ejtaylor822

Thanks, guys. Keith, yes, this is that St. Croix Saltwater Belize Blue and it is gorgeous - very deep blue - good eye! Unfortunately, I built it for someone and he has it now. He wanted a 7wt to catch puppy drum/drum in the pamlico sound and tributaries. I was half way hoping he wouldn't like it and I would get to keep it, but, he loves it - which is good and bad. Just means I get to make another! ;D Spin King, this is only my second fly rod, so I am by no means an expert. BTW, do not mind being off topic at all as far as I'm concerned. Hopefully one of the more experienced guys will speak up and help with this, but, I use just regular flex coat lite build and Gudebrod "A' size thread on the rods I have built. I know some of the "purist" fly rod builders use spar urethane or permagloss. The downside as I understand it is that urathane will change the color of the thread and "yellow" over time and the permagloss will not give you glass-like smoothness. I have replaced a few guides - once again, hope some of the more experienced guys will jump in here - and to do this I have lightly scored the finish with a razor - GENTLY - cutting into the top against the guide foot (put the guide back in) to protect the blank. After scored and roughed up a little I use an old hair dryer to warm the finish and get it soft. At that point I grab where I have scored and just start peeling away. Sometimes, the string comes with it. If it doesn't, put the guide back in and GENTLY cut against the guide foot, and unwrap the string. That's how I have done it. Once again, hope one of the experienced guys will jump in and tell you (and I) a better/easier/safer way to do this. David G., got it. Actually printing out to put in my "notes" in the shop so when I start some more pics. That's the thing, though, don't have a lot of ambient light in my shop. Going to see what I can do to add some more as I want to get good pics. I will work with the macro and see if I can get better with them. I am adding more pics here to show some of the wraps. Hopefully you guys can see the detail a little better with these. Sorry about the quality and that I don't have any really showing the blank. It is really a gorgeous blank. This is the ferrule wraps. I did rougly 1/2 inch in black Gudebrod with 4x metallic gold (Gudebrod as well). I did a ring of gold for each piece of the blank. Here is a pic of the ferrule and stripper guide Second guide And here are a couple of the fly gudes on the 3rd and 4th pieces. All the guides on the second and thrid pcs have 4x gold metallic trim bands; the 4th pc has three (I think). I used the Gudebrod Blue Dunn for the wraps. THought it looked good on the blank.

Hey Keith, Like you and Alpster said, this is addicting. And, I am hopelessly addicted. I have tried to get some closeups but my camera takes terrible pictures up close. Think I need to get a tripod and try it as I believe it is me moving too much. I will see if I can get some good closeups and will post. I was pleased with the wraps. Used gold metallic for the trim bands on each end - after the forhan loops. Thanks guys for the nice comments. Eddie

Here's another view of the blank/pieces.

Finished up this 7wt fly rod a few days ago. It's a St. Croix SCV blank from the elite series - awesome blank. Used Fuji Alconite guides that look really good on the blank.

I don't know about the insert. Is it chipped, cracked or broken? Thought they were pressed in which is concerning if it fell out or came loose. Could have a problem with the insert that can't be fixed. You might be able to get some devcon 2-ton and carefully exopy it back in. But, if they are pressed in, not sure of getting the exact fit that is needed, and, it will probably fall back out again. Might want to consider just having the top replaced. Eddie

Wife and I are looking to get GPS systems for the cars. Thinking we are just going to get one that we can move between our vehicles. Was curious what others' experience has been with GPS. Brands, functions and features that are liked. Right now I am leaning towards a Garmin C550 Thanks, Eddie

macmaster, sorry, thought I had replied but don't see the comment. I have around $100 in the material - of course this includes about $20 for shipping of said materials. Thanks, guys. Appreciate the kind words and comments. I gave it to my Dad last Sunday and he really liked it. He's a man of few words (unlike me, take after Mom who is of many words) but I could tell he was really pleased. I showed him the first one before it was complete and I was just reading something in his body language that it "wasn't him." I think this one "fits" him better as far as appearance and the action/power is much more suited to his liking. Thanks again for all the kind words. Means a lot to me. Eddie

Flechero, if you could see what's not in the picture, you would know that my bench does not stay that clean. ;D Thanks, LBH. Appreciate the words. Looking forward to this trip. For my niece's wedding - can't believe she's getting married, I remember holding her as a baby and giving her her bottle - there will be some time for fishing though. Me and the BIL (her Dad) plan on hitting the surf often and as much as possible. Going to try and keep him (and me) occupied. Buddy came over Monday and gave me some lessons on surf casting. He can cast over 500' and added about another 50'-75' feet on my casts altough I still can't get past 300' :-[ Maybe after some quality time in the surf I can get it out there. Regardless, it beats working. Eddie

Here's another picture showing the tiger wrap. Really like the look of a tiger wrap on a surf rod. Used the same thread that's on the guides. The picture is really poor. Have 4-layers of finish on this and the contrast is really deep. Another picture of the reel seat, fore grip and the "split grip" ;D. The guides in the picture above, at the base of the holder, are for the next surf rod I am building - an 11' ATC heaver that I am working up now. Heading to the beach in a couple of weeks with in-laws and plan on having several surf rods for us to hit the beach. Two rods down and two to go.....

Know it's not a bass rod, but thought I would post some pics of the surf rod build that almost took me out a while back. Here it is. Pleased with the way it turned out. It's a 9'0" med power fast action ATC Surf Rod. Used American Tackle guides, EVA grips and Fuji reel seat.

Thanks, Ronnie. Appreciate the kind words and encouragement. Wagn, biggest compliment I can get is when someone asks if I would build a rod. To answer your question, I would be honored to build a rod for you or anyone else here on BR. However, having said that, I am still learning. I would encourage you to check with the more experienced guys here like Alpster, David G., and Flechero. Talk to several builders and get a feel for them and what you are interested in, I will be happy to talk with you as well. Then decide who you want to go with. Thanks again, guys Eddie

Here's a picture of the bottom of the blank of the Swampland T-rig hook keeper that I have been using on the last couple of rods and the decal. I really like these hook keepers. They seem to keep the point away from the blank better and look cleaner on the blank. Eddie

Posted a while back that I made my dad a rod for father's day but was not that crazy about it. So, I made him another one. Like the way this one turned out much better. It's got a much slower tip that he prefers. Very simple grip design as opposed to the original one with multiple colors and used black wraps with metallic gold trim bands to match the gunsmoke guides with gold inserts. Very simple looking but really like the way they turned out. Know that he would have liked the other one and used it, but think this one will really suit him better and he will enjoy much, much more. Of course, the Quantam KVD BC will be replaced by his favorite old Diawa Apollocast that he's had for 20 years. I did take the old diawa apart, clean, lubed with Quantum hot sauce and reel oil, brushed the aluminum cap to get the shine back and all the scratches out, and put on new Trilene 6 lb mono.

Thanks, guys. Appreciate the comments. It's defintely a unique look. Which is exactly what I was after. Anthony, yes its Gudebrod black and white (non-ncp) with Gudebrod olive (non-ncp) over top. Eddie

Building more rods - man, this is addicting. Finished this one a couple of weeks ago. A friend wanted me to build him (at a minimum) 7' spinning rod for bottom/Carolina-rigging. He wanted a med/hvy pwr with a fast tip to be used in salt/brackish water. I had a swampland 7'6" that fit what he wanted. It was a blue blank, wanted to use black for the scheme I had in mind, but went with what I had. Said he wanted something durable, just throw in the truck and go and stand up to being used on a busy boat. So, I took some olive EVA I had, cut it down and turned to fit a fresh water rod. I know he likes to hunt so I put on a camo fore-grip and trimmed out with olive-drap green wraps (forhan loop) on the stainless steel (black) guides with black and gold trim brands. I have been wanting to do a tiger wrap for a while. Know that I shouldn't expirement/first-time on a customer rod. If I messed it up would keep for me and build another, but, if it turned out nice knew he would be happy and it would go with the "camo" look. Gave it to him a little over a week ago and he took it out for a long weekend of fishing. Best part for me, he absolutely loved the way it looked when he picked up - especially the tiger wrap - but heard from him after the weekend and loved even more the way it fished. Very happy that he liked it. Eddie

Keith, looking good. I am on the "light" side as well. Just like the look of light cork with dark rings. But, also echo what David said - it's yours so do what you like. Either way, this is going to be sharp! Eddie Ronnie - that is sweeet!

I am building a surf rod - a 9' 1 pc spinning fast action blank that I am really enjoying to build. Yesterday evening I did a basic guide layout and deflection test. Tied on a 2 oz sinker wrapped in white duck tape so I could see it against the green trees at the other end of where I was casting. I then go outside to do some test casts. Until yesterday I have never thrown a surf rod - first indication there might be trouble. Have been studying up on surf casting techniques. Of course, reading about it and watching someone do it on-line is like watching golf on TV - they make it look awfully easy. I make a few medium casts - going well. Let loose at 3/4 power - still going pretty well. Start getting confident and here is where the trouble starts. I then really start trying to give it some power. On one of these "power" casts the line slips from under my finger and the lure goes flying off to my right at about 2 o'clock, roughly 130' across the road up in my neighbor's trees. I am tugging and pulling trying to get loose but the sinker is stuck pretty good. After a few minutes, I accept losing the sinker and just start pulling to break the line loose. I am using 25lb saltwater mono and really pulling on it and tightening the drag. Now, I know a lure can snap loose and come flying back and hit you, but, I have never had this happen - flying back that is. All the same though, I am holding the rod off to the side and not directly in line with my body and really pulling. All at once the sinker slips free from the tree. Relieved that it is loose and happy that I am not going to lose. But then I look up just in time to see, and hear, the white duck taped 2 oz lure come whizzing by - about 3 feet from my chest. Let me tell you - THIS THING WAS MOOOOVING! The sound was weird and I don't think I will forget. It landed about 15 feet behind me and bounced another 30-40 feet to the edge of some trees. I have never seen anything like that before. I never would have thought possible - a 2 oz lure would fly through the air like that. I expected - at most - the lure would pop loose and land half way back towards where I was standing. But, this thing was just like it fired from a gun. Although deadly, it was amazing AND a real eye-opener.

Sweet..... 8-) Can't wait to see what you do with this. Know it will be nice. Please post more pics as this progresses. Eddie

Can't wait to see this. Sounds really nice.

Thanks, guys. Sincerely appreciate the kind words and encouragement. Means a lot to me. I have started another one for him. It is not as nice a blank but has the action I think he will like a lot more. Thaniks, Eddie

So very sorry, Ronnie. Lifting you and the family and friends up in prayer. Eddie

Here's another pic of the rod.

Here is another result of my addiction. I made this for my Dad for Father's day. It's a Lamiglas XMG50 6'-0" Medium fast. But, once I got it done, just did not like the way it turned out. Know that he wouldn't mind but I thought the action was a little too stiff for him - he's a zebco-202/diawa silvercast kind of guy and likes the feel of lite, slow fiberglass. Also, as a new rod builder, it was really not the quality I wanted to give my Dad (or anyone else for that matter) - some of you will notice.. So, I am keeping it. Feels nice and outcasts a BassPro 6' XPS that I have. Anyway, here it is. Making another for him and will get the pics up once complete. Eddie

Marsh Master, I am a total noob here with rod building but will share what I have. My first half-dozen rods have all been by "component" - no kit. I knew the blanks I wanted, researched and ordered the components I wanted - tip top, guides, reel seat, cork, etc. Have been wanting to build a surf rod for quite a while. Thought it would be easiest to get a kit - thinking it would have instructions for the setup. All I got were the raw components and no setup instructions. Getting the componenets was a huge help, but what I really needed was the setup. I ended up researching and "designing" on my own, and, now have an outstanding surf rod. The point here is that getting the components all together is a huge plus. But, if looking for instructions/directions, check before you buy. I assumed directions for setup would be included with a kit - but for my surf rod they were not. Eddie

Love fly fishing and tying flies. Enjoy catching bass on a fly rod, but enjoy the bluegill more.