Fly Fishing - Beginner

  • Hey Guest, Early bird pricing on the Summer Moot (29th July - 10th August) available until April 6th, we'd love you to come. PLEASE CLICK HERE to early bird price and get more information.

Robson Valley

Full Member
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,664
McBride, BC
What diameter was the neck of the wine bottle? You sure got that right about cork prices. 30 years ago, I was buying corks by the thousand (35mm, sanded) and never saw less than $0.25 each.

The handle needed to meet what we call the Kestrel Constant = the tips of your second and third fingers should just barely touch the fat ball part of your thumb.
I'd used 1" corks so a little belt sanding was done as 7/8" is just right for me. Actually, I alternated the corks with 3/8" black foam neoprene rings.
Sanded, that handle deformed in a nearly anatomical form to fit my fingers. I can feel the rod butt flex under my hand.
The Fenwick blank is brown. I wanted to do yellow/black guide wraps. The little orthodontic rubber bands on the guide feet allowed me to rotate the blank to find the stiffer spine.
I borrowed a jig to hold the rod pieces while wrapping = went quite quickly. Just snip off the rubber bands, one at a time.

If I felt motivated to build another rod, it would be a graphite 8'6" for maybe #6 at most.
 

nic a char

Settler
Dec 23, 2014
591
1
scotland
Way to go Robson - ye canny whack bespoke rod handles!
I just use standard corks with minimal sanding as I have big hands - the lumps from cava-corks are useful for grip in cold/wet conditions also.
It's nice to feel the rod flex under your hand tho when I'm using shooting heads it's a fast-actioned rod which usually means a stiff butt.
 

nic a char

Settler
Dec 23, 2014
591
1
scotland
Hi Robbi - I first did this as a schoolboy having found the info - was a bit skeptical tbh - but added home-made rings to a tank aerial using only Sellotape & then varnish - it lasted for years - honestly!
The last rod I ringed was split cane so I used Sellotape first then whipped it - whipping only to keep the cane octagons /glue together though.
Not got a digicam sori - but it's not rocket science - just sort & mark the ring positions & spacing having identified the rod-sections' natural bends, a wee bit of Sello keeps the rings in position while you wrap the ring-feet with mebbe 6 turns of Sello, then a few coats of varnish - not pretty but does the job.
As to the handles, done a few tools & bush-knives that way too + they float.
 

BCUK Shop

We have a a number of knives, T-Shirts and other items for sale.

SHOP HERE