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I aleady sent you a PM but if others have missed I have becan building tube guitar amplifiers and also practiced guitar playing. I have also visited dark side few times doing "lure fishing" and even "trolling". It is typical for me that I concentrate fully to what interests me and now it was tube amps. Because of covid19 I could not work for 5 months plus 1,5 month vacation staying mostly home it kept my mood better.

Sorry for late reply! I don't know but I believe they are difficult to obtain and obviously become more expensive than built rods. It would save few hours what removing components takes and no glue residue would be great as well Esa

Mike, competition rods are usually as long as rules allow because competitors want to get everything out of the setup. Two main reasons are possibility to cast longer line head and launch it to higher flight path. When single hand casting ICSF Seatrout where line head max weight is 27g (415gr) rod length has very little effect because haul efficiency does not depend from rod length and some use shorter than max 10'1" rods. I think for very strong wind, which usually is rear wind, a shorter rod could be better to straighten the line loop fully. Competition casting is almost completely different from fly fishing but very fun and intriquing hobby. I have test many different 15ft blanks but soon I should decide which two or three I want to finish for 2020 comp season that I don't have to use rods which guides and reels are mounted using masking tape with just butt knob made of masking tape. For me performance comes about 90% from the line weight and there is no TH rod I can deliver average SW fly casting 550gr line than I am able to deliver casting 700gr line using 11ft TH rod which is lighter to use. I just use narrower grip and line speed comes quite fast. Esa

It is not the longer length of TH rod which makes is cast longer. It is the heavier line which using Two Hands to rotate the rod makes possible. Only when casting to tail wind longer TH rod casts the same weight line longer because it allows higher up launch trajectory. Esa

Good to hear Drew! Esa

Did you consider or test my succestion to install loop "straps" for fingers? One for index and one for pinkie should reduce stress from your thumb? Esa

I think modern method is to use UV cure resin to coat wraps so rod rotating system for two part epoxy hardening is not needed anymore. UV lamps do necessarily fully cure UV resin but enough that you can put rod away to wait sunny day which emit all wavelengths and UV resins cure fully. I build first three rods using a jig I made of cardboard box. First I routed the thread thru a book but then I used fly tying bobbin. I use a drill which rews I adjust using light dimmer to rotate butt section but I form the cork using narrow belt sander. Esa

It is not only the rising temperature! Rising CO2 level will make sea water more acid which is bad to life which rely to hard "shell". Yes CO2 level has been much higher but obviously its level has increased too much too fast for many life forms to adapt. Esa

Welcome here too! What comes to self learning fly line casting the "fly casting video masterclass" is great especially when you connect tablet/laptop (even modern big display phone) to internet in practice field/pond and watch lesson and do it. Watch first five lessons now and you understand its value and how fast you will advance. I think 6wt or 7wt long belly line (Barrio GT125 or GT90 are not expensive) is easier to learn and delivers big enough fly which covers most salt water fish and conditions. If you plan to practice seriously in Florida then consider Sexyloops Thunderbolt Instructor WF6F. Its harder coating should last lawn casting long time so its higher cost comes justified. Instructor line is bright orange but line color does not scare fish. Rod does not have much influence but physical light weight rod is usually "nicer". Esa

Yes climate has changed in the past but now it changes so fast that nature can not adapt with it fast enough! Esa

I did like the time fishing and meeting you guys but yes I have done few five...six hour Pike fishing outings using a float tube here in Finland where Pike weight count must have exceed my Striper weight count I have got on all four visits I have done to Cape. I hope fly anglers understand how good your rods are and how it benefit Recovery organisation as well! Esa

Herb, blank stiffness, action angle and section weights and there is no need for words! Esa

If you do not mind rod being two piece, searching "lure and bait etc" rods opens lots of options which usually are also cheaper than fly rod blanks. If you bring your own line fishing shops should allow you to test cast rods? If not you can take the same weight you hang with your own rods and get very good idea what king action and stiffness the rod has and when you weight tip section(s) you can get data to help choosing. The handles of "orher style" rods are usually so heavily built that scaling them does not tell much. There are rods where is a glassfiber tube extension built inside the handle and only easy quarantee to avoid it without destroying handle is to buy rod which has naked blank section between reel seat and bottom handle. Esa

Yes unfortunately there is not many blanks in that length/weight! Bloke XLeNT 10' 9wt four piece from UK (~$125 +post) Its Common Cents data are: IP201g, AA68 Red Truck Diesel 1367-4 is a four piece Double Hand 13'6" (~$200). Its full length CCS data are: IP190g, AA67. Using top three sections and shortening about 4" from the butt section to 10'1" length makes it IP186g AA64. Using top three sections and shortening 4" from tip to 10'1" it comes bit stiffer IP197g and action change fuller AA60. If you buy two 1367-4 it is possible to get six different rods: Full length 13'6" DH and cutting other tip for example 5 inches shorter get 13'1' DH as well. Building short handle to third section you get full length 10"5 and using shorter tip 10ft single hand rods. Cutting other butt section from the middle and building handle to it you get 12ft and 11'7" Switch rods. Esa

I think Orvis Clearwater has very nice value for money when compared to twice the cost rods end even higher cost rods and when Orvis occasionally have "coupons" the full outfit should come to low $300. Second hand outfit can be very good buy. Maxcatch rod bought direct from asia has good VFM. Reels are OK as well but lines I have bought have been junk. Esa