[Troutcreek]

8'3" 4 wt just finished on Friday. The rod is hollowed weighing 3.5 oz.

 

[Flyguy65]

Very nice! Gotta love fishing/casting bamboo.....

 

[cebe]

Great looking rod. Is that fluted or scalloped? Did you follow an existing taper or is this one that you developed?

 

[Troutcreek]

[Qor UOTE="Steve Kokita, post: 1192423, member: 10853"]Very nice! Gotta love fishing/casting bamboo.....[/QUOTE]
Yep, in trout size in small to medium water there is nothing better. Of course that is my tainted opinion....

 

[Troutcreek]

Thank you very much.

This rod and most of my rods are fluted. My gut feeling is that the scalloped method allows for thinner wall thickness, fluting is (at least for me) more versatile. Using a Morgan Hand Mill allows experimentation with internal tapers easier than the Powell scalloping method. Both have a long track record of success. Even though I mentioned the overall weight, reduced weight is not the primary focus. Subtle modifications to the rod taper with added benefit of reduced swing weight is the goal.



The taper is one I've been working on for several years and I'd guess I'd call it my own. That said, like most of my rods it's based on E.C. Powells B taper formula.

Thank you again for your comments.

Ray

 

[Steve Call]

Very, very impressive. Thanks for sharing.

 

[para_adams]

Ray, that sounds like a rod I'd love to try someday. Nice work. Ron

 

[John Wallace]

Sweet build!!!

 

[Tom House]

Very nice.

I have an 8'3" 4wt from another maker. It is a most unusual taper. Definitely not for everyone but really I like it. I like it enough to have asked for the same rod in a 5wt.

I have cast a number of 8ft+ 4wt rods and it is apparent that it takes considerable skill and/or development to achieve an 8ft+, 4wt that feels like a 4wt in hand.

Many if not most feel more like a 5wt but cast a 4wt line.

Congratulations
TC

 

[SMSNYDER]

How in the world due you hollow these out?

 

[Salmo_g]

Beautiful work; congratulations!

 

[Bjorn]

Amazing workmanship!!

 

[Troutcreek]

Thanks for all the positive comments. I built this rod for myself after a trip to Kelly Creek. It replaced a similar 8'er. Like Tim stated above the design of rods greater than 8' is more challenging. That said 8'3" seems to be a sweet spot and the same rod at 8'6" is very different.
Thank you again,
Ray

 

[Hiouchibear]

8'3" 4 wt just finished on Friday. The rod is hollowed weighing 3.5 oz.

Nice job. What kind of action did you end up with?

 

[Troutcreek]

Thank you, The rod was donated to a Trout Unlimited auction and I never fished it. That said I've made several others with the same taper and they turn out to be medium progressive. I'm working on a new rod as a replacement which should be ready in a week or 2.
Hollowing well into the tips seems to be the key for the longer light line rods.
Thanks again,
Ray

 

[para_adams]

Ray, that 7-1/2 3.2oz rod I built from your blank turns out to be a true 3 wt.

 

[Troutcreek]

The taper is based on a Heddon #14 and hollow in the butt. I expected a light 4 wt but 3 wt is good too....