One of my clients is hosting a salt water tournament to benefit "Make a Wish Foundation." The Make A Wish Foundation funds wishes for terminally ill children in the Tampa Bay Area.

 

I can't fish it because we will be on Smith Lake Al for an extended family vacation so I'm going to build 3 spinning rods to be raffled off on tournament day.

 

The blanks will be MHX L-904 light salt water 7-6 Medium Heavy / Moderate Fast.  Chrome Micro Wave Nanolite guides, Cork Split Grip, Fuji SK-2 reel seat, Aluminum trim rings.  One in Black, one in Red, and one in Blue.

 

I ordered everything tonight and will document the builds here once the parts get here.

That sounds awesome Lee. Will there be a way to bid by proxy?  Brian.

That sounds awesome Lee. Will there be a way to bid by proxy?  Brian.

 

I think they are going to sell raffle tickets instead of auction them.  It's a minimum of $2500 per team so there should be plenty of heavy hitters there to buy a pile of raffle tickets.  I'm going to send some money with a buddy to buy some tickets myself if you want I can do the same for you.

Nice build and worthy cause. They have a saltwater version of the Microwave guides.

Nice build and worthy cause. They have a saltwater version of the Microwave guides.

 

Yep, they are more for Surf and Carp rods.  Way to big for the light saltwater rods I'm building.

The parts for the triplets arrived today.

 

 

I did not like the way the cork and the aluminum trim rings matched up so I changed them to two tone eva.  Grips and reel seats are done.

 

Pretty sweet looking

I like EVA. I don't think it cheapens a rod at all if done well.

I like EVA. I don't think it cheapens a rod at all if done well.

 

 

I don't like working with EVA compared to cork.  However, the eva is much more durable in the Florida sun.  Of the rods that are always on the deck, the eva ones look great, the cork ones not so much.

I'm not much for split grips, but that 2 tone Eva from Mud Hole is a favorite. Wish they made a full length grip like that.

I like the way those two tone eva grips look installed. I might have to try some for myself. Looking good again Lee.

Very nice builds!

Thanks guys.

They look great, FD! Those two tone EVA handles and SK2 reel seats are my favorite! Here's my version.

The Blue and Red ones are done.  One more to go.

 

Finished them up this weekend.  Starting messing around with some thread inlays to give them a little splash.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Headed to the client in the morning.

 

Nice work again Lee.

Nice work again Lee.

 

Thanks, Gary.  That mean a lot coming from another member of the "ugly hat mafia"

Thanks, Gary.  That mean a lot coming from another member of the "ugly hat mafia"

 My two favorite "fugly hats" are gone. One is in a lake at Trophy Country, and one is somewhere in the White River. I'm down to two Rage Tail hats and one Bass Resource hat.

Final update.

 

The rods were used as trophies for first place for the largest, Red, Snook, and trout.  Overall, one day of fishing raised $50,000 for the Make a Wish foundation.

That is outstanding. You are truly on a roll my friend.

Great job Lee. Your bud, Brian.