# my custom built rod.



## Fishaholic69 (Apr 6, 2007)

I am having a 7wt black matrix rod built for me as my steelhead rod and I just picked this up yesterday for $129 shipped. it will be going on there. http://www.orvis.com/store/product_..._id=768&cat_id=7908&subcat_id=7909&pf_id=72ER I got it in the titanium color to match the black woven graphite matrix rod and aw13 reel seat thats titanium with a black woven graphite insert. heres the seat. the one in the middle. http://www.mudhole.com/Shop-Our-Catalog/Fly_5/AW13-Window-Fly-Seats what ya think? oh ya, in the battenkill reel got the IV model.


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## kruggy1 (Feb 6, 2008)

I like your new reel,should be more then enough for steelhead, also like the reel seat u picked. Mine have woven graphite reel seats also ,I like them better then most wood ones.


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## Janus (Jul 26, 2006)

Are you building the rod?


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## Fishaholic69 (Apr 6, 2007)

thanks kruggy, at 1st I was gonna get a matrix reel seat. thats basically just all black woven graphite with titanium locking rings and stuff but then he messeged me and said he found this one instead and that it isn't just plain black it had some titanium in it which I wanted and that it was also $5 dollars cheaper than the matrix one.


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## Fishaholic69 (Apr 6, 2007)

no janus its from midwest custom fly rods. I don't trust myself yet in that department. maybe now that I have all the rods that I need I will save up down the line and risk building one. I just didn't wanna screw it up and waste the money. actaully that reel is the most I ever spent on one before. I am kinda cheap also but it was just something I had to get.. heck, ya only live once that ya know of so why not get a quality reel that might last a lifetime. gotta love tax refunds lol. that new $300 refund we get in a few months will make up for the money I used on this rod/reel. lol.


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## Fishaholic69 (Apr 6, 2007)

hey guys just curious whats a good line to get for this setup? I am gonna mostly be nymphing for steelhead and casting some buggers and clousers with this rod for steelhead and maybe some bass. I was suggested rio line on another site but have seen lots of different ones. also seen the SA air cell too. what do you guys recommend??


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## kruggy1 (Feb 6, 2008)

Since you went all out ,you goin have to get good line...lol. I put SA steelheader on mine just this year. It works great and also capable of roll cast up to 70' (not that I can roll cast that far). I also have SA GPX on my 6wt its awsome.Cast great,rolls good plus two toned so you know were u can just pick line off water and recast. The GPX has a welded loop for your leaders too.


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## Fishaholic69 (Apr 6, 2007)

ya i am checking the SA line out. sounds good.


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## Fishaholic69 (Apr 6, 2007)

got the orvis mid arbor battenkill in the mail today. looks awesome! heres a pic.


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## kruggy1 (Feb 6, 2008)

LOOKS GOOD!!! The silver finish is kind of cool,look even better on that custom rod!


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## Fishaholic69 (Apr 6, 2007)

thnx kruggy hopefully it will match up nice.. I paid him in full today. he says it will be a couple weeks or so still cause he has 18 rods to build.. I am not sweating it tho. I got a 8wt already plus I got my new 5wt. I always see white,green,and orange 20lb backing. today I seen this jim teeny backing 100 yards for $8.95 and you can get blue. I might get that and then the mastery steelhead line thats mist green. thats will be a different color combo on there then I ever seen before. this reel has holes all over it so you can see the backing and the line.
says my reel will hold 150 yards but I might just get 100 yards. thats plenty for the rivers around here. that plus that fly lines 100 feet or so. if a steelie takes me that far I will run after him and jump on his back and hog tie him lol.


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## tornwaders (Oct 2, 2007)

Fill the reel to maximum backing otherwise you flyline will have tight coils in it, just dont over fill with backing. Good luck with new outfit!!!


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## Fishaholic69 (Apr 6, 2007)

never over filled yet but been close. I just didn't wanna go over cause this fly line I might get is 105 feet long and usually other lines I have are only 90 feet or less. wonder what there is chart set for?


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## Fishaholic69 (Apr 6, 2007)

I wrote orvis and asked um if the capacity means just backing or if it means the backing plus the fly line. I will figure out how much to put on.


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## chromer14 (Mar 19, 2008)

hey fishaholic, I suggest taking a look at the rio nymph line if you will be doing any indicator fishing for steelhead. It is the line I run on my current setup of a scott 10 foot 7weight. The line is a little bulkier which will help with mending, roll casts, and throwing all that "junk" (shot, indi, 2flies). And with that said, I was able to manage 150 yds of backing and the line on my lamson litespeed and it topped off great. The mid arbor is a GREAT reel. I have one on a 6 weight and I like it. If you do spool the reel with nymph, maybe look into gel spun backing, it is a thinner diameter, and it may help fill the reel easier because like I said the nymph is a bulkier line.


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## Fishaholic69 (Apr 6, 2007)

too late chromer I got a deal on the SA Steelhead mastery line in 7wt for $41 bux on ebay compared to the $63 everywhere else. this will save me money and let me buy the extra spool of backing I will need to make it 150 yards instead of only 100 that I was gonna get before.


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## kruggy1 (Feb 6, 2008)

Man you got a good deal on that line, wish I found it that cheap. Now your all set only thing left is a steelie.


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## Fishaholic69 (Apr 6, 2007)

and backing!!!!! 100 yards for 8-9 bux!!! ouchie! I need 150 yards!!! that means I got to pay 16-18 bux just for backing. dang it lol. I swear my cousin got some for like 4 bux


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## kruggy1 (Feb 6, 2008)

It might be cheaper to take to a shop and have them put backin on they charge by the foot. But dont quote me on that might want to call first.


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## flyman (Aug 9, 2007)

i made my own fly rod. got all parts in a kit for $160 shipped. its a cabelas sli 9'6'' 2 piece with graphite seat, single foot guides, good cork ant butt end. when u buy a rod they run 4 $330. u can see the value here. however, i did need the rod rotating device. hell, i made my own. if u are somewhat technically and craft inclined, id say build ur rod. i love mine plus nothing beats using something u built


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## gsteel (Feb 16, 2008)

Fishaholic69 said:


> too late chromer I got a deal on the SA Steelhead mastery line in 7wt for $41 bux on ebay compared to the $63 everywhere else. this will save me money and let me buy the extra spool of backing I will need to make it 150 yards instead of only 100 that I was gonna get before.



Man thats a good deal. I was going to say overline that blank by one line. It will perform better in tight. Talk to Steve about it though. He does nice work and knows his stuff. Enjoy the new set up once you get it.


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## Fishaholic69 (Apr 6, 2007)

I was suggested that also and was gonna do that until I saved $20 bux on the 7wt line instead of the 8wt. I will find out the hard way I guess. I can always update the line later after everything is set up


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## gsteel (Feb 16, 2008)

By no means did you make a mistake. The 7wt line will do you fine. You just may like an 8wt alittle better. What is comfortable to me may be way off to you. By all means find what works for you and go with it.


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## Fishaholic69 (Apr 6, 2007)

ya I just went for cheaper. haha thats me. ya I have been suggested the same thing by 5 guys including steve himself. they just wanted $63 bux for the 8wt one everywhere and got that 7 for just $41. thats the only reason basically I did it.


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## Fishaholic69 (Apr 6, 2007)

got some backing today 150 yards. just got to wait on the rod now... will post when I get it. will be in a month or less or so. time to replenish my funds now lmao!!!


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## brhoff (Sep 28, 2006)

If you at all worried about overfilling the reel, knot the backing to the line and load it backwards, line first onto the reel and snip...now strip everything off and reverse the process...strip it into a bucket or you may make a tangled mess of it like I did.


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## gsteel (Feb 16, 2008)

Even into a bucket you could get a mess. Your best bet is to take it up to a shop and have them do it for you.


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## Fishaholic69 (Apr 6, 2007)

so far I been lucky everytime. I have 150 yards like it recommends so I will go from there.


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## Huron River Dan (Oct 19, 2007)

Take a look at the Rio Clouser line...I just set up a new rig for steelies, and it handles splitshot and indicators like a dream...

Dan


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## Fishaholic69 (Apr 6, 2007)

already have the steelhead taper mastery series line. but I did see the rio clouser also.


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## Flyfish Dog (Nov 6, 2007)

I like Rios clouser line better.IMO With a shorter head it will turn over big flies or one with plenty of weight with ease. I also found you can do single spey cast with it also. The Steelhead taper line has a really long taper so it will be harder to load when wanting to cast shorter distance.


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## Fishaholic69 (Apr 6, 2007)

says you can roll cast up to 70 feet with it? also says you can mend far too. oh well will find out sooner or later.


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## Janus (Jul 26, 2006)

Oh my a 70ft roll cast!! I can't imagine what that would look like. Probably pretty amazing...not to good at roll casting myself. I just use it for picking up line to switch directions or, in a really short range like 15-20 feet max.
Janus


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## Fishaholic69 (Apr 6, 2007)

rofl. haha. I can't cast 70 feet regular even but thats what it says. when I roll cast i will get a pile at my feet but I am gonna practice it. i will be happy just to get it out 30 or 40 feet . I just figured it said steelhead and its good for cold waters and kruggy says he got the same stuff and its good. I will find out when I get a chance and by the looks of the radar its not gonna be soon enough.


here is the line. http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/.../Products/FloatingFly/MasteryFresh/Steelhead/


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## Flyfish Dog (Nov 6, 2007)

70 feet!!?? I dont know but about 30 feet is pretty good. Hence the reason for long spey rods to make longer roll casts. It hard to get it down pat when switching from rod to rod though.


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## ohiotuber (Apr 15, 2004)

Janus said:


> Oh my a 70ft roll cast!! I can't imagine what that would look like. Probably pretty amazing...not to good at roll casting myself. I just use it for picking up line to switch directions or, in a really short range like 15-20 feet max.
> Janus


HAHA!...I'm right there with you Brian! I can't do that now & probably never. In fact, sounds like we use a roll cast about the same way.
Mike


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## Fishaholic69 (Apr 6, 2007)

I was just pointing out the package. I figured if it says you can roll cast up to 70' then 20 or 30' like I would need to do would be easier. oh well I will see how it works


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## kruggy1 (Feb 6, 2008)

I just started using SA steelheader this season, I can get good long cast with it but I cant roll cast it more than 20'. I cant compare it to Rio line cause I never used it, but but IMO it works good for me. I wish the weather around here would coroperate so I could test it out more.


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## Fishaholic69 (Apr 6, 2007)

kruggy hows yous daughter doing? today was a good day . seen a guy that caught a few. I caught 2 chubs thats it. but the one lil tough guy was kinda cool to catch. he smashed my indicator and knocked it clean out of the water. then I give my hares ear a lil strip and let it sit. he grabs that up right away. this lil guy was only like 3 inches long lmao. oh well. my two 1st fishies of the year. I got a cabelas 8 wt and was practicing my roll cast and stuff witht he line that came with the combo and I can cast it all the way acroos the river in alot of places. the sa line will work fine for me I am sure.


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## Fishaholic69 (Apr 6, 2007)

still waiting on the custom rod. I got another 2 weeks or so. will keep you posted with some pics when I get it.


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## kruggy1 (Feb 6, 2008)

She is doing wonderful,and cute as can be! One legged josh and I went out yesterday(thursday) for steelies with no luck,but man did it feel good to get some fish time in. Glad to hear you got out to bad with no steelie luck ! Cant wait to see that rod and reel all together.


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## Fishaholic69 (Apr 6, 2007)

ya krugs. steve wrote me back today and said he recieved the reel seat and it looks awesome! can't wait to get it myself!


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## Fishaholic69 (Apr 6, 2007)

basically heres what the custom rod will look like. 1st time I could find the black matrix blank to see what it looks like. heres what the blank will look like. (this isn't the exact blank I am recieveing but its this one in a 7wt instead of the 3wt pictured. same one tho..)http://cgi.ebay.com/American-tackle...ryZ62147QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

then it will have the middle reel seat.
http://www.mudhole.com/Shop-Our-Catalog/Fly_5/AW13-Window-Fly-Seats

then the titanium orvis mid arbor reel.http://www.orvis.com/store/product_...Prod_feeds*Prod_feeds*12082&CAWELAID=28340006 also black and silver trim guide wraps.

its starting to come together. can't wait to get the rod to finish it up!


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