Casting Rod Observations

[hoglaw]

The Fuji ACS seat - that's the one I was talking about. I have one on a rod I got from RPS and I really like it. I'm a reel-palmer for most applications which is why I really like that minima reel seat, particularly on split grips. But the ACS is super comfortable for any application where you have to get your hand down a little farther. For me, that's any kind of power fishing and jerk baits. I still prefer the minima for jigs and worms and such.

I haven't tried that reel seat you have on the first spinning rod, or any exposed reel seat on a spinning rod for that matter. Do you find it comfortable? I always felt like I wanted my hand on a flatter surface with the spinning rod than an exposed blank, but I'm the last person to knock something I haven't tried. I need to give it a shot. Pretty much any spinning rod I do these days is a Tennessee handle. I need to try one on the carbon fiber or aluminum grip since those are supposed to be the creme de la creme of sensitivity on Tennessee handles, but so far I just put tape on cork. I do love hot sweaty electrical tape in the summer. I also keep thinking I want to do a Tenn handle with a golf grip, like a Winn or one of the thicker Golfprides. I think that would be pretty cool.

I did a pink blank for my girlfriend that I got from mudhole. It's a split grip spinning rod, but It's wound up being a pretty solid trout rod. I find myself using it often when she isn't with me. She caught multiple 18" browns last weekend on it jerking a husky jerk on the White.

That's a major stack of bamboo you got going there. I'd love to have a little 7' 3wt bamboo rod to take to Colrado with me this summer. I thought I'd attempt my first fly rod build before we went out there and I still may. Orvis has a blank that's touted in the mudhole catalog as being a small stream light tippet blank. I should have ordered one when I did my most recent shipment but I forgot. I think I'm going to wind up building rods for a couple of folks in the next few months, so maybe I can still get one done before I head out there at the end of July.

[Gavin]

Wish I could give a report on that SK2 spin seat...gonna have to wait awhile..Feels good in my hand, gotta fish it still..I love that ACS for short casting rods with suspedinding jerkbaits and walking topwaters were my hand is tight to the reel all the time. Have to try that Minima seat on next years candy droppers.

If you want a short boo fly setup for CO....I'm long on those. Shoot me a PM.