Koos Eckard Rod Designs: August 2015

Monday, August 17, 2015

Heaviest Heron to Date

I don't know why, but perhaps I am technologically impaired as I have posted this before, but it was just lost in space.

Well this was a request from Michael Cooper in the United Kingdom.
We discussed a couple of details via numerous e-mails and I was really surprised that Mike wanted a Heron in 4wt 8ft. This is in fact the Heaviest Heron to date as I usually build these as Ultralights.

I send this rod via a courier company because we had some serious strikes in the Postal Services and the funny thing is they delivered it to Michael's door without knocking or anything and when he opened the door he saw the parcel lying there like an abandoned child. I just laughed and told him that if it was over here that rod would have grown legs and walked off somewhere.

Quick Specs:

Blank: Orvis Superfine Touch Blank 8' 4wt 4 piece
Thread: Forged Steel
Guides: BMNAG Stripper and lite wire snakes in black.
Grip: Palmgrip with anodized black hardware.
Rod Tube : Heron Grey with Signature Series Endcaps in Black with engraved detail.

I haven't weighed this rod. I refer to it as the Heaviest Heron to date based on its line rating, but I am pretty sure that this can still go through as an Ultralight.

Thanks for looking.

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My name is Koos Eckard and I am based in Pretoria, South Africa. I am a custom rod builder and I have been building rods for the past 10 years. I use the best, time-proven blanks and components.

More about Myself

I was born in 1979 in a small town in the Northern Cape called Olifantshoek. Most of my childhood was spent in the rural countryside. I have been based in Pretoria since 1996. I am a sign maker by trade and I am married with two lovely sons.

The fishing bug bit me early as I caught my first fish at the age of three years. In the beginning I used conventional bait and spinning rods but I was always fascinated by fly fishing as a concept. About 12 years ago I did start fly fishing and I have never returned to more conventional methods of angling.

Once I started fly fishing I became fascinated by split cane fly rods and their construction. I realized however that it would be easier to start constructing more conventional rods on carbon fibre blanks. A friend got me started and the first rods I built were for deep-sea fish. Using the skills thus acquired I started building fly rods.

I believe I now have the knowledge and the expertise and I intend to start constructing split cane rods from scratch before the year is out.

Rod building

A rod is only as good as the blanks and components you use and I use brands that have established a track record for quality and durability and come from companies that are renowned for their after sale service and for backing up their warranties. They include Fuji, Sage, Calstar, Scott, Orvis, American Tackle, Pac Bay, Aftco, Struble, Snakebrand, Composite Developments etc.

I have built rods for every form of angling - jigging and dropshot rods, surf rods, trolling rods and rods that can subdue deep sea quarry like tuna and marlin. In fly rods I have built ultra-light line rods like the Sage 000 and rods that will take everything a Giant Trevally can dish out.

Contact Info

Should you require further information please send me an e-mail and I will get back to you.

kooseckard@gmail.com