Category Archives: Custom Rod Building

General Custom Rod Building

Custom Rod Building, Spinning Rods

MHX 1142-2 9’6” 2 PC Steelhead Spinning Rod

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Dave was a local customer who found me though our Steelhead Video on Leatherwood Outdoors.  He expressed to me his need for a better handling spinning rod with his input into the handle and length.  He also wanted something on heavier side for the occasional king salmon he might encounter.

Enter the MHX series from Mudhole Custom Tackle.  These rods are work horses and no frills.  The 9’6” 1142-2 fit the bill perfectly for what my customer wanted to do.  This will dog any steelhead or brown trout but still have enough backbone for a 40 LB king salmon.

Featuring a custom turned handle and Pac Bay Aluminum spinning reel seat, the rear handle was kept longer in a true spinning type of setup.  Using the KLSG guides from Fuji and finishing with size 8 Running Guides for winter fishing, they are wrapped solid with gunmetal, black and silver trim bands,

Custom Rod Building, Spinning Rods

Rainshadow XST1141-2 Steelhead Spinning Rod

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Straight Forward attack model XST1141-2.  Featuring a 9 inch rear super cork handle from Batson, ALPS reel seat in size 12 and Fuji KR concept guides this rod is the diamond amongst gemstones in steelhead alley.   Unfortunately the blank is discontinued, but this is arguably the ultimate Pennsylvania/Ohio/NY Steelhead setup, the Do it All  From Jigs, Plugs, Eggs and everything else in between.

Custom Rod Building, Spinning Rods

Laurel Ridge Rods ESS 1006-2 Spin Rod

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This ESS series rod found it’s home in Ohio for spring steelhead.   Built on a 10′ 2 PC 6WT moderate action fly rod blank this rod is designed to fish eggs first and foremost.

Featuring the Fuji KR concept Alconite guides and Fuji downlocking reel seat, the handle is kept short to use the entire butt section of the rod when fighting a fish while keeping the shock absorbing qualities of the moderate action tip section. Thread is Prowrap smoke screen NCP with Red NCP and Blue Metallic Trim

Custom Rod Building, Spinning Rods

Laurel Ridge Rods MHX 1142-2

This rod is built on what is my opinion the perfect length of blank for fishing any river or stream along Steelhead Alley.  9’6” seems to be the do-all happy medium that we have found, although some prefer longer or shorter.  This rod is a 2 PC MHX blank, although I have limited experience building these I was very impressed with this blanks power and action.  The customer requested that a Rainbow Trout Skin decal be placed between the split grip handle, which was turned out of some excellent quality cork from Custom Fly Grips.

The Reel Seat is SZ 17 Graphite Hardware with a Green Box Elder Burl insert that was custom turned and polished.  Guides are the Fuji K system transitioning to the running guides for optimum casting distance and performance.  In my opinion the K guide system is the absolute best option there is.  Forest Green Purple and some metallic trimbands accentuate the guides and stand out wonderfully on the dark blank.

If you’d like inquire about a high performance rod geared for steelhead fishing please contact me today!

 

Custom Rod Building, Spinning Rods

Rainshadow IF793-2 Split Grip Spinning Rod

This is a Fly to Spin conversion for a customer looking to Downsize the ESS series rod and translate it to trout fishing.  So is born the TSS series, or Trout Specific Series.  This rod features a split grip wave and rubberized cork butt cap. Split Grip Decal, Forecast size 16 Graphite Spinning Seat and FUJI KR concept guides in black.  Thread is a mix of forest green and green metallic giving the rod a perfect match to the forest green blank with a bright contrast.

If you are looking for a small stream trout setup to fit your needs, look no further.  This is what we do people!

Custom Rod Building, Fly Rods

Forecast F863-4 Fly Rod

This is a 4 PC 3 WT fly rod from the RX6 Line at Batson Enterprises.  This rod can handle everything from a size 22 griffiths gnat to a size 2 streamer.  Known for being notoriously strong for their rated line weight a 4 wt line would not be objectionable on this rod.

Reel Seat is a BUL5 with Birds Eye insert, handle is natural cork with rubberized cap, thread is pro wrap black with blue trim, guides are ALPS BUD blue and finishing with ALPS single foot guides.  Overall pleasure to build for my customer chasing wild brown trout around PA.

Custom Rod Building, Spinning Rods

St. Croix Split Grip Spinning Rod

A customer requested a short split grip rod for Panfish and Trout fishing both small streams and lakes.  Being a fan of St. Croix I decided I would recommend to him the 6’6” St. Croix SCII Series Freshwater rod.  This was designed to be light and sensitive at the same time to feel the soft strike of panfish and trout. That same customer also requested a computer so he can play video games with elo boost services from ElitistGaming, but I told him I don’t sell computers.

Handle is natural cork with a FUJI graphite seat, along with CYAG alconite guides finishing out the LAG spin guides and top.  Thread is a dark forest green nylon that blends into the blank excellently, there is also some silver trim mixed in on the lower section.  Not every custom rod has to be haughty to look nice!

Custom Rod Building, Spinning Rods

Laurel Ridge Rods ESS 1002-2 Steelhead Trout Spin Rod

This spectacular rod was built for a good friend and fellow outdoors man I know.  He and I spend a lot of time hunting and fishing together so I wanted to give him a rod up to his performance of fishing.  This rod is the signature ESS series model built on a 10′ 2 PC moderate action fly rod blank.  Featuring Burnt, Natural and Rubberized Handle pieces situated on either end of a Black Box Elder burl reel seat with RA-8.5 hardware, this rod has quite the aesthetic appeal.

I used the FUJI KR concept guide train to reduce up the 8L running guides, held securely by a mixture of gunmetal, electric blue and black guides to give some serious contrast.  A Ferrule decal was also added for that extra bit of Custom.  This rod has taken everything from Panfish to Steelhead and everything else in between and still continues to go strong.

Centerpin Rods, Custom Rod Building

Rainshadow 1087-2 Centerpin Float Rod Conversion

A customer from Indiana who fishes the Great Lakes region for migrating trout and salmon inquired about getting a shorter float rod that was compact but robust enough to fight fish in small crowded conditions.  Enter the 1087-2 4 PC switch rod blank from Batson Enterprises. This rod is very powerful, built on a 7WT fly rod blank into a centerpin style fishing rod, this rod has the classic sliding band handle as per customer request.

This rod has my proprietary guide system of FUJI KR concept guides to ensure maximum casting ability, line collection and angle from the reel.  I have found no better system to fit the bill.  Black with Storm Cloud NCP and Silver trim round out the thread wraps for an excellent contrast.  This rod has brought many steelhead and king salmon to hand already!

Custom Rod Building, Spinning Rods

Laurel Ridge Rods ESS Series 10′ 2 PC Spin Rod

The flagship of the ESS (Egg Specific Steelhead) Series rod.  Built on a 10′ 2 PC moderate action blank, this rod is the true cross between the traditional noodle without the super slow action to tire you out.  There is no substitute between power and sensitivity when fishing eggs with this rod.  Sensitive enough to detect a strike when bottom bouncing the handle design lends itself enough power in the butt section to turn a fish around in a hurry.

Handle is natural Red block cork with Burnt Mix end caps, Forecast Spinning Seat and Fuji BYAG Alconite guides.  Thread is Gudebrod dark red with copper and red trim bands, decal by Decal Connection.