This page is to share completed rod building projects or those that are still in progress. Also this is a suitable space for any interesting rod building related information encountered on social media or the web. There’s always some new tips and tricks floating around on the internet from known and unknown rod builders therefore it’s always a good idea to pay attention to what other people are doing. So lets get ready – get your callipers out, undust those stashed away hand wrappers and lets rock and roll some outstanding fly rods.
CTS Affinity MX #3 7’6″ Black
I’ve been wanting to build this shortish lightweight rod with strong backbone that could cast relatively heavy flies like big grasshoper patterns or small streamers, when fishing small overgrown creeks for trout. And also the rod that I could use to send my big bass bugs under the trees or even gotchas when chasing bream out of a yak. Decided to go with CTS Affinity MX 3wt 7’6″ blank and combine it with the lightest possible REC components to keep it to its natural medium/fast action as much as possible. Paired this stick with a short headed Scientific Anglers Mastery MPX line and it’s a weapon!
Component list:
Blank: CTS Affinity MX 7’6″ #3 in Matte Black
Handle: REC Western style grip
Reel seat: REC ABGS in Black
Reel seat insert: REC Natural Burl California Buckeye
Stripping Guide: Fuji Concept stripping guide SiC (Chrome)
Snake Guides: RECOIL Ultralight in natural Titanium finish
Thread: Gudebrod Grey
CTS Affinity X #8 9′ Cobalt Blue
Living in Sydney, Australia meant I have to spend fishing saltwater at least couple of times a year. So I needed an all-rounder tool that could get the job done. I know, that universal tool never exist but like you have a 5wt 9feet rods for freshwater, I think 8 weight 9feet rod sits in that happy medium for salt that could be used in multiple situations. Again I chose CTS blank for this build as I had only but good experience with rods built on these blanks. I chose a cobalt color, quite a trendy color at the time of building this rod. Companies like Sage and TFO were releasing salt water rods in similar colors so I decided to dodge a bullet and get one like this and see if I like it. The end result looks pretty neat and so far I’m pretty happy with choice of blank, color and components.
Component list
Blank: CTS Affinity X #8 9’0″ Cobalt
Handle: Struble Full Wells grip with fighting butt
Reel seat and insert: Struble U-7 Saltwater reel seat in Pewter color
Stripping guide: Fuji Concept SiC Titanium
Snake guides: Hopkins and Holloway snake guide set
Thread: Gudebrod Cobalt Blue with color preserver and Metallic Silver trims
CTS Affinity MX #5 9′ Golden Plum
What springs to your mind when someone says you should get a 9 feet 5 weight rod? Probably the most universal type of rod that could be used in series of situations? Type of rod that most beginners would start with, but also could be used by experienced fly casters in comps? Probably nobody would argue with this. So I decided that I definitely need one as my previous Sage 5 weight rod was starting to show it’s age. I decided to go with well trusted CTS Affinity MX blank for this build in a beautiful Golden Plum colour. See the component listing below.
Components used:
- Rod blank: CTS Affinity MX 9′ 4 pieces Golden Plum
- Grip: Struble Ultra Fine
- Real seat: Struble U-25 Darkened Nickel Silver
- Real seat insert: Struble Burl Madrone
- Guides: Hopkins & Halloway Guide set
- Thread: Gudebrod plus
CTS Affinity MX #3 7’6″ Brown
This is my second completed project – a classic/traditional looking trout rod for a good friend of mine. The same exact configuration blank as I used for my previous build but with a different type of hardware this time. I think the chrome real seat and chrome guides matches the brown colour blank really well. And of course the highlight for me is this beautifully crafted Burl Madrone real seat insert that really adds touch of quality to the rod. The final accent are the green colour guide wraps that don’t look too heavy on the blank and blends in really nice with the whole rod. I think it’s a brilliant smaller stream rod, that’s capable of throwing larger flies or even indicators when needed. I think that’s where the CTS blanks shine the most. Component list and blank details attached below.
Components used:
- Rod blank: CTS Affinity MX 7’6″ 4 pieces Brown
- Grip: Struble Ultra Fine
- Real seat: Struble U‐25 reel seat with Dark Nickel Silver
- Real seat insert : Struble Burl Madrone
- Guides: Hopkins & Halloway TiCH Guide set and a Hooker
- Thread: Gudebrod size A Green
CTS Affinity MX #3 7’6″ Olive Grey
So here you go, there she is. My first ever built fly rod. Having heard only but good things about CTS blanks, me and couple of friends decided to go ahead and ordered 3 weight rod blanks for those smaller creeks and tighter spaces when chasing trout or bass.
I believe it turned out a pretty sweet