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.

The Pink Flamingo

I have always admired some of the pink rods that have surfaced on the net and wondered what I would do should I get the chance to do a pink rod.

Well last year I received a TXL-F in the mail and the brief was simple......Make it Pink.

Quick Specs:

Blank: TXL-F 2710-4B painted pink with a hint of pearl
Thread: Soft Pink/Violet Nylon to blend in with blank
Guides: TiCh Holographic Stripper and TiCh snakes and Tip Top
Grip: Palmgrip with Light Gunsmoke Anodized sliding band and hood
Tube: Same pink as rod with Cherry Blossom Wrap in Silver and Light Gunsmoke Engraved endcaps of my own design.

I treated the rod and tube with a matte clear as per my Heron spec, just to take the flash down a bit and turn it into a satin finish. This eliminated those fingerprints you always see on a gloss surface on a rod tube.

A few snaps of the rod tube....

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.

Another Sage Xi3 12wt

I was recently commissioned by Tony Doult to do a Sage Xi3 12wt he wanted for those Big Geets up in Oman.

Quick Specs:

Sage Xi3 12wt Blank
Alps Triangular Seat in Gunsmoke
American Tackle Typhoon Spin/ Cast guides in TiCh with Blue Zirconia rings as Strippers
Chrome Saltwater Snake Guides
Prowrap Nylon in Blue and Metallic Blue Spirals

Thanks for looking

Grunter Twins

I was recently asked to do two Light Spinning Rods for Grunter

Quick Specs:

Phenix Trifecta Salmon Spinning Blanks 6-12lb

Fuji CMNAG Guides and single foot guides with matching Tip Top.

Prowrap Black with either Green or Blue Metallic Trims

Split Grips complete with custom aluminium trims/hoods

Pac Bay Split Seat

Thanks for looking

Complete Saltwater Kit

I was recently commissioned to do a complete Saltwater Kit for Simon Fairhurst.

The Kit Includes the following:

1 x "Plano Type" Rod Tube
1 x Big Pit Reel Carry Case
2 x Shimano Stella 20 000 Reels loaded with 80lb Tuffline Braid
1 x Calstar GF770XH 6'6" Jigging Stick
1 x 10' Purglass Popping Stick in 3-4oz
2 x Sage Xi3 12wt 9' Fly Rods
1 x Shilton SL7 Reel loaded with Airflo Tropical Di7 Fast Sink Line
1 x Shilton SL7 Spare Spool loaded with Airflo Tropical Intermediate
2 x Custom Rod Tubes for the Sages



Purglas Surf Popper

Candy Apple Red Purglas 10' 3-4oz
Fuji K Series Guides in Gunsmoke with SiC Rings
Fuji Deluxe Spinning Seat
Quick Clip Hook Keeper

Calstar Jigging Stick 

Calstar GF770XXH Blank
Fuji K Series Guides with Titanium frame and SiC Rings
Aftco Aluminium Reel Seat
Nylon Butt with Dual Slot Aluminium Gimball

Apologies if you see some dust on the rods. I cleaned it, but going in and out of the rod bags, they tend to pick up dust.


Sage Xi3 12wt 9'0 Fly Rod in Blue

Sage Xi3 12wt 4 piece blank
Alps Triangular Reelseat in Gunsmoke
American Tackle DCRLS Typhoon Spin/Cast Guides as Strippers
Pac Bay Chrome Snake Guides
Popeye Blue with Metallic Blue Trim Wraps
Fullwells Cork Grip
Cork Fighting Butt and Fighting Handle

Sage Xi3 12wt 9'0 Fly Rod in Black

Sage Xi3 12wt 4 piece blank
Alps Triangular Reelseat in Black
American Tackle BTRLS Typhoon Spin/Cast Guides as Strippers
Pac Bay TiCh Snake Guides
Black with Metallic Blue Trim Wraps
Fullwells Cork Grip
Cork Fighting Butt and Fighting Handle

And last but not least a close up of the rod tube

Thanks for looking.

2 x Orvis Superfine Touch 1wts - Part 1

I just completed 2 x Superfine Touch 1wt 7'6" rods.

This post will be photo heavy so I will try and split it up.

Specs:
Orvis Superfine Touch 1wt 7'6" 4 piece blanks
Grey and Blue Grey Thread
Fuji BMNAG Strippers
Pacbay Lite Wire Snakes in Black
Palmgrip with anodized aluminium sliding ring and concealed hood
Rod finished off with matte clear coat.
Aluminium Rod Tubes Powdercoated and fitted with my Signature Series Endcaps in black with Lazer Etched Engraving

Well here is the Blue Grey One I did for Gordon Van Der Spuy.