Next winter project...

[VMS]

Hi everyone,

Took the advice of some of you here with my rod wraps. Original plan was to use black as the main color, then accent that with the silver and red. Well..it did exactly as was stated. The black washed out, and no matter what I tried, it just didn't look good.

So....here is what I went with. It's a start, and now that I have the hang of it, not too hard to do. I try to get my tie-offs on the bottom of the rod, but the silver and black seem to get too close, and a bump forms. On situations like that, how far apart and where do you try to get your tie-offs placed on the rod?

I also placed a picture of my "boo-boo" on the rod butt as well...not pretty right now...but I am looking to back-weight this rod for balance...

[Otis1]

Nice looking wraps, I like the color combo.

[upnorth]

Looks good!! I have yet to try metallic for the guide wraps, trim wraps but not the whole guide.

[rodmaker]

I like that also. Like the metallic for guide wrap.

Just ordered a rod blank from my favorite store. It should be in next week. Ended up purchasing a G.Loomis (GLX my first one) SJ842 med action. I'll extend the handle to make it a 7'10" rod.

Should work nice for rigging on Mille lacs.

[Dark Cloud]

VMS - Nice looking wraps! As far as fixing the boo-boo, if you know someone that has a verticle sander or a belt sander you could hold the rod flush and work it down. Then match up the diameter with a butt cap of wood, cork, or composit...

Heres another option I have done on some rods. It looks sharp and adds some butt end weight, something most rods need. Its just a drawer or cabnet knob found at h depot...

[VMS]

I've been wondering how to add a little weight to the back end. That seems like a good possible option.. I have also wondered about doing what they do with golf clubs and epoxy in a cork, then add tungsten powder until I get the desired balance, epoxy a cork on top of that and finally finish the end off...

I've also wondered about the cabela's XPS system...and try to figure out a way to do that...I would assume those just screw in, so an epoxied cork with a female threaded end epoxied into that might allow me to install an XPS system...

Steve

[rodmaker]

Give Cabela's a call. They will give you answers to your questions.

[bemidjibasser]

Just curious, why do you wan to add weight to your rod? I have built quite a few and always try to make them as light as possible. To me, adding weight is counter productive. How do you plan to fish with this rod? If it is for a tip down technique ( crankbaits, bottom bouncers, lindy rigin'...), a little bit tip heavy will, in most cases, fish better. If it a tip up technique (jigging, texas rigs,...) then a little butt heavy will usually fish better. Just something to think about.

[rodmaker]

The system sold at Cabela's helps balance out the rod. An un-balanced rod is caused by reel size. (weight).

[bemidjibasser]

The balance, or lack of balance, also is determined by the placement of the reel seat. The closer to the butt the more tip heavy the rod will be, and vise versa.

[rodmaker]

Yep. Good answer. I tried to figure out a easy way to explain this, (but came up with a blank)but you did it for me.

[VMS]

This is a muskie rod, and just to balance the rod once the reel is on it will reduce fatigue from casting all day...

Steve

[rodmaker]

You need something balanced for fishing muskies all day. I don't fish them, but that's a lot of casting. You guys are a special breed

[VMS]

More like "special education" breed... :-)

[bemidjibasser]

Are you going to throw "hair" or jerkbaits or topwater or???

[VMS]

This rod is will be for bucktails up to 4 oz, cranks around 6" and all topwater baits under 4 oz.

Guides are almost done, then I might try some letter weaving toward the handle, see how that turns out...

Steve

[bemidjibasser]

With baits that heavy you will need to add a ton of weight to the butt to balance it out! =) I just got an sciv (Legend Tournament) 7'11" blank that I'm going to wrap with micro guides and a rf lite reel seat. Hopefully it will weigh in at just over 3.5 ounces... This is gonna be my new swimbait rod for baits up to 2 ounces, it might even get to play in the slop with some rats and frogs/toads.