course it has a standard hookkeeper too, I guess so you have a choice. I've never see it anywhere else.

Guides: if you plan on snaking your rod through brush and such, snake guides slip through vines and brush better than single foots. I did a ton of research and people have weighed these things. There's more weight in the extra epoxy to hold the foot down than the extra foot on a snake. Personally I prefer the look of snakes but then it's double the wrapping/epoxy effort.

Seats: Uplocking puts the reel further away from the butt, which can be good or bad depending on the length and swing weight of the rod (and weight of the reel). Rings let you control that. I ony have one downlocking and it's fine to me. Most use uplocking in the screw type for graphite but downlocking seem more common in cap/ring style, esp in lower weights.

I also prefer wood but cork is lighter. For me metal is only for something I might take in the salt.

I've built 2 rods without a keeper and I've discovered I miss it on those rods. I'll probably not leave it off again but one was glass so I was keeping it somewhat traditional.

I don't get the extra stripping guide logic. Seems like it falls in line with the oversized guides theory, which I don't believe. My nicest casting rods all have undersized guides. The line's gonna get "tamed" at one place or another. I don't see how doing it a few inches earlier does anything, other than give you one closer to the grip which might be preferable.


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PostPosted: Sat Apr 22, 2017 2:13 pm • # 9 
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keiths wrote:
Iasgair wrote:
Here's an odd ball idea for a hook keeper. I am not a builder of rods so this is maybe an ignorant question, but is there a reason why a hook keeper can not be placed on the end cap of the grip? It would be unique.




Why would you want the hook near your hand?


I'm glad you caught that. I only use fly rods, and I forgot that the the thread is talking about graphite rods. I made an oops, ha ha.

So maybe not such a great idea on the grip on a graphite UL spinning set up, but for a fly rod, because the reel sits behind the hand naturally keeping the hand away from the end cap, it could work. But I am sure someone out there will still get hooked. I will testify I somehow got hooked even with the hook keeper on the butt section on the rod. How? Heck if I remember. Just have the scar to prove it.

But this thread isn't about using a fly rod, so lets forget my suggestion. ;)


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PostPosted: Sat Apr 22, 2017 2:44 pm • # 10 
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All of the OP original questions lead to the building of a fly rod


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PostPosted: Sat Apr 22, 2017 4:09 pm • # 11 
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SWCR wrote:
All of the OP original questions lead to the building of a fly rod



Son of a gun, where the heck is my head today? If anyone finds my head, kick it ! :o I just got off of the UL spinning section.

I apologize again. All the forum reading lately must be getting me confused. :P

So for the idea of a hook keeper on the end cap still stands. It would work if a builder could figure how to do it.

I'm going back to bed.


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PostPosted: Sun Apr 23, 2017 12:19 am • # 12 
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You guys are great. Thanks.

Let me put it another way: you walk into a shop and look at a rack of rods -- describe your perfect 2 WT or 3 wt.


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PostPosted: Sun Apr 23, 2017 10:23 am • # 13 
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Light in hand, comfortable grip. I like a medium or softer action in my UL rods. Doesn't feel like it hinges anywhere.


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PostPosted: Mon Apr 24, 2017 2:08 pm • # 14 
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"Let me put it another way: you walk into a shop and look at a rack of rods -- describe your perfect 2 WT or 3 wt."

Light weight, medium flex. Both relative terms, possibly different to me than you.


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PostPosted: Mon Apr 24, 2017 10:03 pm • # 15 
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definitely short...7 feet max....full flex.....uplocking seat....3 piece...and it comes with a tube..snake guides...hook keeper and its only $ 25.00 on sale Now thats what I want to see on the rod rack. Let me know if you see one :) :)


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 26, 2017 3:20 pm • # 16 
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I like short but not too short - I would buy 7' - both the 3 and the 2wt - too short isn´t nice for D-loop casts. Single foot guides! No hook keeper - I never use them - like mentioned above by keiths is the way to go for me - looks a lot cleaner too. Speaking of - I wouldn´t paint the rod - no extra weight and light reflections.

No real opinion on the reel seat - Just a standard uplocking thing is fine I guess - like the idea of rings too tho. I wouldn´t use some fancy skeletonized reel seat either - just a plain piece of wood or (black) aluminium.

For the grip: a reversed half wells would be it for me - not shorter than 19 cm(7,5") or a bit shorter with a smooth transition to the blank(like on the Orvis superfine rods). I like the thumbs grip, but often, be it for accuracy or just for a change, I use the index finger grip and I hate it when the grip is too small.

:)


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