gretsch

Gidday Raiders, Some of you have been posting questions about rod building. I am currently knocking up a 6'6" 2-4kg spinning rod for a mate's 7 year old son Benjamin so I thought I would share the step by step on how I build rods. This will take a few weeks as I only do it in my spare time (which is minimal these days). Specifications are: MHX Graphite Blank - 6'6", 4-8lb (2-4kg), tip 4.5. Butt .47" Guides - Fuji Alconite Handle - Split Butt Style - Fuji IPS Seat, KPDS Locking Hood, Cork Grips,Matagi Winding Check and Trim Rings, Rubberised Cork Butt Cap Threadwork - black wraps with silver and gold trims (I am over fancy patterns) Finish - Threadmaster (the best by a long shot) Regarding equipment and tools, I will detail what you need for each step as we come to that step.I have a Renzetti Lathe and an American Tackle Power Wrapper so, the task is a bit easier and, I can shape my own grips. You don't absolutley need these but they are very useful. Step 1 Handle Construction You will need: Cork Rings 1/4 inch ID (6mm) - (20 off)- 3 need to have a 19-20mm ID to form the KPDS Locking foregrip Rubberized cork ring for the butt cap Fuji IPS Reel Seat IPS Cork Adaptor (Contoured piece of cork to fit the seat profile) Matagi HTWL Winding Check 24 hr Araldite (DON'T USE 5 minute on handles) Builder's Clamps (G Clamps or Trigger Clamps) Start by gluing the IPS Adaptor in the reels seat. Next, add some cork rings to the desired length and clamp together. Next, get the KPDS Hood and glue the rings on to form the fore grip rough piece. Also glue in the Winding Check at this point and ensure that everything is centred. This is critical as othersie, the winding check will scratch the blank as you twist it to insert the reel. Next glue up 4-6 rings with the rubberized cork piece (with no hole) for the rear grip of the split. Allow all to cure for 24 hours. When cured, slide each piece onto a mandrel and lock into place on the lathe. Begin the turning process and shape to your desire (the beauty of a custom rod is you can have whatever you imagination desires). I suggest you practise first on a scrap piece of cork (old fashioned handline cylinders are a good medium)as it is quite difficult to keep the cork concentric. A tool rest on the lathe is a must. Start out with a rasp and get the general shape then, begin with course paper, medium paper and then, for the final run, use wet and dry and burnish the cork. It should be ultra smooth at the end. We wil hit these grips with Bees Wax once the rod is completed. This gives a great finish and helps the cork to last and resist blood and guts. As a foot note to this section, you can buy all these parts ready made and glue them straight onto the blank. They are expensive though and making your own does give a sense of achievement at a fraction of the cost. Photos: Main Reel Seat Glued and Clamped Positioned on the Lathe for Shaping Shaped and Ready to be Glued onto the Blank

Yes .. anchoring on the Tripod will get you a nice fine. If anyone has ever caught good fish off the tripod, you will know that if you do anchor, you will have buckleys of gettign the fish out of the structure. It is best to hover and use the boat to drag the fish off once hooked.

Nice work!!

Nice one boys.. I did the same in Feb this year out of Clevedon in a trailer boat. Magnificent fishing. I had a big King steal a Kahwai off my line..

Nice report Nanook. Shame about the bloody carp!!!

Dude, You need to up the gear!! Ditch the mono and spool up with 80lb braid and run 100 pound fluoro leader. Use a heavy gague hook amd tighten that drag right up. When fighting the fish, do short pump and winds to prevent the fish from getting his rythym going. If they are getting you on the bottom, you need to stop that fish from running. You can also use your boat to drag them up in the water column by accelerating away once the fish is hooked. Good luck!!

Had a quick look yesterday. Looks good. More room for everyone.

Use a hack saw and cut it in a spiral along the length of the seat then prise it off with a screw driver. You can hack the Araldite off with a regular kitchen knife. You will find that the Araldite will be quite brittle and it will come off in large chucks.

Penguin, that's awesome!! What a great effort on the light gear.

I would say your scales are a bit out.. I reckon that fish is about 3.5-4kg. Beautiful lizard...

I have a couple of old 6500 baitcasters if you want em Slinky!!

I think your plan is fine. I have umbrella spigots in my boat. I haven't used them yet but for me, it sure beats a bimnini. I hate biminis. They get in the way big time. Looking forward to seeing your efforts!! Make sure you don't bore a 50mm hole through anything structural!!

That is some good looking weed underneath your new family Ray...

Ah.. a man after my own heart!! It is all about the aesthetics for me too!! A red Certate "Custom Body" looks pretty stupid on a Millerod!

I have a 3500 Certate, 4000 Stella and 3000 Branzino. They are all much the same. When you have that good King, Salmon or Bonnie on and ripping drag, you don't really notice which reel you have!! Go with the one you like the look of.

What does FG stand for?

Magnificent specimen..

Kings will usually monster the whole bait rather than mouth it and muck around. We always fish at full fighting drag and leave the rod in the holder for the King to hook itself. Are you sure they were Kings?

That is a hood!!

Great effort!! Congratulations.

You guys are game wanting my old Stellas given my history of saltwater dunkings!!

That is a lovely Jack, Slinky!!! We got into them up north but not as big.

Sawtail Surgeonfish

For those who are interested, the hooks I have success with are Mustad 34007 size 6 and 4. They are stainless and pretty tough.

For what its worth, I fished along side a friend in Melville recently and he has a 4500 Saltiga and this looked to be the same size as my Stella SW 10000. His 6000 Saltiga looked similar to my SW 20000.