Koos Eckard Rod Designs: The Lakensvlei Special

Thursday, May 5, 2016

The Lakensvlei Special

This is a rod that I finished a while ago. I really like this build as I always wanted to do a "heavier" ultra light rod. The brief was simple, make a 10ft budget rod with an all cork reelseat and grip that will be just as good as some of the high end rods.

Now for rods in a smaller weight an all cork seat and grip is not a problem, but on a heavier rods your options really becomes limited. I decided to do a Ritz grip with a dual purpose cork seat. I did an oval seat because I don't like the mortised look you get on some rods. The dual purpose seat enables you to balance your reel perfectly by either having it in up locking or down locking configuration.

MHX 10ft 5wt

Blank: MHX 1054 in Slate Grey
Thread: Black and Metallic Green
Grip: Ritz Grip
Dual Purpose Reelseat : Cork with Anodized Black Aluminium Sliding band and hoods.
Guides : Fuji BMNAG Strippers and Black Snakes and Tip Top

I am not a big fan of 10ft rods, but this one was special. It casts out a full fly line with no effort at all.

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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