Colt Johnson

I received the blank about 4:00 p.m on Saturday afternoon. (I also received an 804 SFT blank that will be my next build). I worked on the rod on and off in between setting up a Christmas tree and decorating it with my wife and daughter. I had all guides wrapped, grip and seat attached, and all finish was applied by 2:00 a.m. So I assembled the whole rod in a 10 hr. period (excepting the times for family activities that evening). It may be my new fastest build!

One coat of finish was sufficient to complete the rod. The guides turned out great considering by 2:00 a.m. I had several beers in my system. The only thing that I will likely touch up is the epoxy covering the rod label near the butt section. My finish is a bit too wavy for my liking. I think I can even things out with a very light second coat.

My rod probably weighs close to the factory model. With about 10 feet of fly line pulled off the reel and through the guides, the rod balances about 2 rings from the tip of the grip with my fully loaded Sage Click II reel. Having owned mostly fiberglass in this rod length/weight configuration, I was impressed with how light the rod felt and the rod felt a bit quicker than I expected. The blank is very thin and recovers quickly. I have not fished the rod as of yet.

This ought to be a nice rod for tight quarters and accurate casts under 35'. I'm anxious to try it out!

I used the following components:

Seat: Spalted Box Elder Burl (I turned) with Orvis Slip rings (from Jim West).

Grip: Cigar grip from Hook and Hackle cut down about an inch in length.

Guides: Pac Bay Light Wire chrome snakes. Sized (5) 2/0, (1) 1/0, and (1) 1.

Stripping Guide: American Tackle Titan (Solid Titanium)

Tip Top: Size 3.5 Pac Bay Light Wire

Thread: YLI 50wt. Silk Thread (Antique Gold)

Finish: Flexcoat 2 part epoxy finish

TOM L: Do you live by the fox? My wife's family live in Montgomery and her brother lives right on the river. I've caught some smallies out of the fox near his house, but I must say that the carp fishing can be really good during the mulberry blooms!

It is a pretty river. I'd like to relocate from central illinois and find a cozy spot along the fox some day.....

What a fine looking stick. I bet it will cast beautifully too.

 

I have a st croix avid 3wt 7' 9" that I use for trout in the driftless areas and blue gill. But it has not seen much action this year, I've been using a lot of the 6wt and 7wt for smallie on the Fox.

Thanks guys.

John: I can assure you that the rod gets even prettier when it is bent double! : ) I'll try to get some fish on photos to prove it! Catching bluegill on an ultralight is one of my favorite ways to fish....especially when you get a bass every now and again to really make things interesting.

I need to weigh this rod, but it is very LIGHT. If you compare the weights of the TXL blanks to the newer TXL-F blanks you will find that the older TXL blanks are lighter (physically) than the newer TXL-F blanks since there is one less ferrule. The "33% lighter" claim for the TXL-F series was wholly accomplished through lighter hardware (i.e. getting rid of the nickel silver seat). So I anticipate that this rod will be lighter than the factory TXL or the factory TXL-F counterparts due to the minimum reel seat hardware, no winding check, light wire guides, and minimum wraps. I put my Sage Click on it the other night and I'm guessing the entire outfit (reel, line, leader, rod) weighed under 4.0 oz. which is lighter than my Lamson Konic 1.5 weighed (empty) by itself.

Having built and sold quite a few ultralight fly rods over the past 2 years, I've owned several TXL rods. Now the 0wt, 1wt., 2wt. and 4wt. I have regretfully let go the 1wt and 4wt months ago so I could keep building and learning about new rods. Upon reflection, my TXL rods were some of my favorites. I stumbled upon this TXL 0wt. blank on clearance for $149, so I snatched up the opportunity to build another one.

Here's what I used:

Seat: Spalted Big Leaf Maple Burl turned to the same dimensions as the cork seat on an Orvis Superfine (with dual sliding rings). I got the dual sliding rings from Jim West at Orvis

Grip: Struble Ultrafine that I modified by turning down in thickness (generally) and tapering the rear to blend into the seat

Thread: YLI Silk Chestnut colored

Guides: Fuji MNSG Smoke Colored w/SiC Insert size 8j. Pac Bay Light Wire TiCh snakes sizes, 2/0 (5), 1/0 (1), 1 (1), 2 (1). Size 3.5 tip top.

I did not use a hook keeper and I did a little epoxy ramp instead of a winding check. This will be my new bluegill rod and will hopefully get a chance to catch some trout in the driftless area next year!

I received my copy yesterday as well. I watched it last night. As expected, the book was much better, but I will likely watch the video a few more times.....it was entertaining. I was waiting a long time for this movie as well.

For sale is a brand new Sage SLT 486-4 in mint condition. The rod has no scratches and no signs of being used. The original stickers still remain on the cap and the rod comes with the unused warranty card. The original owner had it in his closet for years and never fished it. It's pretty rare to find a discontinued rod in this condition. I am asking $350 obo shipped to the lower 48. PM me or email me at coltrane45@hotmail.com Paypal preferred.

------------------------------SOLD------------------------------------

Colt

Rob G: The grip is a Struble modified wells that I turned down a bit further in the rear to match the diameter of the down locking Lemke seat. But you are correct that it does resemble an older Fenwick style grip/seat.

I just started working on a 7'10" 3pc. 3/4 wt. F.H. Paddock Lemon Drop blank. I think I am going to use the Lemke down locking blued nickel silver seat w/ebony insert shown below and the granger green YLI silk thread wraps. I am going to try tipping my wraps with a dark red or maroon YLI silk. It should turn out to be a slick looking rod when finished.

I have to answer this questions in two parts. My "go to" rod as defined as the rod I use the most would certainly have to be my Sage SPL 1wt. fly rod. I catch bluegill, bass, and crappie year around on that rod.

However, if I go out ONLY to fish for smallies, then my go to rod is usually my McFarland Yellow Glass 7'2" 5wt. parabolic 3pc. This rod amazingly casts medium sized flies in small stream environments both in close and out to about 45 to 50'. I use a DT 5wt. line on it which also quietly presents a fly in intimate waters. The glass parabolic action has a fantastic "fish on" feel and even an 8" smallie puts a bend in the rod. A larger fish bends the rod deep into the butt section LITERALLY.

I opt for my Sage SP 8wt. for big water situations, but in central Illinois, most of my smallie endeavors are on small streams.

Sold

SOLD.

For sale is my recently purchased FH Paddock Bamboo 7'0" - 4wt. 2/1 rod based on a Granger 7030 taper. I love the way this rod casts, but I need to come up with some funds for some new projects. I hate giving this one up. I'm selling it for the same price I purchased it for....which was a steal. $350 plus $15 shipping. Email me at coltrane45@hotmail.com For those that know Fred's work.....it is wonderful!

The blank is SOLD

I was there last night for the grand opening. I spent some time looking through the fly shop. The fly rod selection was nothing impressive....just some entry level stuff, but much better than anything else around here I suppose. The reel selection was a little better. Best of all was the very nice stock of fly tying materials. They had a great selection of feathers, hair, dubbings, threads, beads, hooks, synthetics, and etc. The fly tying selection is what will draw me back to the store. They did carry the typical selection of fly lines as well. In all, I agree that it will be nice to get to observe some of my purchases in person!

For sale is an FH Paddock Lemon Drop blank. It is 7'9" in length and is 2pc. The blank is in perfect condition and features a small diameter butt extension professionally installed by Fred for the reel seat. It's a great blank but I opted to build a 3pc. version instead. I am asking $135 plus $10 shipping. Contact me at coltrane45@hotmail.com if interested.

I have a Sage TXL-F 2wt. 7'10" 4pc. blank that I am offering for sale. I am asking $250 shipped to the lower 48 (blank only). Contact me at coltrane45@hotmail.com

If interested in the pictured bronzed downlocking reel seat hardware with the koa insert and the wells grip (not attached just slid on for the photo) I am asking $340 shipped. All you would need are the guides and thread at that point.

Colt

I have a Sage 3200 Reel (Silver and Black) in good condition for sale.

This is a good 2, 3, or 4 wt. reel. Very light at 3 1/8 oz. I am

asking $150 $130 plus $8 shipping to the lower 48 states. I'll try to get some

pictures up soon. Contact me at coltrane45@hotmail.com if interested.

Sold

Of those two....Renzetti Traveler. Of any.....Peak Rotary.

The reel is sold. Sale pending on the rod.

SOLD.

Thanks John. I've only spent a few hours casting it, but it performs really well. It is supposed to be Sage's medium fast sibling to the Z-Axis which is their fast action series. I would still consider the ZXL on the fast side and it can hammer out some 75' casts without too much effort. But it does bend a bit deeper than a similar Z-Axis.

The pictures don't show it, but the winding check is more complete and the tip top wrap has been added since I have taken these photos. (The photos are a few days old).

I picked up a hand made bamboo 4wt. planed and wrapped by Fred Paddock...which requires me to sell off what was going to be my go-to smallie rod for medium sized rivers and lakes. I'll just have to build another one when I get the money again!

That looks like a real beauty.

For sale is my newly built Sage ZXL 6wt. 4pc. 9' fly rod and a brand new Nautilus FW 5 reel with box and all paperwork and a H&H WF 6wt. line.

I am asking $325 for the rod with $10 shipping. The rod is in perfect shape and features a Struble U-22 seat which hides the screw lock beneath the fighting butt (you actually turn the fighting butt to lock or unlock the reel seat).

I am asking $150 for the reel with $10 shipping. The reel still has the original box and all of the paperwork including the blank lifetime warranty card. The reel comes with the H&H WF 6wt. fly line in excellent condition.

OR if anyone is interested in both the rod and the reel (with line), I would sell the whole outfit for $450 with $10 shipping.

Please contact me at coltrane45@hotmail.com if interested. Paypal preferred.

Thanks,

Colt

Price Reduced to $230 plus $10 shipping

For Sale is a Lamson LP 3. I am asking $65 plus $5 shipping for the lower 48 states. Email me at coltrane45@hotmail.com or "PM" me. Paypal preferred.

For sale is my custom built Superfine Touch 7'6" 1wt. 4pc. rod with case (no sock). The rod features TiCh coated single foot running guides and three A.T. Nanolite solid titanium single foot guides. Specifically I used #8, #6 and #6 all titanium single foot Titan Nanolite guides for the first three guides and finished with pacbay TiCh single foot guides in sizes #1, #1, # 1/0, #1/0, #1/0 and #1/0. The wraps are scarlet colored naples silk.

The seat is box elder burl dyed black that I turned and mortised. The cap and ring seat is aluminum which reduces the weight.

I am asking $260 $230 plus $10 shipping. FIRM. Case is included. Email me at coltrane45@hotmail.com if interested. Paypal preferred. Shipping is for the lower 48. I am willing to ship other places if we can determine and adjust the cost of shipping.

Colt